SAN PEDRO DAILY, April 2, 2012,Belize,news,features,newspaper, information,resource,Caribbean,Ambergris Caye,San Pedro,Caye Caulker,

Belize Lionfish Project holds Achievements Presentation

The Belize Lionfish Project held an Achievements Presentation on March 22^nd at the San Pedro Lion’s Den. The ceremony was held to showcase the Belize Lionfish Project’s achievements, as well as to recognize the great job that San Pedro’s guides, fishermen and establishments have been doing in conquering the problem of the invasive lionfish. The event also launched the Belize Lionfish Project documentary on DVD.
In attendance were Robbie Gonzalez of the San Pedro Tourist Guide Association, Miguel Alamilla of the Fisheries Department, Nadia Chacon and Linda Searle of ECOMAR, Leonel Requena of the Community Management of Protected Areas for Conservation Program, Nayari Diaz of Protected Area Conservation Trust and other guests.
In speaking with The San Pedro Sun, ECOMAR Director Linda Searle said, “The Belize Lionfish Project was started in 2008 when the first lionfish was observed in Belize off of Turneffe. The project has really developed in an effort to manage lionfish. As you’re probably aware, lionfish are an evasive species and people are concerned that all of the native fish of Belize are all going to be eradicated. The lionfish will have eaten them all up and so the only fish that we’re going to have on the reef will be lionfish and we don’t want that because we like our grouper and our spiny lobster, and the other species are important to the health of the reef.”
Since its inception in 2008, the Belize Lionfish Project has come up with various activities to combat the invasion of the lionfish. Searle commented, “We had to come up with different activities in order to manage lionfish and to keep their populations low and not let them get out of hand. We’ve been working with a lot of different stakeholders, including the fisheries department and Hol Chan.”
One of the major undertakings that the project had embarked on was the organization of monthly lionfish tournaments throughout the country. “Since 2010 we have organized lionfish competitions. The dive centers out here on San Pedro, especially the marine guides are taking the lead in all of Belize compared to the other guides. They’re keeping their reef free of lionfish, so they’re doing a really great job.”
Searle complimented Wahoo’s Lounge for the work they have been doing with organizing Lionfish Cook-offs by encouraging the consumption of lionfish. The Lionfish Project also issued 62 special Lionfish hunter cards to tour guides and fishermen on the island. “The other thing that we’ve been working with the fisheries department on are to get these lionfish hunter cards. It’s like an ID card that the marine guides can actually present if any of the fisheries officers might come up and inquire why they’re spearing.” The cards are issued by the Government of Belize (GOB); giving the holder permission to use a spear while diving and to catch only lionfish. “It is very important for us to issue these lionfish hunter cards because some of the tourists that come to Belize don’t like seeing guides killing the lionfish, but at the same time they’re probably enjoy a fish dinner at a local restaurant. So that’s also something that the guides can use when they’re out there on their boats and they’re doing their briefing. They can say, well ya know, we have this problem with lionfish in our waters, so what we’re going to do is we’re going to be catching some of them because we have to manage their populations. They can show their lionfish hunter card, where the GOB through the Belize Fisheries Dept is actually giving them permission to do this.”
The DVD “The Belize Lionfish Project: A Local Response to a Regional Problem” was launched at the meeting. The DVD documents the history of the lionfish in Belize and shows how all the various stakeholders have been working together to manage the lionfish. The award for the guide that caught the most lionfish was also presented and went to Rudy Duran of San Pedro. As to how we can do our part in contributing to ridding our reefs of the lionfish, Searle stated, “Eat lionfish. Ask for it at your restaurant. What we really need to do is to help develop a market for lionfish so that the fishermen can go out and catch it and then bring it to the restaurants and sell it. There’s a lot of lionfish out there but without the market, without the people asking for it, lionfish is not going to go away, we want them to overfish lionfish. When properly prepared, lionfish is not only a delicious fillet but it is completely safe to consume.”
The San Pedro Sun applauds the efforts of all those who are committed to controlling this invasive species. For more information on The Belize Lionfish Project visit http://www.ecomarbelize.org.
San Pedro Sun

