This post is one of a series on projects supported by the Aquarium’s Marine Conservation Action Fund (MCAF). Through MCAF, the Aquarium supports researchers, conservationists and grassroots organizations all around the world as they work to address the most challenging problems facing the ocean.

In the blog and video below, MCAF grantee, Ramón Bonfil, PhD, founder and director of Océanos Vivientes, A.C. (Living Oceans) describes his recent expedition to tag devil rays in the Archipelago of St. Peter and St. Paul, 600 miles off the coast of Brazil.

by Ramón Bonfil

The 56-hour boat trip is grueling, with rough seas, a freezing cabin and an incredibly uncomfortable bed, but we finally get to the tiny rocks creeping out of the sea in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, the Archipelago of St. Peter and St. Paul (ASPSP). Perhaps it’s surprising for a marine biologist, but I often get sea-sick and I just do not enjoy boats for more than a few hours, however the beauty of this little marine paradise is totally worth the hardship of the trip to get here!

The Archipelago of St. Peter and St. Paul (ASPSP) offers spartan quarters for researchers.

We will see many charming and graceful animals while we are here, but our main aim is to unveil the movements and migrations of the devil rays that frequent these islands. Devil rays and their close relatives, the manta rays, have come increasingly under threat since a deceitful and lucrative business developed in Asian markets about a decade ago.

Traders claim that the gill rakers of manta and devil rays have miraculous curative powers for all sorts of ailments and market them as traditional Chinese medicine. The reality is that there is absolutely no evidence of this being a traditional product in Chinese medicine, nor is there any scientific evidence that gill rakers cure any ailment.

The need to help turn the tide and protect devil and manta rays drives us to learn more about their life cycles, habitat needs and the threats they face. By inserting electronic tags that link to environmental satellites, we can follow the movements of the devil rays around the ocean and get detailed records of where they go, how deep — and how often — they dive, and what water temperatures they prefer and tolerate. We may find that they stick to small areas (such as the ASPSP), which can be more easily protected. Or they may migrate widely across the Atlantic Ocean, crossing into the waters of several countries and facing many threats, which would make them much more difficult to protect.

A Speck in the Ocean

I am here with Sibele Mendonça and Bruno Macena, graduate students and collaborators in the devil ray ecology project led by my friend and colleague Dr. Fabio Hazin, from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE) in Recife, Brazil.

Prior to deployment the satellite tags, like the one shown here, must be prepared and tested for readiness. The tests take most of the day as the scientists must wait for the satellites to pass overhead several times before they properly locate the transmitting tags.

We spend our first two days unloading and preparing all our equipment and food and settling down in our modest but charming research station. The ASPSP is almost 1,000 km from the coast of Brazil, so we must bring with us absolutely everything we will need here during our 2-week stay. We are only four people here, like a Robinson Family stranded alone on this beautiful, but extremely inhospitable, rocky outcrop from the mid-Atlantic Ridge.

During our stay, we will get to see the cute ‘atobás’ (brown booby birds, Sula leucogaster) with their romantic displays and fluffy nestlings, the beautiful ‘viuvinhas’ (brown and black noddies, Anous stolidus and A. minutus), dolphins and lots of silky, dusky Galapagos and hammerhead sharks (and if lucky a whale shark or two), in addition to the main attraction of our expedition…the Chilean devil ray (Mobula tarapacana) and its sibling, the bentfin devil ray (M. thurstoni).

A brown booby, Sula leucogaster, finds a perch at the research station.

Into the Water

With our gear stowed and our tags calibrated, at last I set out on my first day on the water. This year, I’m hoping to improve on last year’s performance and place at least three tags with even more detailed data capabilities. I haven’t yet had time to prepare the tagging pole, so all I hope to accomplish on this first day is to find the devil rays, photograph/film them, and, most importantly, take tiny samples of muscle, so that we can do a genetic analyses of each individual.

An aerial drone helps the scientists locate groups of devil rays.

Within 20 min of looking into the sea from the top deck of the boat, I see the first olive-brownish shape of a large Chilean devil ray about 15 m from the starboard side of the boat. I rush down to the main deck to put on my fins and mask and get my camera and sampling pole, but by the time I am ready, they have disappeared. I jump into the water anyway and the fishermen on the boat soon spot another group of devil rays about 50 m from the boat. Soon, I have my first tissue sample, taken from a beautiful 2.2 m-wide Chilean devil ray!

