Caring for Cameroon's Sharks, Rays and People with Ghofrane Labyedh

Ghofrane Labyedh came to Cameroon in search of whales and instead discovered an overlooked conservation story: threatened sharks and rays were being landed in large numbers, yet little was known about the fisheries catching them. Since 2019, Ghofrane has worked alongside Cameroon’s coastal communities to understand these fisheries and the cultural, social and economic importance of sharks and rays. In this episode she shares stories of her work, which weaves together research, community-led conservation, policy and storytelling; culminating in an initiative where the fishers themselves play a central role in protecting the endangered species on their doorstep. She also discusses how she has taken this multi-layered approach in her new role as Lead Coordinator of the West and Central Africa Elasmobranch Coalition with the Manta Trust. Her work here will focus on bringing together researchers, organisations and practitioners from across 14 countries in the region to address the decline of sharks and rays, strengthening in-country capacity for research and monitoring, and enhancing policy and legal frameworks for endangered species. Links Shownotes: www.saveourseas.com/worldofsharks/podcast Ghofrane on Instagram: Motherfish08 The West and Central Africa Elasmobranch Coalition: https://www.wcasharksandrays.org/