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Global Youth Travel Awards 2015

Manchester, United Kingdom — 22-25 September 2009

WYSE Archives

Outstanding Volunteer Project 2015

Blue Ventures Expeditions with the Belize Lionfish Expeditions project

The focus of the project was investigating lionfish impact on the reef and juvenile reef fish. As this invasive species has no native predators it poses a huge threat to Belize’s fisheries, especially the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since 2011, Blue Ventures has pioneered efforts to commercialise Belize’s nascent lionfishery by working with fishers, consumers, restaurants, fishing cooperatives and seafood distributors. To achieve this they have stepped outside the traditional scope of NGOs and ecotourism organisations.