ETC is uniquely composed of academic biologists, local fishermen and tourism operators that came together driven by their common passion of protecting marine life and resources.

ETC was born from the desire of a handful of people from the Jobo community, all sharing the avant-garde vision of combining conservation with tourism and, consequently, the local economy. To succeed in this endeavor, it was necessary to create a multi-skilled group of biologists, teachers, guides, tourism agents, in addition to various members of the community, most of whom were fishermen or fishermen’s wives. Over time, some stayed, others joined, such as some young people who grew up with the ideas of ETC and, as adults, wanted to be part of the adventure. Others came for a one-off study and ultimately left a piece of their soul at Jobo. But others, on the contrary, preferred to return to their former occupations. 

ETC is not a group of people frozen in time; if it disbands, it will lead to the end of the initiative. Yes, there is a strong core that, year after year, continues to believe in the change we generate, but it is difficult to create an organizational chart for the association. We are a team; several of us are able to hold multiple positions, and there is no manager or leader; everyone is responsible for their own work and the results achieved.