ACES Gets Grant
for NGO Status

In March 2012, the American Crocodile Education Sanctuary (ACES) received a $600US grant from The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and The Summerlee Foundation to obtain its official Non-Government Organization (NGO) status in Belize.
Currently ACES is registered and operates as a non-profit organization in Belize and tax-deductible donations are received through ACES USA 501(c)(3) partner, the Belize Economic & Ecological Development Fund. “Obtaining our NGO status in Belize will definitely increase our funding opportunities and we are grateful for the continued support from both granting agencies,” stated Cherie Rose of ACES.

ACES Intern Anthony Pine
by Anthony Pine, Founder of the Tomistoma Fund

Thanks to places like ACES, I received the training and experience required for conservation programs needed for the highly endangered Tomistoma crocodiles that reside in Indonesia. While here on the island [Ambergris Caye], The Tomistoma Fund, Marty Casado of Ambergriscaye.com, Yvonne Temsik, Dov and Laura Magy helped provide funding for very fun presentations that I gave to many schools about the importance of science, conservation and crocodiles. They were not only fun but hopefully sparked a little imagination and inspiration into many of the young students! This educational program in San Pedro has really helped give my program an understanding for what might work to educate about crocodile conservation overseas in Indonesia.
On March 9th, while training with ACES I had the opportunity to take part in one of the most exceptional and heartfelt experiences in my life. That is the rescue of an unhealthy and injured 10.8 ft crocodile. That night, while I was learning the arts of snaring and how to safely restrain a crocodile, a large crocodile came out of a resort development to our parked cart on the side of the road. This crocodile was hungry and after snaring him, we found that to be one of the least of his problems. He was missing all of his teeth (indicating poor health), was grossly underweight, and had bullet wounds throughout his body. We were able to dislodge one bullet from just below his ear (near his brain) but unfortunately were unable to retrieve the bullets from the wounds on his right hind-limb. Overall, it was a very moving experience, to see a creature that had lived to be so large to be so close to death. I do hope he will be able to be rehabilitated, but I hesitate to think he will ever be able to survive in the wild. It is also apparent that there is no suitable room for the crocodile in ACES few holding enclosures on the island (due primarily to lack of funding to build the necessary enclosures), so if you do have the time, please check out the www.americancrocodilesanctuary.org or their Facebook page for ways you can show your support or to follow up with this crocodile’s story.

Annual Report – ACES 2011

In 2011, ACES earned a total of $28,889US in grants and revenue, of which $8,269 was spent on the American crocodile population and habitat viability survey in Ambergris Caye; $12,691 was utilized to secure natural habitats at the Ladyville facility for the rescue of 22 freshwater Morelet’s crocodiles from illegal and inhumane captivity; $6,759 was used to initiate a holding facility here on Ambergris Caye and to educate about crocodile conservation on the island; and finally, $4,120 was spent on crocodile rescues, which includes the expense of gas, bait and capture supplies. ACES responded to 61 crocodile calls; rehabilitated and re-released ten ill or injured crocodiles; relocated 27 nuisance crocodiles; captured nine problematic crocodiles, three of which were placed into captivity; and rescued 22 freshwater crocodiles from inhumane captivity. ACES full 2011 Annual Report is available online at AmericanCrocodileSanctuary.org/apps/documents. Thank you all for your support! – Cherie & Vince Rose
San Pedro Sun

NOTICE

SP Library Children Easter Program
The dates are April 2,3,4, 2012.
Children ages 7 - 10. Time 10:00 am to Noon and 2:00 to 4:00 pm. Stop by the library to sign in, Limited space.

THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Nerd?
We prefer the term
Intellectual Badass

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