Category Archives: Sustainable Fisheries

Lionfish, Outreach, Sustainable Fisheries

Lionfish invade Rock Sound Homecoming!

Part of the team working the CEI booth: Aaron, Tamanji, Liz and Alicia
Part of the team working the CEI booth: Aaron, Tamanji, Liz and Alicia

CEI Lionfish team visited Rock Sound’s homecoming celebration.  Amid stands selling fritters, grouper, and curry chicken the crew erected a booth dishing out free samples of lionfish ceviche, passing out brochures, and sporting the new line of t-shirts from CEI’s “You Slay, We Pay” campaign.  It is at venues like these, when huge numbers of people from around the Bahamas come together to celebrate, talk, and most importantly eat, that outreach is so critical.  It is not yet universal knowledge that lionfish are both edible and delicious, so having a presence at local cultural events such as this allows us to spread awareness and change minds.

 

Lionfish salad! A delicious hit!
Lionfish salad! A delicious hit!
Jocelyn and Liz prepping lionfish.
Jocelyn and Liz prepping lionfish.

This was evidenced first hand on Saturday, when many locals tried lionfish for the first time. Initially hesitant observers came forward after hearing about the process of safely filleting lionfish, discussing the benefits to many native fisheries from eating lionfish, and seeing the satisfied smiles of previous samplers.  Many first-timers were visibly surprised at the clean taste of the white meat.  The unanimous consensus was that the fish offers a delicious alternative to other Bahamian classics.

 

Slayer campaign logo
Slayer campaign logo

Why is this so exciting and why is outreach like this so important? The invasive and hugely harmful lionfish is a largely untapped marine resource throughout the Caribbean. However, with more and more people trying and loving lionfish at events like Saturday’s homecoming, it is hoped that demand for lionfish as a fishery will rise.  Fishermen will then play a greater role in lionfish population control as they work to meet that demand with supply.

 

How to make your own lionfish ceviche:

 

1.         Start with fresh lionfish fillets, and finely dice.  Immerse in lime juice for 20-30 minutes.

2.         While lionfish is marinating, dice green peppers, tomatoes, and onions. Place in a bowl to the side.  You should have roughly equal amounts of vegetables and fish.

3.         Dice a very small amount of habanero or scotch bonnet pepper into extremely small chunks.

4.         Drain lime juice out of the lionfish; fish should look opaque and white.

5.         In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped fish and all vegetables and peppers.  Mix well, season with salt and pepper to taste.

6.         Serve and enjoy!  You are promoting a sustainable fishery.

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Lionfish, Outreach, Sustainable Fisheries

You Slay, We Pay!

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spearsThe ‘You Slay, We Pay’ campaign is underway. Lionfish are invasive and devastating reefs; fortunately for us, they are delicious! However, these fish are still an untapped sustainable marine resource. The Island School with CEI launched a campaign to start a lionfish fishery and are buying lionfish from local fishermen for $11/lb during this lobster closed season (April 1st – July 31st). Locals fishermen are encouraged to bring fish in – they receive an amazing lionfish slayer t-shirt when they drop off their first 15 lbs of lionfish. Additionally, we enter them in a raffle each time they bring in 15 lb of lionfish, and there will be a prize draw at the end of season to win a new pole spear and other goodies.

So how can you support this campaign? Several ways:

Eat lionfish! Please, when you are eating out, ask for lionfish! Even if it is not on the menu it is a great way to create a demand and therefore supply. * Don’t choose to eat species that are in closed fishing season or are unsustainable.

INVASION AT BAYBuy a t-shirt! The purchase of your t-shirt supports the cost of ‘YouSAVE A LOBSTER Slay, We Pay’ sustainable fishery campaign. These limited edits shirts are available online now!

 

Click here to buy a lionfish t-shirt! 

Spread the word! Wherever you are, speak with and educate people about the lionfish issue. Keep up to date on the success of this campaign through our blog and social media accounts.

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Flats, Outreach, Plastics, Research Programs, Sustainable Fisheries

CEI Researchers present at the 2nd Bahamas National Natural History Conference in Nassau

CEI presenters at the conference.
CEI presenters at the conference.

CEI researchers were busy in Nassau over the past week.  On March 4th, Aaron Shultz and Kate Kincaid attended an IUCN Red List Workshop, held at The Bahamas National Trust. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is the world’s oldest and largest global environmental organization (www.iucn.org).  As an expert commission member for several IUCN groups, Kate is regularly involved in IUCN work.  This workshop was open to scientists to come together and discuss plans for a National Red List for The Bahamas.  The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (www.iucnredlist.org) promotes conservation and is an assessment of the conservation status of species to highlight taxa that are threatened with extinction.   Species are evaluated using set criteria; this catalogue of threatened species is an internationally recognized inventory and important for conservation, decision making and highlighting biodiversity loss.

Many species have not yet been assessed and many countries are conducting national Red Lists.  A national Red List for The Bahamas can be used for conservation planning and to assess their progress towards the 2020 Conventional on Biological Diversity Aichi targets.   At this workshop, Kate and Aaron expressed CEI’s interest to be involved in the planning process and in species focus groups for sharks, corals and turtles.

Aaron Shultz presenting.
Aaron Shultz presenting.

Following this workshop, CEI researchers Aaron Shultz, Kate Kincaid and Kristal Ambrose attended the 2nd Bahamas National Natural History Conference.  This was a 3 day conference from 5th-8th March led by the Bahamas National Trust (www.bnt.bs) that highlighted the importance of research, conservation, and environmental stewardship in The Bahamas.  The conference began with an opening ceremony at Atlantis followed by 3 days of talks.  Continue reading →

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Educational Programs, Lionfish, Research Programs, Sharks, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries

MSSM presents on the effects of longline capture stress

Shark research associate, Owen O'shea, with juvenile tiger shark caught on longline.
Shark research associate, Owen O’shea, with juvenile tiger shark caught on longline.

