Tag: coral reef
Lobster with a side of lionfish
by Silvia Parmeggiani, Community Officer, Belize Despite the early start, the full sun was already beating down on us as we drive down the dusty road from Sarteneja, on our way to Belize City. Belize is a country of many cultures,...
Using the beast to create some beauty: A photo diary
by Silvia Parmeggiani, Community Officer, Belize Lionfish are beautiful but because of their exotic looks they are prized specimens within the aquarium trade, and are exported all over the world. But just like their name certainly suggests, they are also aggressive predators...
From salsa to merengue: Cross-border collaboration for a cross-border problem
by Jen Chapman, Country Coordinator, Belize One of the main focuses of Blue Ventures’ work in Belize is the monitoring and management of invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans. This Indo-Pacific fish was first spotted off the coast of Florida in the...
The most remarkable place…
by Drew Lindqvist, BV Volunteer, Madagascar I don’t know how to begin concerning a description of Andavadoaka, let alone Madagascar, except to say that it’s the most remarkable corner of the earth I’ve ever been invited to discover. It may...
Time to sail-a-brate at the Sarteneja Regatta!
by Silvia Parmeggiani, Community Officer, Belize Every year, as April begins, something changes in the village of Sarteneja. It is a slow change at first, but quite noticeable if you have lived here some months. Firstly, the fishermen return to...
Eco-labels and sustainability management in the Island of the Gods
By Olivia Kemp, Sustainable Fisheries Programme Manager, Madagascar Earlier this year I travelled to the Centre of the Universe. Or the island of Bali, Indonesia, as it is also known. The Balinese, who have a deeply rich culture, believe that...
Staff Q&A with Katrina Dewar, Velondriake Project Coordinator
In the latest instalment in our series of staff Q&As, we ask Katrina Dewar, Velondriake Project Coordinator, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your academic/professional background? I have a BSc in Environmental Science from the University of...
Setting sail in Maintirano: the early days
by Florence Pichon, Barren Isles Project Coordinator, Maintirano, Madagascar I can hardly believe it’s been two months since I arrived in Maintirano; a sleepy, beautiful coastal town in western Madagascar. Settling in here as the new project coordinator for the...
Lionfish searches and lobster tickling
By Andy Veal, Blue Ventures expedition volunteer, Belize After our first week of marine science classes in the beautiful fishing village of Sarteneja, myself and my fellow expedition volunteers were excited to finally make it to the Bacalar Chico Dive...
Celebrating reef week in Belize
Every year, organisations from across Belize come together to organise “reef week”, with a range of activities highlighting the crucial role of coral reefs in the country’s economy, food security and cultural heritage. In Sarteneja, Blue Ventures celebrated the event...
What is biodiversity?
by Winnie Courtene-Jones, Field Scientist, Belize What is biodiversity? That was the question for grade 5 of the Sarteneja Roman Catholic school. We started the day with a trip to Shipstern Nature Reserve, home to a hugely diverse array of...
A meeting of minds at GCFI’s lionfish sessions
After attending the recent launch of the Regional Lionfish Strategy at the International Coral Reef Initiative general meeting one month earlier, I was excited about taking the next step in collaborative efforts to control invasive lionfish. This time, it involved...
From imperilled parrotfish to invasive lionfish – the ICRI GM28 was (almost) all about the Caribbean
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), formed of 60 members comprising governments, international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, held its 28th General Meeting (GM28) in Belize City, October this year. A year ago, Blue Ventures joined this global partnership, which strives...
In search of the elusive event: coral spawning in Madagascar
By Erika Gress, Field Scientist, Madagascar One of nature’s most unusual, mysterious and least witnessed events happens in the ocean; coral spawning. Despite years of data collection and night snorkelling trips, for the BV Madagascar team, this rare sight has...
Making a splash in Belize
By Jared Katzen, BV Volunteer, Belize 31 August 2013 There’s only a week left of our expedition and I can honestly say that this has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. While many volunteers come to...