The research team relaxes between tagging efforts. From left to right: Ramón Bonfil, PhD, Oceános Vivientes A.C. and Sibele Mendonça and Bruno Macena, graduate students in the department of fisheries and aquaculture of the Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), in Recife, Brazil

As I first approached the group and dove deep, the lead devil ray turned around and all of them avoided me; looks like they do not like the approach from below. I keep swimming in the direction they disappeared, and in a blink they are back. Now I realize there are five or six of them in the group. This time I dive shallower and start an intercept approach at their depth. The closest devil ray lets me approach slowly and calmly from behind until I am about to touch her back. I am so close I even have to slow down to allow enough distance to shoot my Hawaiian sling and take the sample of muscle. We use a small metallic tube that cuts a tiny cylinder (5 mm diameter) of muscle. It is like a body piercing to us. The devil ray reacts to the pinch by dashing off, but she is back to check me out within 15 seconds!

Curiosity Tagged the Devil Ray

The next couple of days we do not get to see the devil rays. But eventually our luck comes back with a group of 4 devil rays next to the boat. When Sibele and I jump into the water, the devil rays circle back to check us out once they detect our presence.

Chilean devil rays are very curious. More often than not, they come back to give us a look and see what we are up to, often gently ‘flying’ directly towards us, and — just when we think we will get to touch them — diving or turning to avoid us and keep their distance. Most times, they hang around us for three to five minutes, and sometimes come back for another couple of passes even after we tag them or pinch them for a little tissue sample. This is in stark contrast with the other devil ray inhabiting the ASPSP, the smoothtail devil ray M. thurstoni. Smoothtail devil rays are elusive and it is rare to see them while snorkeling.

Bonfil prepares to tag a devil ray.

As soon as the group circles back towards me, I dive in; the rays dive deeper, and I cautiously follow behind trying not to scare them. The first two rays of the group outswim me, but the third one comes within range. I press myself to the limit of my breath and close into the ray in front of me as she slows down. I decide this is my chance, aim carefully and gently let my Hawaiian sling go. The dart with the tag goes in smoothly and lodges in a perfect spot towards the rear left side of the beautiful 2.2 m female Chilean devil ray! We have tagged “Anita,” our first devil ray of the expedition, with a miniPAT tag. We are elated! After so much effort and wait, grant application writing, buying equipment, making preparations and traveling all the way here, we have started to achieve our fieldwork objectives within the first few days of work!

Our luck just gets better day after day, and in the next few days we obtain biopsy samples from more individuals and we manage to deploy two further miniPAT tags on the same day! One on a ca. 2.5 m male (Arturo) and the other on a ca. 2.3 m female (Genie, in honor of the late Genie Clark).

The team named this tagged devil ray “Arturo.”

All in all, the expedition turns out to be a complete success. With the help of a drone we got with our MCAF grant, we were able to locate even more devil rays than usual, and obtain tissue samples from eight Chilean devil rays. In addition, we shot some fantastic footage and photos of the Archipelago, our work and the devil rays, including what may turn out to be unique footage of courtship behavior of the elusive bentfin devil ray.

As we pack our gear to return to civilization, there is a bittersweet feeling of getting back to the comfort and ‘normality’ of life in a city, and the realization that we have to leave behind this fantastic place and the rewarding work we do here.

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Following on a faculty fellowship visit to Dr. Fabio Hazin’s research group in Brazil, Bonfil and Hazin have formed a partnership to better understanding the biology and ecology of devil rays — as well as the threats they face — to design better conservation measures for them. The project is funded by MCAF and several other sources, including Save Our Seas Foundation, the Brazilian Research Council, the Interministerial Secretariat on Marine Resources, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco and Oceános Vivientes A.C.

Additional information on manta ray conservation:

• MCAF In Action: Devils in Distress
• MCAF in Action: Building a Global Strategy for Mantas and Devil Rays
• Tagging Giants at the Revillagigedo Islands

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MCAF grantee Asha de Vos, Ph.D., is a TED Senior Fellow and a World Economic Forum Young Global leader. Photo: Yasha Hetzel

The waters of the North Indian Ocean —particularly off the southern coast of Sri Lanka —are so productive that an unusual population of blue whales chooses to feed, breed and calve in these warm tropical waters year-round.

