Control of Lionfish in the Mesoamerican Reef

On January 29, 2015, MAR Fund's Grants Review Committee got together to evaluate, discuss and recomend for support the proposals that were submitted during the Seventh Request for Proposals.

One of the proposals submitted by Belize came from the Fisheries Department and it was address to develop the lionfish National Exploitation Strategy.

We are glad to inform that the proposal entitled 'A practical approach to long-term lionfish control: developing Belize’s national lionfish exploitation strategy' was recommended for support.  The Committee made clear recomendations to the proposal and the Fisheries Department accepted them.

We expect to sign the grant agreement at the end of March so they can start activities in April.

Supporting initiatives like this is the way to control this invasive species.

We will keep you posted on what actions are taken by this national strategy in Belize.

The Belize Fisheries Department is looking for funds to develop their national lionfish exploitation strategy.  A proposal to work in South Water Caye and Port Honduras Marine Reserves was submitted to MAR Fund, but this forms part of a larger project that takes place across the Belize Barrier Reef System.

As outlined in the Mesoamerican Reef Lionfish Strategy design, lionfish control must be addressed differently in areas accessible to fishers, No Take Zones and the deep sea. The proposal focuses on lionfish control in areas accessible to fishers and provides recommendations for management within No Take Zones. The primary output of this proposal is providing a framework for development of a ‘lionfishery’ that optimizes social, environmental and economic dynamics. It also provides site-specific targets for lionfish control within South Water Caye and Port Honduras Marine Reserves.

Even though it sounds ambotious, their goal is that, by December 2015 a ten-year lionfish exploitation strategy for Belize’s barrier reef system has been developed in partnership with Blue Ventures, international fisheries stock assessment experts, and international lionfish management experts, providing a framework for the management of a ‘lionfishery’ that minimizes negative environmental impacts of the invasion, whilst maximizing socioeconomic benefits of fisheries diversification, alongside site-specific management targets for South Water Caye and Port Honduras Marine Reserves.

We strongly believe in the capacity of the Fisheries Department and Blue Ventures, that is why we encourage them to continue looking for funds to complete the national strategy, and we encourage you to support them by donating to us so we can continue supporting the control of lionfish in the MAR.

We will let you know how this strategy works!