Our Approach
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) convenes government, stakeholders and communities to co-create new, science-based conservation strategies that can be scaled across the globe. Together with partners, we develop tools to guide responsible, adaptive and equitable freshwater fisheries co-management models (between communities, governments and other stakeholders) and increase the visibility of freshwater fisheries in global and national policy dialogues.
TNC has the proven skills to build genuine, long-term trust with partners on the ground and the vision to tackle planet-sized challenges at the same time.
See the Resource Hub for examples of our tools.
Our Global Partners
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
- Inland Fisheries Alliance
- Wildlife Conservation Society
- Aguas Amazónicas
- US Geological Survey
- Biodiversity Research Institute
- Woodhill Solutions
- Infish Network
- Gender in Aquaculture and Fisheries Section of the Asian Fisheries Society
- Minamata Secretariat
Our Pillars
TNC staff, on-the-ground partners, Indigenous Peoples, traditional communities and local residents are co-creating innovative community-led conservation solutions across four areas of focus:
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Fisheries Co-Management
To use fisheries responsibly and conserve freshwater ecosystems
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Policy and Communications
To raise the visibility of freshwater fisheries in policy and public discourse
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Community Governance
To bring community voices, including Indigenous voices, to spaces where freshwater fisheries decisions are made
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Equity and Human Rights
To promote equity and justice for fishing communities
Our Impact
Our work to conserve freshwater biodiversity ripples downstream and echoes throughout the watershed.
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2.5 M
Hectares of lakes and wetlands conserved.
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366,000
People with improved security of rights or decision-making over lands, water or resources.
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64,000
Kilometers of river systems conserved.
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366,000
People with improved sustainable, place-based economic opportunity.
TNC’s Freshwater Fisheries team and our partners are committed to achieving ambitious goals by 2030, including conserving nearly 2,500,000 hectares of lakes and wetlands and more than 64,000 kilometers of river systems across the Amazon River basin and in Sub-Saharan Africa. That’s about the size of Lake Erie and 10 times the distance of the Amazon River, respectively.
Our Global Team
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Allison Aldous
Freshwater Fisheries Strategy Director
Ask me about our overall freshwater fisheries strategy or work on mercury and artisanal small-scale gold mining.
Robert Jones
Director of Aquatic Food Systems
Ask me about our work across large and small scale marine and freshwater fisheries and aquaculture.
Sui Chian Phang
Freshwater Fisheries Deputy Director
Ask me about freshwater fisheries co-management and global fisheries policies.
Mary Pleasant
Freshwater Fisheries Strategy Manager
Ask me about strategy management and communication products.
Shiteng Kang
Freshwater Conservation Scientist
Ask me about monitoring, evaluation and learning and data management.
Deo Mushagalusa
Africa Freshwater Fisheries Scientist
Ask me about our freshwater fisheries work in Africa.
Fernanda Silva
Amazon Freshwater Fisheries Conservation Scientist
Ask me about our freshwater fisheries work in Latin America.
Cécile Brugère
Freshwater Fisheries Gender Equity Advisor
Ask me about our work advancing gender equity for Indigenous Peoples and local communities and residents.
Regional Staff
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Colin Apse
Africa Freshwater Strategy Director
Ask me about source water protection, freshwater fisheries, and freshwater biodiversity conservation in Africa.
Machaya Chomba
Silvia Benítez
Freshwater Director, Latin America Region
Ask me about nature-based solutions, conservation, and protection of freshwater ecosystems in Latin America.
Maria Laura Pineiros
Amazon Freshwater Program Project Manager
Ask me about coordinating freshwater programs across the Amazon Basin.
Angola Team
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Elizeth Goncalves
Suzana Bandeira
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist
Ask me about monitoring, evaluation, and learning work in Angola.
Victor Barreto
Okavango Basin Fisheries Specialist
Ask me about freshwater fisheries in Angola’s Okavango Basin.
Lake Tanganyika Team
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Fridolin Nzambimana
Lake Tanganyika Freshwater Program Manager
Ask me about our freshwater fisheries, managing a transboundary program, and community-led conservation activities in Lake Tanganyika.
John Kimaro
Fisheries and Biodiversity Lead, Lake Tanganyika
Ask me about development and implementation of strategies for sustainable fisheries co-management and biodiversity conservation in Lake Tanganyika Basin.
Shadya Ubwa
Lake Tanganyika Conservation Assistant
Ask me about sustainable finance and improved livelihoods for Lake Tanganyika communities.
Zambia Team
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Bruce Ellender
Kafue Conservation Director
Ask me about community-led conservation of terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity in Zambia.
Christopher Namilonga
Zambia Fisheries Specialist
Ask me about community-led conservation and safeguarding freshwater resources and the fisheries they support in Zambia.
Gabon Team
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Jean Churley Manfoumbi
Freshwater Program Manager, Gabon
Ask me about development of community fisheries with the government and local fishers and Gabon’s freshwater strategy.
Bowie Stewart Ossantsou Alimbi
Community Based Conservation Officer
Ask me about community-based conservation and freshwater fisheries in Gabon.
Brazil Team
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Lucilene Amaral
Community-based Conservation Coordinator
Ask me about our freshwater fisheries, fishing agreements and community-led initiatives in the Tapajós River.
Leticia Cobello
Brazilian Amazon Collective Territories Lead
Ask me about community-led initiatives, tropical forests, and freshwater in the Amazon Basin.
Elizabete Serrão
Conservation Specialist
Ask me about community-led initiatives and fisheries monitoring in the Amazon Basin.
Peru Team
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Aldo Cardenas Panduro
Peru Freshwater Coordinator
Ask me about nature-based solutions, science conservation, climate adaptation and fisheries in Peru.
Luis Davalos
Angelo Aguilar Chagua
Ecuador Team
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Gabriela Celi
Coordinator of the Ecuadorian Amazon Strategy
Ask me about community-led freshwater conservation in the Amazon.
Pedro Jimenez Prado
Freshwater Conservation Scientist
Ask me about freshwater and fisheries conservation in Ecuador.
Teresa Veloz Vera
Colombia Team
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Carolina Patricia Polania Silgado
Community-Based Conservation Specialist
Ask me about freshwater community-based conservation in Colombia.
Isai Victorino
Community-based Conservation Leader
Ask me about designing and implementing comprehensive strategies for ecosystem management, biodiversity and ecosystem services, and building participatory models of socio-environmental management.
Maria José Hernández
Community-Based Conservation Specialist
Ask me about freshwater community-based conservation in Colombia.
TNC’s freshwater fisheries team creates meaningful impact by coordinating with colleagues, community leaders, decision-makers, scientists and partners in the countries where we work. This crucial teamwork helps optimize the benefits for the freshwater ecosystems and local communities we support. This inclusive, collaborative and community-led approach better allows us to scale freshwater fishery best practices to practitioners around the world.
