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Ghana’s Environmental Justice Foundation says beach patrols, community engagement helped reduce poaching, increase nesting
January 24, 2022
Content TypePackage
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/ScriptGHANA ENDANGERED TURTLES FOOTBALL
HEADLINE: Ghanaian Football Team Scores Against Sea Turtle Poachers
TEASER: Ghana’s Environmental Justice Foundation says beach patrols, community engagement helped reduce poaching, increase nesting
PUBLISHED AT: 1/24/2022: 8:30AM
BYLINE: Senanu Tord
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Gomoa, Ghana
VIDEOGRAPHER: Senanu Tord
VIDEO EDITOR:
SCRIPT EDITORS: Schearf, MAS
VIDEO SOURCE(S): VOA Original, Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF)
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 3:03
VID APPROVED BY: Reifenrath
TYPE: TVPKG
UPDATE:))
((INTRO))
The coast of Ghana is home to five of the world's endangered sea turtles, which are threatened by fishing nets and poachers who sell their meat and eggs. To help revive the turtle populations, a young footballers have taken it upon themselves to guard turtle nests and rescue turtles captured by fishermen. Senanu Tord reports from Gomoa Fetteh, Ghana.
((NARRATOR))
Empty sea turtle shells are commonly found on the beach along Ghana’s coastal Gomoa Fetteh community.
((MANDATORY COURTESY: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION))
((NARRATOR))
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) says six out of the seven species of sea turtles are endangered.
Activists say five of those species used to nest in Ghana.
((Peter Kusaana, Environmental Justice Foundation (English, ?? secs))
“Over the years, we are only now recording about four or three of these species nesting in Ghana, meaning that we have already lost two of these turtle species in Ghana.”
((NARRATOR))
Fishermen here say about 50 turtles are killed every year along the eight-kilometer shoreline, drowned in fishing nets or poached for their meat and eggs.
((Ama Akorfoa, Turtle Processor (Fante, 21 secs))
“Turtle meat is a delicacy. Some people love it and others don’t. When I get my supplies, I use the entrails to make stew and sell here. I smoke the remaining meat and sell it in the market.’’
((NARRATOR))
Saving the remaining turtles is a team effort.
The Fetteh Youngsters Football Club since 2019 has taken it upon themselves to protect the turtles.
((Daniel Kwesi Botchwey, Fetteh Youngsters Football Coach (English, 27 secs))
“There has been the need for us to educate the community about it. And since the football team is for the community, because I always say, 'Fetteh Youngsters is a community-based team, it is for the community.' And the chief of the town, he is the live patron of the club, so everyone in the community supports Fetteh Youngsters. So, we have taken it as a means, as a tool, to educate the community.”
((NARRATOR))
During nesting season, the football team patrols the beaches from dusk until dawn …
(((MANDATORY COURTESY: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOUNDATION))
((COURTESY EJF: NESTING TURTLES -VARIOUS))
((NARRATOR))
… to ward off poachers and other predators that would harm nesting turtles or their eggs.
((NARRATOR))
The players also engage the turtle meat sellers and fishing community to educate them on the importance of protecting marine life.
Ghana’s Environmental Justice Foundation says their efforts are paying off.
Turtle poaching reduced from 47 killed in the 2019-2020 nesting season to 26 in the last one, while more nests have been found along the coast.
((Peter Kusaana, Environmental Justice Foundation (English, 27 secs))
“The number of nesting events recorded, meaning that the data points that have been captured by our patrollers, has increased. In 2019-2020, we had around 50 cases that were recorded in our data sheets. In 2020-2021, we have over 145.”
((NARRATOR))
They’re team numbers that the Fetteh Youngsters Football Club is proud of.
But eliminating the demand for endangered sea turtles – that’s their top goal, and one they’re playing overtime to score.
((VIDEO - Courtesy EJF: RESCUED TURTLE CRAWLING INTO THE SEA - various))
((Senanu Tord, for VOA News, Gomoa Fetteh, Ghana.)
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJanuary 24, 2022 16:13 EST
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
