Shimoni Turtle Watch

Guardians of the Deep…

At Shimoni Turtle Watch, we believe in the power of community engagement to make a lasting impact on marine conservation. Our newest initiative – running from August 2025 to August 2027 funded by Global Fishing Watch and in collaboration with PlanetSapling is designed to protect the rich waters of the Kisite-Mpunguti Marine National Park and
Reserve.

With the new industrial fishing port in Shimoni now operational, our community is taking action to prevent illegal fishing and protect local livelihoods. Working alongside Beach Management Units (BMUs) and fishing communities in Shimoni, Wasini, and Mkwiro, our youth-led team is bridging the gap between advanced technology and local
knowledge.

The project aims are:

● Combatting IUU Fishing We are reducing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing by equipping our communities with satellite data tools to monitor protected waters.
● Enhancing Marine Protection Through data transparency, we are helping local fishers improve the management and boundary enforcement of our marine sanctuaries.
● Increasing Transparency We are replacing handwritten logs with a digitized fisheries database to bring human activities at sea into the light.
● Community Training & Tech Our participants are learning how to use laptops, digitize and analyze data, read satellite imagery and utilize publicly available datafro m Global Fishing Watch to monitor illegal fishing activities on the water.

Together, we can create a ripple effect of positive change for coastal communities. Join
Shimoni Turtle Watch in our project activities and be a part of the movement towards a
sustainable, transparent, and thriving marine environment.

Get involved, get inspired, and let’s make a difference together!