“As a region, no one should be left behind.”
Dainah Gigiba, a District Fisheries Officer in Papua New Guinea, emphasized the importance of collaboration across the Arafura and Timor Seas (ATS) region during the Regional Exchange on Sea Turtle Conservation in Bali, Indonesia.
“We learned many things during the exchange program for us to take back,” she said.
From 14-16 September 2023, the Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action Phase II (ATSEA-2) Project convened dedicated teams of local community members and government representatives from Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Papua New Guinea to synchronize their efforts on the conservation of sea turtles in the region.
Over three days, the participants honed their skills and devised solutions to enhance their respective conservation efforts, laying the groundwork for collaborative regional networks and partnerships that are crucial to addressing transboundary challenges.
“We need to continue these exchange programs because they help us to see where we are, and how we can each do our part," said Dainah, summarizing her experience of the Regiona Exchange. "We need to go back and implement whatever we learned," she added.