Tag: lionfish
Learning exchanges – the gateway to knowledge sharing and networking for local fishers
Sustainable fisheries management is often dependent on localised knowledge. Local communities have been present for in situ observation of their resources for many years and possess insights that can be traced back generations. Though not usually formally recorded, this valuable...
Building capacity and strengthening networks – a participatory approach to invasive species management in Belize
The Pivot I can clearly remember waking up at the crack of dawn to the view of a breathtaking sunrise and the voices of eager volunteers who couldn’t wait to gear up. The savory aroma from the kitchen lingered like...
From Sarteneja Village to diving the reefs of the Caribbean Sea: my journey with Blue Ventures
“One thing I’ve learned throughout my life is that if you take chances you can either succeed or work yourself into succeeding”
Belioness: empowering women and helping the reef, one lionfish at a time
Mindy Cruz had to stop going to school when she was 12, making it difficult for her to find fulfilling work, but now she is the Chairwoman of Belioness – a group of Belizean women who make jewellery from the...
Taming the lionfish: celebrating the contribution of our volunteers in Belize
At the European Coral Reef Symposium in Oxford in December 2017, we shared positive lessons learnt on the benefits that volunteers can bring to marine conservation, using our efforts to address Belize’s lionfish invasion as a case study.
Scaling up the success of lionfish management through practitioner exchange
Four delegates from Colombia recently visited Belize to learn about market-based approaches to invasive lionfish control.
Sarteneja’s kids learn about marine conservation through art
35 kids visited Blue Venture’s office in Sarteneja to create some marine-themed art and learn about conservation efforts in Belize.
4 take home messages from the International Congress for Conservation Biology
Belize Country Coordinator Jennifer Chapman distills her thoughts on why interdisciplinary skills are a must for effective conservation.
A morning of sand, salt and science
Blue Ventures volunteer, Kaesha Freyaldenhoven, provides a descriptive account of an average morning at Bacalar Chico Dive Camp in Belize.
Water between the rocks: a volunteer’s experience of Sarteneja
Before heading off to the gorgeous but isolated Bacalar Chico Dive Camp, Blue Ventures’ Belize volunteers spend some time in the coastal village of Sarteneja for a more immersive experience of the country’s people and culture. This is Tom Smart’s...
Belioness: 15 women, seven communities, four languages, one vision
The Belioness lionfish jewelry group gather from across Belize to develop a shared vision for their social enterprise; United women, empowered communities, and a healthy, beautiful reef.
Counting for conservation: the Belize National Lionfish Survey
Science Interns Julia Rubin and Anna Simmons recall 3 months spent surveying 50 different reef sites across 5 of Belize’s marine reserves.
How many lionfish? Special training to count the cryptic invader
Since its accidental introduction to the Atlantic in the 1980s, the Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans) has become one of the greatest threats to the resilience of Caribbean reef systems.
The insatiable appetite: Lionfish target the world’s most threatened coral reef fish
The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is a beautiful fish. In its native range – which extends from the Pacific Islands through the Coral Triangle and into the Indian Ocean to the eastern coast of Africa – to see a lionfish on...
Spreading the word about lionfish!
By Winnie Courtene-Jones, Field Scientist, Belize Since their arrival in Belize in 2008, lionfish have dramatically increased in numbers and spread throughout the country’s waters, devastating the World Heritage listed Belize Barrier Reef. What better way than to help tackle...