ReefCI’s latest newsletter – 13th December 2013

With the help of TIDE and local artist and friend of ReefCI Palovi, we held a Lionfish jewellery session at a recent arts and crafts workshop for the ladies of Toledo. Most had never heard of the lionfish invasion, let alone seen the spines or eaten the fish!

The ladies were a little nervous about handling the spines at first but after taking the lead from Palovi and Jo they soon got to grips with them! A great fun session was had by all!

More lionfish spines were donated to the ladies who have since made bamboo and lionfish spine beaded curtains and small trinket boxes!! Watch this space for more details on our community outreach program or email [email protected] for further information.

ReefCI and Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) have been continuing their collaboration on removing the invasive Lionfish from Belizean waters. James Foley, Head Scientist at TIDE, took his team of community researchers to Tom Owens this week for an intensive lionfish culling program. In one of the first dives of the week a team of four from TIDE accompanied four from ReefCI, managed to remove 81 lionfish in one dive!! Excellent results!! Keep watching our facebook page for future developments and partnerships. https://www.facebook.com/pages/ReefCI/174539142603402

 

 

“Five Fabulous Days”

 

We spent five fabulous days on a remote Tropical Island located about 30 miles (1 .5 hrs) from Punta Gorda. (Tom Owen’s Caye is not on many maps).We are in our 60s, mature in years but not in attitude and experienced scuba diving for the first time with ReefCI. The time and care of the instructors, Tracy and Simon, has given us a taste to do more.

 

This is not just about diving but there is an overlying theme of conservation and really experiencing the underwater environment. I learnt how to concentrate and be much more observant and was able to spot, identify and name marine life that I had simply missed at the beginning of the week.

 

Three dives a day is a full on diving experience. The excellent food and ample portions provided us with the energy to face the task and there was still time to take up a book in one of the hammocks strung beneath the coconut palms.
The observation of the varied bird life on the island provided an interesting diversion when we were not in the water, not least the resident Osprey. “November 2013