Volunteer travel guide
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Lionfish spearing in Belize
Hunting holidays with a difference
There is only one lion in the world that can be killed responsibly – the lionfish. This is the only visitor that isn’t welcomed in the Belize’s barrier reef, the second longest in the world at 250km. It is believed that this invasive species shimmied its way into the shallows following the accidental release of a handful of lionfish from a smashed Miami aquarium way back in the 1980s or 1990s, and is now wreaking havoc in Belize.
Lionfish are indigenous to the Indio-Pacific oceans and the Red Sea – not the Atlantic Caribbean belt. Back home they have a diet that isn’t a threat to the environment, with plenty of natural predators to snap them up. In Belize and throughout the rest of the Caribbean, however, they prey and pounce on every fish on the menu, giving them plenty of energy to keep breeding at a rate of knots, releasing around 20,000 eggs every four days. This has caused the populations to explode from a handful to a heaving hoard.
Lionfish are indigenous to the Indio-Pacific oceans and the Red Sea – not the Atlantic Caribbean belt. Back home they have a diet that isn’t a threat to the environment, with plenty of natural predators to snap them up. In Belize and throughout the rest of the Caribbean, however, they prey and pounce on every fish on the menu, giving them plenty of energy to keep breeding at a rate of knots, releasing around 20,000 eggs every four days. This has caused the populations to explode from a handful to a heaving hoard.
Fecund and feisty, lionfish boast natural armour in the form of 18 venomous spines, which means that Belizean fishermen have been wary of catching them since they were first spotted in 2009. Once they started to become aware of the takeover bid, alarm bells rang, marine conservation organisations stepped in to help and the Belize Fisheries developed a National Lionfish Response Plan.
It all turned into an underwater version of Licence to Kill, with the conservation experts equipping themselves with Bond-like gadgets, such as a three pronged polespear that allows for quick targeting of the lionfish at a safe distance of 1.5m away from the diver, with a covered tube to put your catch in, thus not only eliminating the predator, but also the risk of being spiked.
James Bond wouldn’t work for any old agency, and divers going in search of a mission should be picky too, as lionfish spearing holidays are the domain of conservation experts who are well trained in responsible practices and marine ecology. Spearing lionfish is only one aspect of these marine conservation organisations’ work. They also help local communities develop the heart of a lion by overcoming their fears and taking on the challenge of fishing these voracious villains and making a profit in the process.
There is one other good thing about the lionfish in Belize, however: it tastes delicious. So, unlike James Bond, in real life we can feast on our victims, with relish. As other seafood stocks are strictly monitored in Belize, such as lobster or conch, this is a win-win.
It all turned into an underwater version of Licence to Kill, with the conservation experts equipping themselves with Bond-like gadgets, such as a three pronged polespear that allows for quick targeting of the lionfish at a safe distance of 1.5m away from the diver, with a covered tube to put your catch in, thus not only eliminating the predator, but also the risk of being spiked.
James Bond wouldn’t work for any old agency, and divers going in search of a mission should be picky too, as lionfish spearing holidays are the domain of conservation experts who are well trained in responsible practices and marine ecology. Spearing lionfish is only one aspect of these marine conservation organisations’ work. They also help local communities develop the heart of a lion by overcoming their fears and taking on the challenge of fishing these voracious villains and making a profit in the process.
There is one other good thing about the lionfish in Belize, however: it tastes delicious. So, unlike James Bond, in real life we can feast on our victims, with relish. As other seafood stocks are strictly monitored in Belize, such as lobster or conch, this is a win-win.
Our top Marine conservation Holiday
Marine conservation in Belize
Help us protect coral reefs and marine ecosystems!
From
US $995
5 days
ex flights
Tailor made:
Departures on weekends but transfers can be made on other days at an extra cost
Departures on weekends but transfers can be made on other days at an extra cost
Travel Team
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It is hard to know if the mission of eliminating lionfish will ever be complete. The best way marine conservation organisations can measure their success is by upping the demand from restaurant going tourists in Belize, but also from international restaurants. As tasty as cod, the idea of eating endless supplies of any fish is counterintuitive these days, but lionfish caught off Belize is the responsible way to go.
Travel responsibly and plan a scuba diving holiday that includes lionfish spearing on its itinerary, as well as monitoring and measuring, educating local communities and tourists, liaising with fisheries officers, increasing your knowledge of Belizean and Caribbean fish, invertebrates and coral species. What an incredibly fun way to celebrate your achievements at the end of each day: with a lionfish feast and a Belizean rum cocktail to toast your success. Shaken, not stirred.
Travel responsibly and plan a scuba diving holiday that includes lionfish spearing on its itinerary, as well as monitoring and measuring, educating local communities and tourists, liaising with fisheries officers, increasing your knowledge of Belizean and Caribbean fish, invertebrates and coral species. What an incredibly fun way to celebrate your achievements at the end of each day: with a lionfish feast and a Belizean rum cocktail to toast your success. Shaken, not stirred.
More about Marine conservation
Let us take you underwater with our marine conservation travel guide, discovering whether dipping your toe into marine conservation is the right kind of holiday for you and learning a little more about what this kind of trip entails.
With research projects, land-based projects and some that involve diving, marine conservation holidays differ quite considerably.
Our interactive map and highlights page details some of the best places in the world for marine conservation holidays.
Aside from taking the chance to explore your underwater world, marine conservation activities will also take you above the ocean wave with time to get out and about, as you live alongside the locals, just as important as what lies beneath.
What will you see in the ocean is one of the questions that travellers ask before choosing a marine conservation holiday.
Volunteer with marine conservation in the Seychelles to combine a holiday in paradise with an award winning effort to restore the ecosystems and native biodiversity of North Island.
Marine conservation holidays in Timor-Leste revolve around the island of Ataúro, whose waters are packed with a diverse collection of fish and other marine life, all flitting around some of the best corals the planet has to offer.
We’ve garnered some tips from our friends in marine conservation including training advice, work-holiday balance tips, location advice and how to do marine conservation safely.
If you want to travel right on a marine conservation holiday then be responsible.
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