The trouble, says Sri Lankan marine biologist and MCAF grantee Asha de Vos, PhD, is that the southern coast of Sri Lanka is also home to one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. Several North Indian Ocean (NIO) blue whales have died in documented collisions with ships in recent years. These reports are likely “just a fraction of the individuals who get hit and killed in this manner, given that most carcasses either sink or get pushed offshore,” says de Vos.

Photo-identification methods help de Vos recognize individual blue whales and estimate the size of the NIO population. Photo: Steve deNeef

According to her research, these “unorthodox whales,” as Dr. de Vos calls them, are quite different from blue whales in other ocean basins.
The NIO whales “speak a different dialect, are about 20 feet shorter than their Antarctic counterparts (who can grow to about 100 feet) and display different behaviors than other populations,” says de Vos.

Her research suggests that the whales may not need to migrate long distances because oceanographic processes keep their home waters productive throughout the year. “The key thing is that Sri Lanka is situated in the heart of the Northern Indian Ocean, which experiences a monsoonal climate,” says de Vos. During the two monsoons, two different processes bring cold, nutrient-rich water toward the surface. The result is a year-round buffet for the whales.

Dr. De os (far left) and her research team survey the Northern Indian Ocean for marine life. Photo: Steve De Neef

In general, upwelling regions are important sources of marine productivity and are known to attract many species from up and down the food web. “In Sri Lanka, the availability of food and warm  tropical waters makes it sound like the most idyllic place to live,” says de Vos.

Beyond studying the behavior of this unique population, de Vos is currently working to reduce the risk of whale death by ship strike. With partial support from MCAF, de Vos is assessing risk to this population over a broad area and is testing the results of a computer model to predict where blue whale habitats might overlap with shipping lanes in areas that aren’t accessible to survey vessels. With this information in hand, it may be possible to adjust shipping lanes to reduce the threat of ship strikes.

More information on Asha de Vos:
Free Aquarium Lecture: November 12, 2015
TED Talk: Why You Should Care About Whale Poo
New York Times Video: Saving Blue Whales

Aquarium head veterinarian Charles Innis, VMD, spent two weeks in the summer of 2015 working with a coalition of conservation groups to treat thousands of critically endangered Palawan forest turtles. The turtles had been intercepted from a poacher's warehouse and many were gravely ill. Innis will be speaking about the experience on Thursday, October 29 as part of the Aquarium's free lecture series.

Here is a snippet from his journal detailing a release of some healthier rescued turtles.

By the afternoon of June 29, we had categorized another four hundred twenty eight turtles as suitable for release. Sabine [Dr. Sabine Schoppe of the Katala Foundation coordinated all rescue efforts] had sent some of her students on reconnaissance for the previous two days to identify good release habitat. After evaluating and treating seven hundred something turtles over eight hours, we left the rehab center by van at approximately 3 p.m. on the 29th. Two locations were selected, and we divided into two groups, with approximately two hundred turtles to be released at each site.

A healthy Palawan forest turtle

We drove to the north for about an hour to reach the known range of the species. We unloaded at a village and the crates filled with turtles were loaded onto sleds drawn by water buffalo. The buffalo were led by the local men, one man per animal, using a series of different clicks and grunts, each having a different meaning (start, stop, slow, turn, etc.). The sleds are incredibly effective, much better than wheels at navigating that variable terrain, going over stumps, etc. It is a simple looking design, but I am sure it has to be made in a specific way to remain balanced and flexible and intact.



We hiked a little over two miles into the hilly forest (3.8 km according to our GPS) to the release site; it was dusk when we arrived. Full moon, bats, frogs and insects calling. The chosen location was typical habitat for the species — clay to mud bottomed, slow flowing, forested streams. We spread out along a few hundred yards of the stream and sent the turtles on their way.

Dr. Innis releases a turtle

Because of the clay and mud, the water is not very clear, but I was still able to see the turtles for a minute or so if they remaining in shallow water. Their white neck ring shows well under water even when the rest of their body is not visible, of some biological significance I would guess.

A turtles takes a break before swimming off

Most of them swam away fast, but I was able to get a photo of one re-emerging to take a breath, with just his nose visible above the water line, and two other turtles under water nearby. As always, release brings feelings of relief, happiness, satisfaction, and worry about the future of these individuals. I expect that this was the best night that these nocturnal turtles have had from quite some time, with space to move, cool water, soft substrate below their injured shells, no more injections, no more tube feeding. We hiked out in the dark wearing head lamps.

