Report #1 (July 9-September 30, 2012)
Reef Check Dominican Republic is pushing the “Comete un leon” ( Eat a Lion) campaign, which has been very popular among different social media outlets, educating more the Dominican Republic on this topic. i.e.
With the donations from Global Giving, Reef Check DR, has managed to arrange one of the top restaurants in the city VESUVIO (www.vesuvio.com.do) to purchase lion fish, when available, from the Cooperative COOPRESCA. Thus, providing a better management practice within fishing zone areas, by economically benefiting fishing the invasive and destructive species in Dominican waters verses any other.
Likewise, by having Vesuvio offering Lion Fish in its menu, individuals are rapidly taking a liking to it and learning about the issue from a mouth-to-mouth standpoint. Subsequently, many other restaurants in the city are doing the same.
The Cooperative COOPRESCA’s formation was part of Reef Check DRs main objectives during the earlier phases of the co management process of La Caleta Submarine National Park. By making COOPRESCA the main stakeholders of the El Carey Aquatic Center, conservation efforts are more likely to be respected given the sensibility it creates among the community members.
In addition, Reef Check DR still undertakes monthly Lion Fish control dives at the Submarine National Park, using volunteers and the equipment purchased by the funds provided through Global Giving.
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The Controlling Lion Fish Initiative has been in place with funds for about 6 months now. Currently, we are seeking for further funds in order to continue our efforts.
At La Caleta Nacional Submarine Park, co-managed by Reef Check Dominican Republic as previously mentioned, a total of 145 Lion Fish in the last 6 months have been captured in this protected area (75 more Lion Fish since our last report). In addition, RCDR volunteers and other Lion Fish hunting groups have been forming alliances to catch Lion Fish with our protocols around the Dominican Coast and relating with fishermen to secure demand once we start our Lion Fish Consumption Campaign this year. Reef Check DR continues to its regular monitoring activities in different areas of the country.
Lately, Reef Check Dominican Republic has been offering conferences on controlling and managing lion fish in different related locations of the country such as the national aquarium in the capital, a joint conference with peace core volunteers and local fishermen at Monte Cristi Dominican Republic, and a conference in Palmar de Ocoa with neighbors and local fishermen.
Furthermore, a Gastronomic Festival was celebrated at La Caleta Submarine National Park on March 18 2012 in conjunction with the well-known Dominican university Universidad Iberoamericana del Caribe (UNIBE) ( http://www.unibe.edu.do/). Students and Chefs worked together to bring about 4 creative recipes for participants to try while enjoying and observing the parks advancement.
In addition, Last month the well known gourmet magazine GASTROTECA (http://gastrotecaonline.com) finally published our first lionfish recipe focusing on a high end restaurant called Bamboo at Tortuga Bay Punta Cana which formally began our Lion Fish for Food campaign. With this we hope that more restaurants sign on this campaign.
All our publications and invitations for the Reef Check Dominican Republic Lion Fish initiative has been rigorously worked with Pagés BBDO advertising agency (http://pagesbbdo.com/bbdo/06/). Such materials has been approved by Reef Check DR board members and marketing experts in order to guarantee maximum acceptance in the market.
