ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS TO

ILLEGAL HUNTING AND TRAFFICKING

^{The goal of the “100% life, 1000% more income” project is to generate alternative livelihoods to stop illegal hunting and trafficking of wild animals. Due to extreme poverty many families in the coastal regions of Venezuela try to survive by illegally selling wild animals.}

^{For example, every year, more than 100,000,000 sharks are caught for their fins. This means that in just 10 years we could witness the disappearance of 50% of these species and the degradation of the ecosystems they live in.}

^{In some Asian countries, shark fins are believed to have curative powers. This demand is in part supplied by illegal fishing in Venezuela by impoverished communities seeking additional income from fishing.}

^{The goal of the “100% life, 1000% more income” project is to generate alternative livelihoods to illegal hunting and trafficking by safeguarding biodiversity. This project supports dozens of families to improve their living conditions, helping them to overcome poverty and providing them with education and training}

^{for the development of new lucrative activities. Shark trafficking is often connected with other major illegal activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution of minors. This year, together with a local leader, we are building a small school with eco-bricks based on recycled materials from the sea, which will serve as a shelter and educational space for children who have been victims of violence and trafficking.}

OUR VALUES

Exploring opportunities for sustainable development and livelihoods based on eco-cultural values.

The wounds of injustice make people's hearts harden, but it only takes a little kindness and consideration to awaken in those hearts a love and respect for the nature that surrounds us. We have seen people who seemed to be the most cruel and selfish become the greatest defenders of the sea and the sharks
Yurasi Briceño, Coordinator of the "100% life, 1000% more income" project

^{Part of the strategy is making communities aware of the natural beauty of their surroundings. We guide them in a process aimed to generate conditions that promote sustainable tourism with the support of organised civil associations, the media, tour operators, diving clubs and other underwater sports. Another component is preparing communities to provide quality services to closed groups of committed tourists and support local initiatives and entrepreneurship.}

^{Activities undertaken with the communities include recycling, upgrading fishing boats to provide whale shark and dolphin watching trips, diving, snorkelling, infrastructure improvements to provide services, food preparation and the production of handicrafts based on recycled materials such as ghost nets. The end result is that community profits exceed revenues from illegal activities by 1000%.}

ABOUT the Shark Research Centre

^{It is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, with more than 20 years of experience, whose mission is to promote scientific research and community education for the conservation of sharks and rays and their ecosystems in Venezuela and the Caribbean.}

ALTERNATIVE LIVELIHOODS TO

ILLEGAL HUNTING AND TRAFFICKING

OUR VALUES

Exploring opportunities for sustainable development and livelihoods based on eco-cultural values.

ABOUT the Shark Research Centre

www.citvenezuela.org

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