Jump right in and learn about the

Coral Watch Program and why we need volunteers to help monitor our reefs! 

Click the link above and get started...

Or look below for information on all the projects that are available for you to get involved with!



Launched in 2011 the Adopt A Reef Program encourages stakeholders dependent on a healthy reef to monitor their favorite dive or snorkel site. Dive centers and marine guides that adopt sites are asked to submit monthly reports under the Coral Watch Program, keep their reef clean of lionfish, and to make reports on turtle sightings.

The Belize Coral Watch Program is an Early Warning Alert System for coral bleaching.  It is part of the Mesoamerican Coral Reef Watch Program that was launched by the The Nature Conservancy and the World Wildlife Fund in 2008.  The Coral Watch Program needs more volunteers to monitor reefs in Belize. Get started today and learn how you can help conserve Belize's coral reefs for future generations!

The Belize Turtle Watch Program was launched in 2011 in association with the World Wildlife Fund and the Protected Areas Conservation Trust.  The goal of the project is to collect baseline data on in-water turtle abundance and nesting activity to determine if climate change is impacting their numbers.  We need all marine guides, recreational divers and snorkelers, boat captains, fishermen and coastal property owners to submit ALL observations of sea turtles in Belize.

ECOMAR has two in-water projects that have been ongoing and include studies at Robinson Point & Gallow's point.  Ten miles southeast of Belize City lies an historically important adult green and hawksbill sea turtle foraging ground at Robinson Point. Turtles from the Gulf of Mexico, Cayman Islands and Costa Rica forage here. Ex-turtle fishermen assist scientists in capturing turtles, measuring and tagging them prior to release. 

The Belize Barrier Reef at Gallow's Point Reef is located 10 miles east of Belize City and supports green, hawksbill and loggerhead sea turtles, but primarily juvenile hawksbills are observed. Snorkel surveys utilize teams that snorkel along an imaginary transect in search of sea turtles.  When sea turtles are found team members take turns diving and capturing the turtle, bring it to the boat for measuring, tagging and release.

Lionfish are an introduced species courtesy of the aquarium industry in the United States and are now found throughout most countries with coastlines adjacent to the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. 

ECOMAR launched the Belize Lionfish Project in December 2008 in conjunction with the Belize Fisheries Department after the first sighting of lionfish was observed at Turneffe Atoll.   Lionfish Toolkits were distributed to coastal resorts where lionfish were being observed.  At first their numbers were low, but by mid 2009 lionfish could be found in significant numbers in all marine ecosystems through Belize.

In 2010 the Small Grants Fund administered by the Gulf & Caribbean Institute awarded ECOMAR a grant for the Belize Bahamas Fishermen Exchange: Lionfish Management Workshop which funded the travel and expense for 6 persons from Belize to travel to the Bahamas to learn about lionfish management.  Four fishermen, a representative from the Belize Fisheries Department and ECOMAR traveled to the Bahamas for 5 days and worked alongside local agencies.

Also in 2010 ECOMAR received a large grant from the Community Management of Protected Areas for Conversation (COMPACT) to enhance activities of the Belize Lionfish Project.  Activities were geared towards removing lionfish from the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site, educating stakeholders how to safely capture and clean, and to conduct scientific studies on lionfish DNA and prey.  More than 8000 lionfish were received in six months and provides baseline data on the invasion of lionfish into Belize.

In celebration of International Year of the Reef 2008, Reef Rally was launched in efforts to compile a list of unusual marine sightings in Belize.  Larger marine like like whales, dolphins, manatees and turtles to the smaller marine life like blue buttons are recorded in the database.

In 2009 ECOMAR opened the St. George's Caye Research Station and Field School.  Visiting professors and their students from San Marcos, Texas conduct research on the historical aspects of St. George's Caye and look for artifacts that provide a background on life on the island in the 1700s when this was the capital of Belize.  Other groups come and stay here and participate in our other programs and monitor marine life.

ECOMAR's most recent project aims to protect the rare Queen Angelfish, which is a local delicacy known as "old wife."  They are a beautiful fish which beautifies the reef and makes the Belize Barrier Reef attractive to the tourism industry.

CURRENT EVENTS!

NOAA Coral Bleach Watch Coral Bleaching Thermal Stress Outlook for Belize Indicate NO Stress!

This is great news for Belize reefs.  Thankfully the waters have cooled off quickly this year and the corals can begin to return to normal healthy browns and greens!

If you are visiting the reefs in Belize please contact us so we can send you a Belize Coral Watch Program so you can complete surveys while you are snorkeling or diving and help identify resilient reefs! 

Coral Watch Volunteer

Stephane Wandke Reports Numerous Bleached Corals

at Laughing Bird CayePhoto:  SEA

On Oct 10, 2011 Stephane Wandke monitored two reefs in at Laughing Bird Caye and reported an alarming number of whole bleached branching corals, some whole bleached boulder corals, and a few whole bleached brain corals.

As the waters cool off many corals are expected to regain their zooxathenallae and will return to normal, but some will not and will be invaded by disease and die.

Please monitor your sites monthly so we can monitor change over time and work towards understanding how climate change will impact coral reefs in Belize!

 Photo: L. Searle

A group of marine guides from Belize City receiving their Coral Watch Volunteer cards

Fishermen assisting with in-water sea turtle surveys at Robinson Point

Hawksbill captured during in-water snorkel survey at Gallow's Point reef with Bio Recon/Animal Planet film crew

Scuba diver using approved culling device to help manage lionfish!

Jaime Vivas is a fishermen from Belize City that captured this record 1 1/2 pound lionfish near South Water Caye!

Blue buttons were last observed in Belize in 2009

Photo: Ellen McRae

Students visiting the St. George's Caye Research Station & Field School and learning about lionfish

For more details on the projects we coordinate click the topic that captures your interest and dive into what we do today!

Update on the following projects can also be found on Facebook:

ECOMAR

Coral Watch

Lionfish Project

Turtle Watch

For details on the latest activities ECOMAR and partners are involved in please visit our BLOG!

Call Us Today!

ECOMAR is always looking for volunteers to assist who are interested in learning how to play an active roll in monitoring our valuable marine resources. 

Please Contact Us anytime! We look forward to hearing from you.