Category: Invasive Species

We’re supporting coastal communities in Belize to combat the threat of lionfish to local reefs by stimulating new markets for this invasive species.

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...

/ Jul 2, 2014

On the lionfish warpath with BV’s inaugural lionfish expedition!

by Meira Mizrahi, Field Scientist, Belize The start of a new expedition is always exciting; new surveys and sights, the anticipation of getting back to Bacalar Chico and into the beautiful Belizean waters, and the fresh and enthusiastic energy that...

/ Jun 23, 2014

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...

/ Jun 11, 2014

Learning about lionfish

By Susan Adams, expedition volunteer, Belize As an interdisciplinary marine conservation organisation, Blue Ventures targets its efforts across many levels. In Belize, the main focus is tackling the lionfish invasion that is threatening to decimate juvenile fish populations in the local...

/ Apr 17, 2014

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...

/ Mar 24, 2014

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...

/ Mar 17, 2014

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...

/ Mar 3, 2014

BV Belize’s conservation Christmas cracker

by Siim Maaten, BV Volunteer, Belize A couple of weeks before Christmas the weh di gwan (agenda) board in Bachalar Chico Dive Camp announced that while others are doing data entry and dives, Santa’s fellow-countrymen Kaisa and neighbour Siim (me)...

/ Jan 23, 2014

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...

/ Dec 12, 2013

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...

/ Dec 11, 2013

Staff Q&A with Jen Chapman, Conservation Coordinator, Belize

In the fourteenth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Jen Chapman, our Conservation Coordinator in Belize, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your scientific background? Being brought-up by a biologist,...

/ Nov 29, 2013

Lobsterfest 2013: a photo diary

by Jen Chapman, Country Coordinator, Belize Placencia’s 2013 Lobsterfest was more about lionfish than the traditional fishery! SEA‘s third annual lionfish tournament was implemented with the support of Blue Ventures and TIDE, seeing three dive teams remove almost 600 lionfish...

/ Sep 10, 2013

Culling me softly…

by Hayley McKenzie, Blue Ventures volunteer, Belize The divers hunt in a pack, eyes peeled for the distinctive feathery spines peeking out from behind a rock, huddled into the reef or perched on top of a spur. On sighting a...

/ Nov 8, 2012

Lionfish and camp refurbishments in Belize

By Richard Nimmo, Blue Ventures Expeditions Managing Director. In May I visited Belize to catch-up with the amazing progress that the Blue Ventures team and volunteers have made in recent months. My visit began in the village of Sarteneja in...

/ Jun 19, 2012