Belize
With 24 years of country-based experience working with large fish, turtles, fisheries, and the tourism sector in Belize, MarAlliance’s work with large iconic marine wildlife began here. Our multi-pronged approach to big fish conservation integrates fisheries-dependent and independent research, tourism, outreach and education, capacity building, and policy support.
Panama
Panama is bounded by the Caribbean and the Pacific yet scarce information exists on the status of its sharks and rays. Panama is also host to one of the remnant populations of critically endangered largetooth sawfish. MarAlliance is conducting fisheries-dependent and independent monitoring of fish and working to protect sawfish throughout the country. We conduct […]
Honduras
A moratorium on fishing sharks declared in 2011 has left the country without much data on populations and distributions of sharks and rays (collectively known as elasmobranchs). Working locally with traditional fishers, coastal and indigenous communities, we focus on generating information necessary for management and decision-making through collaborative research and monitoring, capacity building, income diversification, […]
Mexico
The Caribbean facing state of Quintana Roo possesses over 500 km of the MesoAmerican Reef and hosts key aggregation sites for several megafauna including whale sharks, manta rays and reef sharks. We have established permanent sites where we conduct standardized long-term monitoring of coastal and reef-associated marine megafauna.
Cabo Verde
The status of sharks and rays in the Eastern Atlantic is poorly known, as is their connectivity with the Western Atlantic. Working with traditional fishers and institutional partners, we are conducting the first fisheries-dependent and independent assessments and long-term monitoring of sharks and rays in Cabo Verde, including critical nursery areas. This work gives us […]
Lighthouse Reef Atoll – Belize
MarAlliance has been conducting research at Lighthouse Reef Atoll on an annual basis since 2007. We use scientific longline, Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV), and snorkel underwater visual census (UVC) to analyze long-term trends in the abundance of sharks, rays, turtles, and large finfish. We work in partnership with local fishers, university students, and other […]
Deep-Sea Sharks Belize, Honduras
Since 2015, MarAlliance has been conducting research into the deep- sea sharks that inhabit the MesoAmerican Reef (MAR). We use a combination of scientific vertical longline and a specially-designed baited remote underwater video (BRUV) to investigate the abundance and distribution of these little-studies species in depths greater than 150 meters.
Nurse Shark Population Shark and Ray Alley San Pedro, Belize
MarAlliance has been studying the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) population at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Zone D since 2014. The aggregation site, also known as Shark and Ray Alley, is a popular site for tourists. Tour operators use bait to attract the sharks to their boats to give guests close encounters with the sharks […]
Baseline BRUV Surveys, Eastern Cabo Verde
We have monitored marine megafauna in Eastern Cabo Verde around the islands of Boavista, Maio and Sal since 2015. Working with traditional fishers and students we use baited remote under video (BRUV) deployed systematically around the islands based on a spokes-on-a-wheel design, that generated a baseline of abundance and distribution of sharks, rays and large […]
Mega-Planktivore Monitoring Boavista, Cabo Verde
We have monitored the seasonal abundance and distribution of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) and oceanic manta rays (Mobula birostris) around the island of Boavista, Cabo Verde, since 2015. Fisher and boat-based surveys with traditional artisanal fishers have revealed the SW quadrant to be the seasonal focus of mega-planktivores between June and October. Trained in-water observers […]
Tiger Shark Spatial Ecology Northeastern Cabo Verde
We have surveyed large-bodied coastal sharks in northeastern Cabo Verde since 2016, with a focus on the higher trophic predator – the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). Using standardized scientific fishing techniques we capture, measure, sex, tag and release large animals. We have also deployed 12 fin-mounted SPOT tags to study their spatial ecology. To date […]
Nursery Area Monitoring Boavista, Cabo Verde
In 2015 MarAlliance identified the area known as the Baía de Sal Rei in northwestern Boavista, Cabo Verde as being used as a nursery area for several shark species. In 2016, we began monitoring work with a focus on the endangered scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini). We use standardized scientific fishing techniques that allow us […]