PROJECT OVERVIEW
Located in the Gulf of Guinea, on the West Coast of Africa, AMMCO’s mission is to contribute to the protection of aquatic megafauna and their habitats in Central Africa by developing synergies to improve scientific knowledge, the livelihoods of fishing communities and law enforcement.
In 2015 AMMCO initiated the SIREN citizen science project, which involves volunteer fishers using the SIREN mobile app to report opportunistic sightings, bycatch and strandings of aquatic mega-fauna along the coast of Cameroon.
In recent years, AMMCO has initiated a shark and ray conservation programme which combines citizen science with field surveys and outreach. The programme aims to provide information on the status of shark and ray species, fishing sites and utilization along the coastline of Cameroon. Moreover, they aim to raise the national legal status of the threatened elasmobranch species to advocate for the legal protection of threatened elasmobranchs and to improve the perception of the local population on the importance and conservation status of the threatened elasmobranch species of Cameroon. In parallel, they are working closely with communities to try to identify means to support them in moving towards more sustainable fishing practices while promoting food security.
In 2021, AMMCO initiated the annual Street Whale event, combining art and science to raise awareness of marine issues in Cameroon. The Street Whale brings together scientists, policymakers, fishers and local citizens to discuss conservation strategies for marine wildlife in Cameroon.
In 2022, AMMCO partnered with the Manta Trust to develop a Strategic Plan for the Conservation and Research of Cameroon's Elasmobranchs (CREC).
For the future, they are also planning to improve the alliances of scientists in the Gulf of Guinea region and the greater West & Central Africa, to share skills, increase our understanding of these species, and develop joint conservation strategies that will promote better conservation of sharks and rays.
They stand together to conserve life in our oceans, for sharks, rays, and the people who rely on healthy marine ecosystems for food security in Cameroon!
The AMMCO team
Fish market surveys © Simon Hilbourne
Elasmobranch dissection workshop © Simon Hilbourne
PROJECT GOALs
AMMCO has set itself the objective of reducing by 10% the major threats weighing on the aquatic megafauna and their habitats while improving the living conditions of local communities by 2025.
MAIN OBJECTIVES
To achieve its goal, AMMCO works to meet the following objectives:
(1) Develop alliances for the conservation of marine fauna.
(2) Improve local knowledge of marine fauna.
(3) Reduce the economic vulnerability of local fishing communities.
(4) Improve advocacy for enforcement of the marine wildlife law.
PROJECT FOUNDER - Aristide Takoukam
Aristide Takoukam comes from Douala (Cameroon) and is the founder of AMMCO. Aristide holds a PhD in veterinary medical sciences from the University of Florida, where he studied the African manatee´s conservation genetics. Aristide uses a multi-disciplinary approach to drive conservation and works closely with stakeholders to improve relevant fisheries policies.
CREC Project leader - Ghofrane Labyedh
Ghofrane Labyedh comes from Monastir (Tunisia). She is a marine conservationist with a Master through research degree in Marine Ecology and Conservation. She leads the Conservation and Research of the Elasmobranchs of Cameroon (CREC) Project in collaboration with AMMCO and the Manta Trust, helping to attain a better future for marine wildlife including sharks and rays.
CREC Project ASSISTANT - Cedrick Fogwan
Cedrick Fogwan comes from Dschang (Cameroon). He is holder of a Master’s in engineering in marine ecosystem management and a Master of Science in cetacean conservation from the University of Douala. Cedrick’s work combines citizen science with field-based surveys to collect data to support the conservation of the marine megafauna in Cameroon. In the CREC project, Cedrick assists and co-coordinates field activities.
Key Achievements
Partnered with the Manta Trust to develop a Strategic Plan for the Conservation and Research of Cameroon's Elasmobranchs (CREC).
Launched the SIREN mobile app where volunteer fishers report opportunistic sightings, bycatch and strandings of aquatic mega-fauna along the coast of Cameroon.
Initiated the annual Street Whale event, combining art and science to raise awareness on marine issues in Cameroon (since 2021).
Photos from the field
