Other programs

Surveillance

Illegal fishing

A number of strategies are in place to monitor and control illegal fishing by trawlers. Trawlers fishing too close inshore (within 5 km) are extremely detrimental to inshore marine fish species and other marine life. There is a surveillance post at the northern limit of the park that is manned 24/7.

Operation “Plage Propre” (beach cleanup)

Gabon’s beaches are littered with decades’ worth of rubbish that has come out of the ocean. A team of young, local Gabonese are employed fulltime to systematically clean the park’s entire 100 km of Atlantic coastline. The details and location of each item of litter is recorded and in this manner it is intended to trace the source where possible, and attempt to stop the problem before it starts.

Anti-poaching

Operation Loango provides eco-guides who, during their daily activities, act constantly as the eyes and ears of the Eaux et Forets authorities. Specific anti-poaching and reconnaissance patrols are also undertaken to various areas in and around the park.

Education and awareness

Operation Loango maintains a good relationship with the local people through regular contact. Many local people are unaware of the park’s boundaries and ameliorating this situation requires education, awareness and follow-up. A program is also in place that gives local school children the opportunity to visit the park, where many of them get to see some animals for the first time in their lives. It is intended to build a private school close to Iguéla in the future, where conservation and the environment will feature strongly in the curriculum.

Funding the conservation and research budget

It is largely through the activities listed above that the integrity of this unique park will be conserved in the long term. Most of the funding for these activities comes directly from the sale of the tourism product marketed and operated by the private sector partner of Operation Loango, SCD (Société de Conservation et de Développment). Through this concept of ’ tourism pays for conservation’ it is hoped that conservation in the area will always be economically sustainable.

Edward Truter, Operation Loango (03/06/2004)

WCS Activities 2004/2005

As part of the Operation Loango partnership, WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society - a U.S. based N.G.O. conservation and research organization), supported by staff from EF (Eaux et Forets - the state department of fish and wildlife) takes on a diverse role geared toward conserving and protecting Loango National Park. This includes initiating, managing, or supporting various research, monitoring, surveillance and education activities.