The Western Indian Ocean marine turtle workshop was jointly supported by WIOMSA, IUCN, WWF, CMS, and WCS and jointly hosted and organized by KWS and KESCOM in Mombasa, Kenya. The theme of the workshop was to strengthen regional collaboration in research, conservation and management of sea turtles in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) Region. The main objectives of the workshop were to:
- Discuss and adopt a coordination/networking strategy for marine turtle conservation and management in the WIO region
- Review national status reports and adopt modalities for the production of a Regional Marine Turtle Status report Discuss and adopt a draft proposal focusing on marine turtle research, conservation and management needs for the WIO region
- Discuss components of a draft proposal for submission to WIOMSA for consideration for a Marine Science for Management (MASMA) grant
Fifty-seven participants from 7 countries (Kenya, Seychelles, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritius, South Africa and Reunion and U.S.A) attended the workshop. The participants represented national and non-governmental organizations concerned with sea turtle conservation in the WIO region. During the first session, Dr. Jack Frazier gave a comprehensive overview on the historical perspectives of sea turtle research, conservation and management in the Western Indian Ocean region. This provided a background for national presentations which covered a range of topics that included background information on species, progress in research and monitoring, lessons and experiences in conservation and management and the status of legislation and policy