A shy turtle poised to return to the wild

We all worry about the ongoing threat of poaching. One of the film crew that is here (Dr. James Liu) gained some insightful but concerning information during some of his interviews over the past few days, including clear details of the presence of a well organized poaching effort for turtles and pangolins. For island species with restricted distribution, such poaching can easily lead to extinction.

 Innis will be speaking about the experience on Thursday, October 29 as part of the Aquarium's free lecture series.

Read more about this shocking discovery of poached turtles and the international efforts to save them here and here. Turtle species around the world face threats to their survival. Support rescue groups, like the New England Aquarium's Rescue Team, and join movements in your community to help turtles. Learn more about what you can do to help turtles through our Turtle Rescue Team program. 

Aquarium head veterinarian Charles Innis, VMD, spent two weeks in the summer of 2015 working with a coalition of conservation groups to treat thousands of critically endangered Palawan forest turtles. The turtles had been intercepted from a poacher's warehouse and many were gravely ill. Innis will be speaking about the experience on Thursday, October 29 as part of the Aquarium's free lecture series. 

Dr. Innis is renowned for his knowledge and experience in treating turtles. His tenure at the New England Aquarium has given him ample opportunity, from caring for the resident sea turtles in the Giant Ocean Tank and freshwater turtles of the Amazon exhibits to the droves of cold-stunned sea turtles that are treated by our Rescue and Rehab team. He even cares for endangered turtles in his spare time, lending his expertise to raise turtles at his home to support a species vulnerable to extinction.

Confiscated turtles | Photo: Sabine Schoppe/Katala Foundation via LA Times

But his skills were put to the test after authorities in the Philippines raided a warehouse to discover thousands of turtles — including 3,800 critically endangered Palawan forest turtles (Siebenrockiella leytensis). That's more individuals than scientists thought even existed in the wild. Many of these turtles were gravely ill, showing signs of long term neglect. The survival of a species was now at stake, and the race was on to save it.

A healthy Palawan forest turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis)

Palawan forest turtles are endemic to Palawan Island in the Philippines. That means that's the only area in the world where you can find this species of turtle. These turtles are nocturnal and they spend nights in muddy, freshwater streams feeding and finding mates. During the day, they climb out into burrows, which are easily raided by poachers. Taking this animal from the wild is wholly illegal. The species is protected by both local and international trade restrictions.

A makeshift triage area

Turtle rescue organizations sounded the alarm once the magnitude of this confiscation became clear. Many groups began the initial coordination and funding of rescue efforts including the Katala Foundation, Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, the Turtle Survival Alliance, the Turtle Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Ocean Park (Hong Kong), Turtle Conservation Fund, IUCN, and New England Aquarium. Local students also stepped up to help. Emergency pools and enclosures were created for these shy, solitary patients. Then veterinarians and technicians from around the world descended on the makeshift enclosures created in pools that had been used many years ago for crocodile breeding.

Dr. Innis (right) and Dr. John Sykes (WCS) examines and treats turtle after turtle

Dr. Innis was one of the first veterinarians on the scene. Hundreds and hundreds of turtles had to be examined and triaged. The turtles suffered injuries to their feet and missing claws from being stacked on top of each other in the concrete warehouse where they had been held. They had ulcers on their shells and eyes, and many were severely dehydrated. Turtles that were in good condition were selected for rapid release back to their native habitat. Because this is a solitary species with aggressive tendencies, the extremely cramped conditions had been very stressful. Some turtles unfortunately died.

A recently released turtle

More than 2,000 turtles were released in the days after the confiscation. Teams drove the turtles several hours into the forest, then continued the trek on foot along narrow paths accompanied by water buffalo pulling the turtles on sleds.

Water buffalo pulling a sled with crated turtles

After the first week 1,000 turtles remained in rehabilitation because of the severity of their injuries. Treatments entailed fluid injections, medicines, ointments for skin and shell lesions and sometimes tube feeding. The small team of experts, including Dr. Innis, would perform exams and treatments on some days, and help with the releases on other days.

