Sea of Change Foundation Supports Community Monitoring of Megafauna in Belize with MarAlliance

Every year, the Sea of Change Foundation provides support for innovative conservation projects worldwide. These projects focus on threatened species such as corals, seahorses, sea turtles, right whales, Asian elephants, and sharks. The Foundation is now funding another project in Belize, in collaboration with MarAlliance, which aims to train local students and traditional fishermen to participate in the monitoring of key species, including sharks.

The project, titled “Assessing impacts of new protective measures on elasmobranch diversity and relative abundance at Turneffe Atoll, Belize,” has already made progress. This year, nine local fishers and 10 University of Belize students have been trained in marine monitoring methods, including catch and release data tagging and video surveys using baited remote underwater video cameras (BRUVs). Furthermore, 31 habitat sites in Turneffe Atoll have been thoroughly surveyed. The local students are also forming “The BRUV Club” to learn more about marine science through the analysis of collected videos and monitoring data.

Now that the data gathering phase of the project is complete, the team will analyze the data and compare it to previous years’ data to identify any trends in shark populations at Turneffe Atoll. The results will be shared with protected area management and the local community through meetings and outreach materials, with the aim of promoting international standards.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that 37% of all shark and ray species worldwide are threatened with extinction due to factors such as habitat loss and overfishing. MarAlliance is working on a national shark tourism strategy to support species conservation and economic growth in the tourism sector. Dr. Rachel Graham, the Founder and Executive Director of MarAlliance, emphasizes the importance of engaging and supporting local communities in shark conservation efforts. Samantha Whitcraft, the Executive Director of the Sea of Change Foundation, highlights the foundation’s commitment to saving sharks and promoting sustainable ecot
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