May 9, 2025
The goal of the project is to ensure that the Belize shark fishery has an up-to-date, shared understanding of the status of its key species and that all shark fishers are compliant with CITES reporting requirements for all shark species in perpetuity. Our approach is to build capacity and leadership within our shark fisher community by broadening participation in research that drives management decisions and to ensure all our fishers follow all rules and reporting requirements.
Funds from Belize Fund ($BZD)
$,100
Co-financing ($BZD):
$,630
Grantee
Shark Fishers Association
Location
Riversdale, Stann Creek District
Thematic Area
Time-frame
February 2025 to May 2026
Project Goal:
To create a self-financing, sustainable and mature seaweed industry for Belize.
Project Objectives:
- To Assess the current national status of the reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) in collaborative manner with fishers, MML researchers and BFD)
- To have all shark fishers trained in how to maintain catch logs, keep anal fins, and know how to submit prior to exporting sharks, in accordance with CITES.
Expected Outputs:
- Shark fishers lead 6 field surveys to collect necessary data, analyses completed by MML, and team produce report/publication.
- Senior fisher mentor and visit junior fisher camps and trains 20 junior fishers on how to catch log and anal fin submissions requirements for legal export.
- The junior fishers submit their catch logs and anal fins to BFD in an orderly manner and obtain CITES export permits for their catches.
SFA Community Grants Proposal