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COMPACT & The Belize Lionfish Project
COMPACT recognized the importance of the Belize Lionfish Project and partnered with ECOMAR to promote a lionfish awareness campaign that would dispel myths about lionfish. Happily many fishermen, marine guides and tourists have eaten lionfish and it is becoming the new delicacy on many menus!
Funding received from COMPACT and...
In 2010 ECOMAR received a grant from COMPACT (the Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation Program) which is affiliated with the United Nations Development Project (UNDP) Small Grants Program (SGP) Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Foundation. The funding would be used to enhance the activities of the Belize Lionfish Project and conduct a multifaceted program which includes monthly lionfish tournaments and outreach programs aimed at educating stakeholders on the invasive lionfish. The goal of the project is to ensure protection of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site.
Project goals and activities included the following topics as are outlined below.
Increase awareness
Manage lionfish
Conduct scientific studies
Promote protection of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site
Increase capacity of the Belize National Coral Reef Monitoring Network
INCREASE AWARENESS
Raise awareness on invasive lionfish and inform fishermen, marine guides, general public a nd visitors about the impacts lionfish are forecast to have on the reef ecosystem and livelihoods and conduct 12 Lionfish Outreach Workshops in:
Sarteneja
Copper Bank
Chunox
San Pedro
Caye Caulker
Belize City
Dangriga
Hopkins
Seine Bight
Placencia
Monkey River
Punta Gorda
Distributed at the 12 coastal community Lionfish Outreach Workshops were educational materials which included stickers, fact sheet, puzzle page and posters all about the lionfish. Many of the materials have been produced in both English and Spanish. At these workshops ECOMAR also tried to offer lionfish tasting but sometimes had difficulty getting any lionfish to cook. But when it was offered participants enjoyed the lionfish!
A documentary has been produced titled: The Belize Lionfish Project: A Local Response to a Regional Problem that documents the history of the invasive lionfish in Belize and how all stakeholders are working together to manage lionfish.
MANAGE LIONFISH
Garner support from stakeholders - fishermen and marine guides - in managing lionfish by coordinating monthly lionfish tournaments.
ECOMAR has been working with the Belize Fisheries Department to develop acceptable culling devices that can be used on SCUBA and to also prepare Lionfish Hunter ID Cards.