LAMAVE

LAMAVE has the mission ‘to protect marine megafauna in Southeast Asia, by investing in local people, building ocean leaders, and providing science-based tools to support the sustainable management of marine resources, for the benefit of the Filipino people.’ It began in 2010 as a marine mammal research expedition in the Bohol Sea, a deep water trench in Central Visayas. Bohol Sea is a hotspot for marine megafauna, hosting not only cetaceans but also whale sharks, manta rays and turtles. The expedition developed to include the megafauna thus observed. Since those beginning LAMAVE has expanded, both in terms of their research sites and their conservation efforts. They run an internship programme for Filipino citizens, with the aim of making opportunities in marine conservation more accessible and building the skills of future local marine conservationists; they also welcome volunteers from all over the world.