Dr. Innis releases one of his patients

Dr. Innis kept up this grueling schedule for two weeks, when a second wave of rescuers replaced the exhausted team on the front line. This herculean, international effort to save a single endangered species certainly illustrates the capabilities of dedicated conservation groups. But this is just one species of many that are threatened by poaching. Rescue groups have limited resources and may not be able to spread resources to address another crisis of this magnitude. There may be still other warehouses of endangered turtles that go undetected. The question remains whether authorities can enforce protection measures so we can avoid a crisis like this one. And only time will tell if the rescue, rehabilitation and protection measures taken by Dr. Innis and his colleagues in turtle rescue were enough to save the Palawan forest turtle.



Read more about this shocking discovery and the efforts to save the turtles here and here. Turtle species around the world face threats to their survival. Support rescue groups, like the New England Aquarium's Rescue Team, and join movements in your community to help turtles. Learn more about what you can do to help turtles through our Turtle Rescue Team program. Stay tuned for  more about this crisis from the perspective of Dr. Innis.

Innis will be speaking about the experience on Thursday, October 29 as part of the Aquarium's free lecture series. 

Staff from the New England Aquarium recently traveled to Belize as part of a long-term research program run by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post from aquarist Peter Gawne, who was able to photograph some spectacular sights on a night dive, is part of that series.

Channel clinging crabs (Mithrax spinosissimus) leave the shelter of the reef to forage at night. This particular specimen’s legs spanned over 2 feet.

We had a little extra motivation on our last night at Carrie Bow, so we decided to head out and see the reef after sunset. While it can be difficult to build the enthusiasm for a night dive after a long day of diving, I have yet to feel remorse for having done one.

Caribbean reef squid (Sepioteuthis sepioidea) is attracted to the lights, and poses briefly for the camera.

During the short boat ride out to our chosen spot, we noticed an unusual amount of bioluminescence in our wake. Small flashes of blue-green visible light spread out behind the boat, likely bioluminescent algae which emit flashes of light when their environment is disturbed. Bioluminescence is light produced by a chemical reaction within a living organism. While we most often observe this phenomenon on hot nights in the summertime in the form of fireflies, most bioluminescent organisms are found in the ocean in the form of fish, jellies and bacteria.

This queen parrotfish’s (Scarus vetula) mucus cocoon may shield it from parasites while it sleeps.

We got a chance to see some animals that we rarely see during the day. After more than 200 dives at Carrie Bow Caye, I saw my first Belizean blackfin snapper (Lutjanus buccanella), bonnetmouth (Emmelichthyops atlanticus), and southern sennet (Sphyraena picudilla) on this night dive. Parrotfish, while seen regularly during the day, rest in mucus cocoons at night. Parrotfish secrete a mucus bubble which may function as a “mosquito net”, protecting them from gnathiid isopods, and other biting parasites, while they sleep.

While typically reclusive during the day, octopuses are often seen out of their dens during night dives.

It was great to get out for one last dive here at Carrie Bow. Special thanks to the Smithsonian’s Zach Foltz and M. Scott Jones, and the University of North Carolina’s Clare Fieseler for making the trip both successful and memorable. It has been a great trip!

Aquarists from the New England Aquarium frequently travel to Belize as part of a long-term research program by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by aquarist Peter Gawne is part of a series about the research. Read Part One first.
Turneffe Atoll, another of the atolls outlying the barrier reef, is the largest coral atoll in Belize and the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Long considered an area of ecological importance, the Belizean government declared the Turneffe Atolls to be a marine reserve in 2012. At present, 10 percent of this marine reserve is a strict no-take zone, while the remainder is open for extractive fishing.

Man-O-War Caye is afforded the highest protection level amidst the South Water Caye Marine Reserve.  Nesting frigatebirds and boobies cluster around this extraordinary mangrove island.

South Water Caye Marine Reserve is the largest marine reserve in Belize, and home to Carrie Bow Caye, the site of the Smithsonian’s field station in Belize.  Its northern section contains an extraordinary 5.6-mile stretch of almost unbroken barrier reef.  The southern section hosts complex physical features; multiple patch reefs, faros, and pinnacles are scattered throughout the barrier reef system.  This marine reserve is of particular national importance, as the back-reef lagoon surrounding the Tobacco Range has been shown to support a nursery area for queen conch (Strombus gigas), one of Belize’s most important fisheries.  The mangroves of Twin Cayes, Tobacco and the Blue Ground ranges are considered important for the sustainability of commercially important species for the entire reef system. The mangroves and sea-grass beds provide critical habitat for juvenile spiny lobster and many commercial finfish, the backbone of Belize’s fishing industry.

