Tag: coral reef
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...
Searchin’ for urchin
By Joakim Andersen & Sabina Larsson, BV volunteers, Belize Sabina 12 meters below: Point number 1: Dictyota 20 mm, point number 2: Halimeda 75 mm, point number 3: Dictyota again, 20 mm, … point number 10 – no idea what...
Building reef resilence: my experiences from Zanzibar
by Rado Lebely Botosoamananto, Terrestrial & Fisheries Scientist, Madagascar I was told the first time I travelled outside of Madagascar, that while this may be a first for me, it won’t be the last time I leave; and it must...
Staff Q&A with Charlie Gough, Senior Marine Scientist, Madagascar
In the twelfth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Charlie Gough, our Senior Marine Scientist, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your scientific background? Academically: a BSc in marine and coastal ecology...
Staff Q&A with Jo Hudson, Conservation & Communications Officer
In the ninth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Jo Hudson, our Conservation & Communications Officer, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your scientific background? I did a BSc in Environmental Science...
Climate change a hot topic at Belize’s Annual Conservation Symposium
by Jen Chapman, Country Coordinator, Belize Every April, conservationists and students from around Belize congregate in the aptly named Jaguar Auditorium at the University of Belize. At the annual Natural Resource Management Symposium, organisations and individuals are given the rare...
Staff Q&A with Gildas Andriamalala, Assistant Conservation Coordinator
In the eighth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Gildas Andriamalala, our Assistant Conservation Coordinator, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your background? I spent four years of my life studying private...
Staff Q&A with Alasdair Harris, Founder and Research Director
In the fourth instalment in our series of Q&As with Blue Ventures staff, we ask Alasdair Harris, our Founder and Research Director, some searching questions about science, conservation and superpowers… What is your scientific background? As an undergraduate I studied...
Journey to the centre of BV
by Jo Hudson, Conservation & Research Assistant, UK I left London very early on a cold and damp morning towards the end of April – both excited and a little apprehensive of what was to come. Having worked with BV...
Education helps to change hearts and minds in Belize
by Rohsny, BV volunteer, Belize Despite its laidback charm, Sarteneja in Belize is a small, fairly insular community that has faced considerable hardship during the past half century. Also, as is true in many other places, the grown-ups in charge...
Feeling at home in Belize
By Pam Viele, BV volunteer, Belize The Blue Ventures homestay in the quaint fishing village of Sarteneja was the perfect way to experience the culture of this lovely spot beyond the perspective of a tourist. Like most of the volunteers,...
The most beautiful adventure: My first trip beyond Madagascar
by Rado Lebely, Terrestrial & Fisheries Scientist and EDGE Fellowship winner, Madagascar Who would think that I’ve never been outside of Madagascar, never travelled by plane and never seen an international airport? This reality changed when I was accepted to join...
We all agree that the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is in poor health… but it could be worse!
by Jennifer Chapman, Country Coordinator, Belize All too often research efforts undertaken by organisations and individuals are not shared. Beautiful reports are produced, describing problems, threats, changes, declines, recommendations, opportunities, constraints… but no one reads them. Nothing happens. The Healthy...
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...
Success in Mexico at the 2012 HRI Regional Partner Meeting
by Jen Chapman, Country Coordinator, Belize In August this year, I made my way up to Mexico to represent Blue Ventures at the Healthy Reefs Initiative (HRI) first annual regional partner meeting. With representatives from Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and Mexico,...