The Industrial Shrimp Action Network, ISA Net, was formed in 1997, to conduct campaigns with and assist non-governmental organizations from Asia, Africa, North and South America, Europe, and Australia addressing the impacts on local communities, economies, and ecosystems caused by the explosive growth of large-scale shrimp aquaculture. Representatives of environmental and community organizations from 14 nations organized ISA Net as an umbrella group that would support and encourage sustainable, responsible shrimp farming. They have led the work, study, discussions and campaigns addressing irresponsible shrimp aquaculture and promoting wetlands conservation efforts in their regions. As a network of Southern and Northern NGOs, ISA Net represents a coordinated strategy among those NGOs to leverage and magnify their individual capabilities. It is based in USA, and can be contacted at: isanet@shrimpaction.org . Web page: http://www.shrimpaction.org/
The Mangrove Action Project (MAP), is dedicated to reversing the degradation of mangrove forest ecosystems worldwide. Its central tenet is to promote the rights of local coastal peoples, including fishers and farmers, in the sustainable management of coastal environs. MAP provides four essential services to grassroots associations and other proponents of mangrove conservation. It coordinates an international NGO network and information clearinghouse on mangrove forests; it promotes public awareness of mangrove forest issues; it develops technical and financial support for NGO projects and it helps publicize within the industrialized countries the basic needs and struggles of Third World coastal fishing and farming communities affected by the consumer demands of the wealthy nations. MAP has been involved in mangrove restoration projects, advocacy work and public educational events. MAP has recently intensified its conservation work by beginning to address other serious problems affecting mangrove forests, such as the logging, oil, charcoal and tourism industries, as well as other developments which threaten the mangroves and coastal communities and strongly supports the bottom up approach as it makes a more effective and lasting difference. It publishes two important news bulletins:”The Late Friday News”, a bi-weekly electronic news bulletin and “The MAP Quarterly News” a hard copy mailed to subscribers. MAP can be contacted at: mangroveap@olympus.net Web page: http://www.earthisland.org/map/index.htm
The Latin American Mangrove Network, REDMANGLAR, has recently been established in Honduras by thirty delegates from 10 Latin American countries. Its main objective is to defend mangroves and coastal ecosystems, to guarantee their vitality and that of the populations who relate with them from hazards and impacts of activities, mainly industrial, likely to degrade the environment. Specific objectives also include working to halt the expansion of inappropriate economic industrial activities in coastal ecosystems, to strengthen the overall development of local communities and their grass-roots organizations, to promote exchange of knowledge and experience, to restore remaining mangrove areas and degraded coastal ecosystems, and to denounce and halt attempts to legalise and internationally fund industrial aquaculture, tourist industries and other destructive activities. The Executive Secretariat of this network is located in Honduras (Coddeffagolf). Those individuals and organizations interested in joining the network may request information from: cgolf@sdnohon.org.hn