An American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) lurks in the margins of a mangrove channel. While this specimen was merely 5 feet in length, males in the Central and South American range can reach 20 feet.

The South Water Caye Marine Reserve also contains a startling range of biodiversity above the waterline. Man O’ War Caye boasts a designated bird sanctuary holding nesting colonies of magnificent frigatebirds, pelicans, and brown boobies. Twin Caye is home to the American crocodiles (Crocodylus acutus), a large but much less dangerous cousin to Australia’s saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus).

The original establishment of South Water Caye Marine Reserve in 1996 recognized the exceptional integrity of the marine ecosystems and its importance regionally, nationally, and internationally.  The marine reserve was further enhanced by the Statutory Instrument (SI 50 of 2009) which strengthened zoning and included nationally-owned cayes.  Currently, 12% of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve has been reserved for non-extractive uses, while the remainder of it is available for regulated fishing.

Catch up on previous trips to Belize—lots more amazing pictures!

• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010

Aquarists from the New England Aquarium frequently travel to Belize as part of a long-term research program by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by Peter Gawne is part of a series about these ongoing research efforts.

In 1996 the cultural branch of the United Nations—the United Nations Organization for Education, Science, and Culture (UNESCO)—declared Belize’s barrier reef system to be a Natural World Heritage Site. The barrier reef of Belize was selected as an area of global significance due to its natural beauty, diversity of reef types, presence of endangered and unique species, and for providing a classical example of the evolutionary history of reef systems.

By Ian Morton from Punta Gorda, Belize (Belize's Barrier Reef) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The barrier reef of Belize is the largest in the northern hemisphere and the second largest in the world (Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is the largest). There are seven protected sites which constitute the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System. Together, these protected sites comprise 12 percent of the entire barrier reef system.

I had the privilege of visiting three of the seven protected sites on this trip to Belize: Blue Hole Natural Monument, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument and South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Despite being within the same 190-mile reef system, the sites are quite distinct, and each holds its own unique natural treasures.

The Great Blue Hole Natural Monument lies at the center of Lighthouse Reef, one of three atolls that lie seaward of the barrier reef.  The Great Blue Hole is the most famous dive site in Belize and is located 43 miles from the mainland.  This enormous submarine cave (over 980 feet across, and 400 feet deep) was originally formed during periods of glaciation, between roughly 153,000 to 15,000 years ago.  During this period sea levels were 330-390 feet lower than at present.  At the end of the last ice age, as sea levels rose, the cave was inundated with seawater, creating the sharply vertical Great Blue Hole.

A diver begins to ascend after viewing the stalactites at the Great Blue Hole

The Great Blue Hole is a deep dive, taking us greater than 130 feet below the surface to view stalactites formed beneath the ledges in the enormous cave.  The water clarity was fairly poor by Belizean standards, but that just contributed to the unusual feel of the site.  As we wove our way through stalactites Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) sporadically materialized out of the gloom for just a moment, and then quickly were absorbed back into the blue.

Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnifiscens) are but a few of the many birds perched atop the canopy at Half Moon Caye.  Males possess a scarlet throat pouch, which they inflate during breeding season as a mating display.

Slightly farther south, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument is located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll.  While Half Moon Caye is surrounded by waters that are remarkable for their life and diversity, the real treasure of Half Moon is the red-footed booby (Sula sula) colony.  Half Moon Caye has a population of around 4,000 breeding boobies, and is considered the only viable breeding colony in the western Caribbean.  These large seabirds perch in the littoral forest canopy amidst brown boobies (Sula leucogaster) and magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnifiscens).

Despite their protected status, marine reserves face many obstacles: among them, invasive species (including lionfish, Pterois volitans, pictured), unregulated fishing,and development.

Stay Tuned for part two of Pete's travels along Belize's marine World Heritage Site. And catch up on previous trips to Belize—lots more amazing pictures!

• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010

Aquarists from the New England Aquarium frequently travel to Belize as part of a long-term research program by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by aquarist Peter Gawne is part of a series about these research efforts.

Being within the confines of a marine reserve for a week provides a constant reminder of the problems facing marine protected areas and fisheries worldwide. Even when catch limits and exclusion zones are in place, the goals of rebuilding depleted stocks requires the support of strong accountability measures. Effective enforcement of fishing rules is also needed to prevent illegal and unregulated fishing.

