U.S. Agency for International Development

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) entered into a new partnership with NFWF beginning in 2022 to bolster populations of sea turtles and seabirds impacted by marine plastics by reducing other threats to their lifecycle. The partnership is initially focusing on the lands and waters around Ecuador.

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In 2022, NFWF developed a new partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) focused on building population resilience for marine species (sea turtles and seabirds) at risk from ingestion of marine plastics. By proactively addressing other threats for the same species, this program will contribute toward reducing risks and ideally reversing drivers contributing to population level declines while the broader issue of marine plastic waste is tackled through other means outside this program. In this first year, the geographic focus of the program will be on the lands and waters around Ecuador. The program will address recovery needs for two species of sea turtles – the Eastern Pacific Leatherback and Eastern Pacific Hawksbill – and one seabird species – the Waved Albatross.