OUR GOAL
Development of official community outreach programs. This is a priority for our organization and we hope to work with rather than against local fishing communities using inclusive and mutually beneficial partnerships and capacity-building initiatives to develop lasting, community-based monitoring and management of the Ecuadorian coastline and the Galapagos Islands.
In partnership with the Ecuadorian Authorities and or other organizations and our team will develop children’s books and videos to be distributed Ecuador-wide, with the objective of educating coastal school children about marine animals and conservation. collaborators
MANTAS ECUADOR PROJECT
Fundacion Megafauna Marina de Ecuador (1080p)
Fundacion Megafauna Marina de Ecuador (1080p)
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WHO WE ARE
Our research objectives are born from our belief that passion and sustained effort lead to action and permanent change. As communicators, and conservation biologists, our mantra is simple, ‘let´s help the world fall in love with Ecuador and its underwater wonders”. To this end, our center continues to pursue large-scale conservation goals abroad, but at home in Ecuador, we target lasting change on a different scale.
We also strongly believe in the empowerment and inclusion of nationals from the country and locals from the region where projects are based. Too often foreigners spearhead efforts that fail for the simple reason that their approach did not include the education or support of local communities or training programs to build capacity for future efforts. Therefore, we have worked to populate this project with both Ecuadorian and international team leaders as well as junior scientists and students. We possess a well-rounded, highly qualified team that has the knowledge, expertise, and local support within Ecuador to accomplish our goals and develop both a lasting research program on marine megafauna and a functional management plan for the species within the country.
MISION
The overall objective of FMME is simple: ‘to conduct focused research which can be applied towards the comprehensive management Marine Megafauna populations for the sustainable benefit
of local Ecuadorian and the Galapagos Islands communities’.
Our research objectives are born from our belief that passion and sustained effort lead to action and permanent change. Our team has a youthful and fresh approach to education and outreach, disseminating our findings to both the scientific community and a larger global audience through social media and documentaries.
We have had great success in the past with our ‘citizen science’ based approach to research/tourism, achieving both heightened awareness and participation from skilled members of the diving public as well as increasing the volume of incoming data and the physical range of these data points.
WHO WE ARE
Biol. Michel Guerrero Mancheno
"Discovering the ocean and its environment changed my life forever. Peace, harmony, and beauty that surrounds us are unique and indescribable sensation. The Manta Rays gave me the opportunity to see the world in a different way and allow me to discover how wonderful and inspiring they are."
Mantas Ecuador Project Director and Principal Scientist
Michel Guerrero, an Ecuadorian BSc. marine biologist and PADI course director co-founded Proyecto Mantas Ecuador and its Director, he is also FMME co-founder and who started this initiative. He is a member of the IUCN SSC Shark Specialist Group and the Ministry of the Environment of Ecuador's Scientific advisor to the Convention of Migratory Species CMS. He owns and operates Exploramar Diving, the largest and most respected dive operation in mainland Ecuador. Michel, who runs one of the few dive operations in Puerto Lopez, has been diving at Isla de la Plata and the surrounding area for the last 22 years. Intrigued by the number of manta rays at this site and troubled by the number of entangled animals, Michel set about developing this conservation program to research and protect, what he believes is one of the finest dive spots in Ecuador. Michel also instigated and co-wrote the first PADI Manta Ray Awareness Specialty.
Yoya Landázuri
"To me, learning to dive was not just a new adventure it was a life-changing experience. Made me realize that we are here as part of everything and the only home we have is earth. Motivates me to follow my heart, loving every day as it comes. I am grateful to be part of this team and putting all the affords necessary to help keep this species in a healthy environment, through our work, create conscience and awareness for other generations to follow by example"
Founder and PPRR
María Gloria Landázuri (Yoya) our Executive Director since 2017, is an electromechanical engineer who through life and experience discovered her try passion for work involving Public Relations and Communications. Her outstanding curriculum as a PR and Communications manager in other organizations has proved to be an asset for FMME. An essential part of the success of organizations such as FMME is the input between members can achieve and Yoya is the link between our scientists, non-government organizations, and government authorities putting FMME in a very high level of recognition. In addition, Yoya contributes to the organization by maintaining the face of FMME in the country and internationally, Yoya heads up the project’s fundraising efforts and promotes our work to a global audience. A passionate diver and totally committed to conservation.