The Maine School of Science & Mathematics blessed us with their presence for the 4th year in a row here at the Cape Eleuthera Institute! Dr. Debbie Eustis-Grandy and Dr. Gregory Hamlin, both teachers from MSSM in Limestone, Maine, lead five brilliant boarding students through a two week research program with Cape Eleuthera Institute’s shark researchers- Edd Brooks, Owen O’shea, Ian Bouyoucos, Ollie Shipley, and Mackey Violich.

Students learning about the anatomy of the invasive lionfish with Alicia Hendrix, CEI's research technician for the sustainable fisheries program.
Students learning about the anatomy of the invasive lionfish with Alicia Hendrix, CEI’s research technician for the sustainable fisheries program.

Students were specifically looking at the effects of longline capture stress on the blood chemistry of Caribbean reef sharks & nurse sharks, focusing on glucose and lactate levels within the first 30 minutes of capture. Students worked alongside the shark crew in the field longlining for shark. Their first day in the field they caught a juvenile tiger shark with a total length of just 134 cms! This data will contribute to CEI’s shark longlining database and be used to research the potential effects commercial longline on shark species. Students analyzed blood chemistry data on Caribbean reef sharks and nurse sharks provided by the CEI’s long term database. This data was used to draw conclusions on the different stress response of species with various life history characteristics. Continue reading →

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Conch, Educational Programs, Flats, Research Programs, Student Research, Sustainable Fisheries, Visiting Scientists

Monmouth University students continue ongoing research projects at CEI

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January at the Cape Eleuthera Institute is an exciting time:  a new year, new interns, and a heap of new students visiting during their university’s January term!

turtleMonmouth University joined CEI for the 9th consecutive January, with two weeks packed full of research.  Among other tenets of tropical marine ecology, students continued their investigations of the carbon cycling potential of mangroves, the benthic macroinvertebrate distribution within mangrove flats, and the age and life stage distribution of various conch middens. During their time in the flats, students experienced the full range of Bahamian winter biodiversity, including sharks, turtles, bonefish, and more!

Hermit conchResearch of various middens in the Cape Eleuthera area found that newer middens include a high concentration of juvenile shells, affirming the fact that immature conch are being harvested at an increased rate.  This is often an indication of a struggling fishery, and students will continue to analyze potential protective measures for queen conch in years to come.

Samples of mangrove roots, leaves, and stems returned to NJ with the students for further analyses in hopes of better understanding the carbon sequestration occurring within mangrove flats.  A strong correlation between certain types of mangrove environments and high carbon sequestration may lead to increased protection of such areas.

Professor John Tiedemann talking to students out in the mangroves
Professor John Tiedemann talking to students out in the mangroves

Led by Dr. John Tiedemann and Dr. Pedram Daneshgar, and supported by Ph.D. candidates Elizabeth Wallace and Christopher Haak, the students logged countless hours of field time investigating various elements of flats ecology.

Dr. Tiedemann was also instrumental in coordinating a visit from Todd Pover and Stephanie Egger, conservation biologists from New Jersey’s Conserve Wildlife Foundation (http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/).  The two scientists gave a campus-wide presentation on the international work they’ve been doing with the piping plover, a shorebird who breeds along the New Jersey shoreline and winters in the Bahamas.  CEI is excited about the possibility of partnering in CWF’s educational initiatives in years to come!

A group shot at High Rock
A group shot at High Rock
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Educational Programs, Outreach, Sustainable Fisheries, Sustainable Systems

CEI Outreach at schools in North Eleuthera

20130926_104246Miss Kristal Ambrose, CEI’s Marine Plastic Pollution Specialist, and Tiffany Gray, CEI’s Lead Outdoor Educator, made a visit to 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students at North Eleuthera Primary to talk about Pollution and Plastics. Students had a blast learning about some of the threats to their marine resources, as well as acting out the North Pacific garbage patch! Kristal and Tiffany also had the opportunity to speak with the 2nd grade class briefly before heading out to Spanish Wells.

Spanish Wells was a successful visit as our team checked in with the 12 grade geography class to assist them with a comparative coral reef study that they will be conducting for the Bahamas General Certificate Secondary Examination, a national exam for local high schools. CEI will be continuing on with outreach efforts in North Eleuthera on Oct 17 where students from both schools will get to visit mangroves and coral reefs.

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Outreach, Sustainable Fisheries

CEI represented at Ecological Gap Analysis workshop in Nassau

At the end of March, Kate Barley represented CEI and attended a stakeholder workshop on Ecological Gap Analysis at the Wyndham Nassau Resort.  Decision makers from government, policy makers, academics, and NGO’s were also in attendance.  This workshop was a part of the larger Global Environment Fund (GEF) Project titled “Building a Sustainable Network of Marine Protected Areas for The Bahamas.”  The main objective of this is to expand the coverage of Marine Protected Areas in The Bahamas.

An ecological gap analysis is an assessment to check if the the goals and objectives for the area are being met.  An ecological gap is where a certain species or ecosystem (e.g., A reef, mangrove, forest, etc.) is not represented enough for the long term protection that it needs.  This is important because The Bahamas is part of an international agreement, The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and as part of this, has agreed to protect at least 17% of the land and 10% of marine environment by 2020.  This protection does not all have to be in the form of closed areas, but does need to be effectively managed, ecologically representative, and connected to other ecosystems with the overall goal of reducing the pressure on biodiversity and promoting sustainable use of resources. Continue reading →

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