If you ever see one in the wild, you will immediately know what is in front of you. Leatherback turtles are the largest living turtles in the world and have a unique look: Instead of having a hard carapace shell like other sea turtles, it has a black rubbery skin that gets strengthened by many tiny bone plates. Sporting seven unmistakable ridges on its leather-like back, the species is highly migratory and can be found in almost all oceans due to its special ability to maintain warm body temperatures in colder waters.

As the third largest country in South America, Peru boasts 3,000km of coastline and some of the world’s most productive ocean ecosystems. The Pacific Ocean off Peru is teeming with life, including migratory whales, numerous sharks and five species of turtles. Amongst Eastern Pacific green turtles, olive ridleys, loggerheads, hawksbills as well as leatherbacks call the region their temporary homes. But the large numbers of fish and other marine species also attracts large-scale fisheries to the region. Not only do large-scale fisheries have a negative effect on the general health of the marine ecosystems, they also affect small-scale, artisanal fishers whose livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems to make a living and feed their families.

The Lima-based non-profit organisation ProDelphinus targets this imbalance right at the source. Founded by marine biologist Dr Joanna Alfaro Shigueto, the organisation seeks to directly work with fishing communities, researchers and the Peruvian government to bring all parties together, promote sustainable fishing methods and reduce bycatch to protect sea turtles and marine fauna in the region.