Belize Fisheries Department buoys mark the no-take boundaries of the marine reserves.

Illegal and unregulated fishing is a global dilemma. According to a 2014 study published in Marine Policy, illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing accounts for 13 to 31 percent of reported catches worldwide. In March of 2014, the European Union suspended all seafood imports from Belize, Cambodia and Guinea, citing evidence that the countries had not acted forcefully enough to deter illegal fishing in their waters. Belize is working hard to improve their global reputation as a steward for the marine environment and their spectacular barrier reef. Soon, the Belizean government intends to install GPS units onto commercial boats in order to monitor fishing activity, and highlight suspect patterns and behavior.

Enforcement of the marine reserves and fisheries regulations is an extremely complex issue. The enforcement of fisheries regulations spans multiple realms: sustenance fishing, community politics, ancestral rights and economic boundaries to name a few. Across the world’s oceans, people are making their living plying their local waters in hope of feeding and providing for their families. Coastal communities in Belize depend on the reef and its fisheries for food and income, but overfishing and coastal development provide unsustainable pressure.

Enforcement of fisheries regulations is a global dilemma. No matter where regulations are trying to be upheld, the threat of illegal and unreported fishing plays a role in preventing successful fish stock rebuilding plans. This problem is not limited to developing nations. New England fisheries are an iconic industry that attracts significant media attention, yet the illegal harvest of groundfish stocks has been estimated between 12 and 24 percent of the total catch.

A fleet of fishing vessels, hailing from multiple Central American nations, takes refuge in Belize City as reports of inclement weather pour in.

Belize has only 70 fisheries enforcement officers to patrol 240 miles of coast, more than 200 islands, and numerous national and international fishing fleets. Within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve there is but one Belize Fisheries station, with few staff and limited resources. Their protection for the reserve involves some confrontation with poachers, but the most powerful deterrent to unlawful activities may just be the Belizean people themselves. The South Water Caye Marine Reserve provides substantial employment opportunities through tourism and tourism developments. These opportunities help to support communities in the mainland, particularly the towns of Dangriga, Hopkins and Sittee River.

Stewardship of the oceans amongst the operators with an economic interest in keeping the fish on the reef is a powerful tool. Guatemalan and Honduran boats fishing within exclusion zones are promptly reported, and, according to locals, illegal fishing by those boats has decreased. Developing nations like Belize often lack adequate resources to enforce fisheries regulations, so public involvement becomes essential to successful small-scale fishery management.

Belize has begun pilot projects to more effectively manage the conch and lobster fisheries. Termed “managed access,” these programs are similar to “catch shares” in the United States. Essentially, catch shares is a system of rights, rewards and responsibilities that provides long-term privileges to participants, which is theorized to provide incentive for efficient, sustainable use of fish stocks. Science-based catch limits are set for commercially fished species, and fishermen receive access rights to specific areas. While catch shares are controversial within the United States, roughly 65 percent of fish caught in federal waters are under catch shares. If these pilot programs are deemed successful, Belize may implement them nationwide.

Belize is also the testing ground for a new-age enforcement tools: drones. While this project is still in the initial stages, it highlights Belize’s commitment to improving their global reputation as ocean guardians. Already the implementation of marine reserves has helped to enforce their dedication to maintain the barrier reef as a World Heritage Site. Perhaps greater regulatory enforcement measures and tools can help with that goal.

Catch up on previous trips to Belize—lots more amazing pictures!

• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010

Aquarists from the New England Aquarium freqently travel to Belize as part of a long-term research program by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by aquarist Joe Masi is part of a series about these research efforts. 

Sea conditions continue to be near perfect around Carrie bow cay, light winds and hardly any swell. This makes reef survey work very easy for the group. Wind and waves can make boating difficult and, while diving in shallower depths, tough stay one place to measure coral. But what about sea conditions for the animals we are surveying?

Measuring the turbidity of the water

Meteorological and oceanographic conditions have been recorded on Carrie Bow Cay since 1993 as part of the Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity Program (CARICOMP), which focuses on studying the interactions between land and sea. Daily precipitation, air temperature, wind direction, sea temperature, and salinity are a few of the parameters recorded. This unique data set reveals seasonal changes, short term events (hurricanes and storms) and long term trends.

