Awareness raising activities

In each neighborhood of Joal-Fadiouth, awareness raising activities were conducted. Short films including underwater footage showing fishermen diving in search for seagrass were shown to the broader community of fishermen. The films were projected at night, followed by debates with the MPA management team.  While the fishermen were targeted through specific meetings or by listening to the numerous interventions of the MPA team at the local radio, these films and debates were the opportunity to touch the other members of the family and of the neighborhood.

Awareness raising activities such as the projection of films or radio interviewes were regurlarly conducted by the MPA team since its creation. Fishermen and inhabitants were used to hear messages coming from the management team, which had credibility. 

This helped to raise awareness around the critical role seagrass beds play as nursery and feeding grounds in their MPA, and to stress the importance of their conservation for both current and future generations of fishermen. Furthermore, additional snorkeling equipment was purchased in order to allow local fishermen to see the seagrass meadows by themselves. The increased awareness of the fishermen around seagrass beds led them to request appropriate MPA zoning and marking, in order to avoid involuntary damages to seagrass caused by either their anchors or the propellers of their engines.