Francklin was born and raised in Petite Riviere de Nippes, a coastal fishing village in Haiti where he now leads conservation work. He has always loved fishing and has long had a passion for learning about and caring for marine life. Francklin joined the Haiti Ocean Project (HOP) in 2012 and now serves as their sea turtle and seabird coordinator. He spearheaded the first sea turtle tagging program in Haiti, placing flipper and pit tags on hawksbill, green, leatherback, and loggerhead turtles. Since 2018, he has saved over 100 juvenile hawksbill and green sea turtles. He has been instrumental in conservation and education work related to sea turtles and sharks, including tagging, data collection, and training of fishers as citizen scientists.
Through his community-based approach to conservation, Francklin has developed strong relationships with local fishers along the Haitian coast who have become partners in HOP’s conservation work. He has also formed bonds with youths through hosting the first sea turtle summer camp in Haiti, sponsored by SEE turtles, for 34 male and female students ages 15-20 from Petite Riviere de Nippes and Anse a Veau, organizing workshops with the Adobe Youth Voices program to create digital storytelling, and partnering with Loggerhead Marine Life Center to create a Creole book written by six Haitian youth about sea turtle conservation.
Francklin is a PADI advanced open-water scuba diver and will be involved with a major coral reef restoration project in Haiti.
Learn more about Haiti Ocean Project.
Awards
North American Association for Environment Education (NAAEE) EE 30 Under 30 Class of 2021