A Secchi disk is used to measure water transparency (turbidity). The disk is lowered into the water until it can no longer been seen. This depth is recorded as a measurement of the transparency of water.

One of the more interesting conditions recorded is water transparency. Water transparency, also known as turbidity, is a measurement of how much suspended material is floating in the water column. Many influences negatively affect water transparency, including wind, rain and land-based sources, such as water runoff from deforestation, increasing farming activities and fertilizers, coastal development and associated loss of mangrove habitats and harbor dredging. Unfortunately, many of these manmade influences are occurring today in Belize and neighboring Honduras.

Water transparency around Carrie Bow Cay is very seasonal. From March to June, northeasterly airflow and less rain result in higher water quality. October to June water quality is reduced because of higher rainfall amounts and increased west winds pushing coastal water out over the reef (Koltes and Opishinski). It is this wind and rain that transports all those negative impacts discussed earlier out onto the reef. Seasonal changes are to be expected and natural, but more troubling is the long term data that proves a dramatic loss in water clarity since monitoring began in 1993. The mean annual Secchi disk distance declined from 23.8m in 1993 to 15.6m in 2008 in the area over our surveys sites (Koltes and Opishinki). That is roughly 0.5 m/year and over 25 feet in 15 years.      

Here's the science!

So, how does decreased clarity affect the corals and fish? Most corals and their symbionts require light to survive, as clarity reduces so does the available light for these organisms to grow and survive. Pollution and toxins from runoff can stress corals and make them more susceptible to disease. Sedimentation can smother corals and impede larval settlement during spawning. Water with a high nutrient load from farming promotes macro algae growth, which competes for space with coral, and algae blooms, further decreasing water clarity. Studies have shown reefs can survive in turbid waters but only at shallow depths and lower diversity of species.  

I cannot say definitively that coral diversity and numbers are declining around Carrie Bow Cay and by what means. Years down the road these surveys could tell. Based on the data discussed, I assume water transparency is a big problem.

Stay tuned for more from Joe. And catch up on previous trips to Belize—lots more amazing pictures!

• Researchers most recently visited this past spring
• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010

Aquarists from the New England Aquarium frequently travel to Belize as part of a long-term research program by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by aquarist Joe Masi is part of a series about this research.

Carrie Bow Cay is such an amazing place and we are so fortunate to have these opportunities. Every once in a while you need to stop and appreciate the cool animals you might see at any given point.

Forget about the stingray shuffle, how about the scorpionfish shuffle. Can you spot the spotted scorpionfish, (Scorpaena plumieri)? Looks like the silversides can.

We saw this Caribbean whiptail ray (Himantura schmardae) just about every day. This juvenile will grow up to be 3-5 feet in diameter.

Another juvenile that spent a fair amount time around the island is this Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris). Lemon sharks can reach lengths of 9.5 feet. It is common for juvenile sharks and rays to spend their early years in mangroves and in this case sea grass beds which surround part of the island.

If you enjoyed these wildlife pictures, check out previous trips to Belize!

• Researchers most recently visited this past spring
• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010

Staff from the New England Aquarium recently traveled to Belize as part of a long-term research program run by Aquarium scientist Randi Rotjan, PhD, to monitor coral health near Carrie Bow Cay. Today's post by Giant Ocean Tank diver Sean Marden is part of a series about these research efforts.

I recently had the privilege of traveling down to Carrie Bow Cay in Belize with several other NEAq researchers. Since this was my first trip my goal was to learn the protocols of the research and familiarize myself with the area.

Carrie Bow Cay is an intimate little island with lots to explore

We were treated with clear skies and a full moon on most nights

This trip was a great opportunity for me to practice identifying the numerous Caribbean fish species that live near Carrie Bow. As a Giant Ocean Tank diver I work with a lot of adult fish but rarely get up close and personal with young juveniles. As practice I spent an afternoon snorkeling on the reef that borders Carrie Bow and was treated to an incredible diversity of fish. Check out the video below and see if you can identify any of the animals, especially the juveniles!


Catch up on previous trips to Belize—lots more amazing pictures!

• Sean most recently visited this past spring
• See the beauty of hermit crabs and ride out a tropical storm during their 2013 trip
• Learn more about threats to corals, plus signs of a late-night visitor to Carrie Bow Cay, in 2012
• See what other researchers are up to at the research station in 2011
• And read the exciting post where the marine protected area was announced in 2010