John Flynn

From an early career in marketing and graphic design, John has spent over the last decade building his experience in community based sea turtle conservation and rehabilitation in Greece initially and later in Africa, India and Asia. His programs focus on the importance of including artisanal fishermen in the conservation process. Through the ‘Safe Release’ program he developed, Wildseas has garnered the cooperation of many fishermen to ensure by-catch turtles are released alive instead of being sold or consumed as had traditionally been the case with many of the artisanal fisherfolk. Through the program, John’s team has helped rescue, tag many, and release over 1,500 turtles to date.

John and his team take a multidisciplinary approach to conservation by working to educate artisanal fishermen who form the backbone of his programs along with involving local communities, youth and government officials. He has also brought his experience to other NGOs and in 2019 launched the Safe Release program in The Gambia in partnership with a local NGO.