Experts: trading marine research is key to proper management
For the past two days, scientists, researchers, and government officials have gathered in Belize City to talk water, that is, the country’s marine resources. This morning, News Five’s Karla Vernon got her feet wet in the discussion and discovered that there is need for collective analysis of the state of Belize’s marine environment.
Karla Vernon, Reporting
Whether they study coral or conch, manatees or mangroves, the men and women who know Belize?s marine life best have come together in a special symposium to share their scientific findings. According to President of the Hugh Parkey Foundation, Teresa Parkey, the call for papers was intended to stimulate discussion and propel research forward.
Teresa Parkey, President, Hugh Parkey Foundation
?It?s modelled I guess after the archaeological symposiums that they have now. There are so many people doing marine research in Belize, but there is not a lot of communication between researchers to know who is doing what, where, what their results are, what they feel like may be spin-off projects and things can be. So our goal was to provide a forum so that everyone could come together, present the science that?s being done, and hopefully come up with some great ideas on projects that need to happen.?
Organisers say the National Marine Science Symposium would not have been possible without the collaboration of the Fisheries Department. Fisheries Officer James Azueta says it?s a chance for scientists and government officials to get on the same page.
James Azueta, Fisheries Officer
?Fisheries was contacted by the foundation, Hugh Parkey Foundation, and they said that they wanted to disseminate some of the information that was being produced by research conducted in Belize and we thought it was a wonderful idea. The Fisheries Department was actually invited to be part of the planning committee. We took that opportunity and we are here today.?
Karla Vernon
?What do you think are some of the big issues that may have the most far reaching effect in terms of papers presented??
James Azueta
?I think they have to do with management of our natural resources, everything that has to do with the biology, especially of the commercial species. So that we can apply management based on the data generated, so that we can have sustainable development.?
The two-day symposium has featured presenters working in Belizean waters.
Robert Thigpin of North Carolina has spent the past nine months living in Belize studying how lobsters are processed at fishing co-ops.
Robert Thigpin, Marine Anthropologist, Appalachian State U.
?At Northern Fisheries, when a fisherman presents their product to the co-operative they check it all for quality, and all kind things and they also check it for weight, it has to be at least four ounces. And I noticed that their seemed to be more females being rejected at that age than males and I got to wondering about that. So that?s what my research is based on, sexual re-productivity at that age and whether the current regulations favour one sex over the other.?
Charles Acosta is also studying shellfish, watching the dramatic change in Belize?s population of Queen Conch, a species which is being over-harvested in neighbouring countries.
Charles Acosta, Wildlife Conservation Society, N. Kentucky University
?We have been doing fishery monitoring, fishery independent monitoring at Glover?s Reef for about eight years now. Because of the establishment of the Glover?s Reef Marine Reserve and the no-take fishing zone there, we have gotten some unique insights into the population dynamics of a very valuable species that?s really hard to study otherwise. So we?ve seen real population changes and potential for productivity in the conch and lobster fishery.?
Both the Fisheries Department and the Hugh Parkey Foundation hope to expand the participation in the symposium next year and reach more members of the public.
James Azueta
?I was going to suggest that next year that we should invite some of the fishers and probably find some funding, and even students so they can participate. Because I think one of the drawbacks is that there is a small fee to participate in this event.?
Therese Parkey
?Not being a scientist myself, but having participated for the past two days, it is understandable enough for the average lay person.?
?The marine environment in particular is so fragile and we tend to take it for granted and it?s something I think we can no longer do.?
Karla Vernon for News Five.
The two day symposium was hosted at the Belize Biltmore Plaza.
