Sustaining Marine Megafauna
Tracking Success in Belize's MPAs
Measuring the effectiveness of newly expanded legislation for MPAs in Belize through long-term, community-based monitoring of marine megafauna.
Our comprehensive approach is grounded in scientific research and collaboration, aiming to safeguard the delicate balance of Belize’s Barrier Reef, renowned for its rich biodiversity and vital role as a marine habitat.
Our mission is to showcase the potential for the recovery of long-lived and late-maturing marine megafauna – such as sharks, sea turtles, rays, and big finfish, through robust stewardship practices. The insights gleaned from our work will shape future management strategies, support the sustained recovery of marine megafauna populations, and pave the way for the adoption of successful Marine Protected Area models in other regions. Join us in our journey to safeguard the marine life of Belize and beyond.
Our project involves ongoing monitoring efforts, featuring intensive training and data collection through different research techniques such as scientific long lines, underwater visual transects (UVCs), and baited remote underwater videos (BRUVs).
This comprehensive approach is grounded in scientific research and collaboration, aiming to safeguard the delicate balance of our ocean ecosystems. Through fieldwork conducted by our interdisciplinary team of scientists, fisher associates, and students, we gather vital data on the presence, diversity, distribution, and abundance of marine megafauna across designated study sites within the target atolls.
Our focus extends to assessing the status of Fish Spawning Aggregations (FSAs), critical for the reproduction and survival of commercially and ecologically important snapper species within the atolls.
The insights gained from our rigorous data analysis form the basis of strategic recommendations for future management practices and policies. These recommendations aim to promote the sustained recovery of marine megafauna populations within the MPAs.
Collaboration with key stakeholders, including Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, Belize Audubon Society, Belize Fisheries Department, and others, ensures that our findings are aligned with current management practices. Through this collaboration, we identify opportunities for improvement in areas such as enforcement, fisher access, and tourism activities.
Securing long-term funding mechanisms is integral to the continuity and success of our project. With sustained support, we can expand our efforts to replicate successful strategies in other sites and regions, furthering the conservation of marine megafauna across the Caribbean.
With the support of the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States through the BIOPAMA Programme