Ivan Torres hails from the village of Sarteneja, and has been a traditional fisher for over 30 years. He first started learning the art of his livelihood from his father at age 10. Apart from fish, lobster, and conch, turtles and sharks were also valuable species for the Torres family, so Ivan became an expert turtle catcher and shark handler, skills he now proudly uses in the research and conservation of these species through his work with MarAlliance. Ivan believes that the conservation of sharks and turtles provide ecosystem benefits to Belize, and can provide new economic opportunities for traditional fishers through tourism and research.