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