A team of educators from Bonefish & Tarpon Trust’s Belize Program brought flats conservation education to thousands of primary school students and their teachers earlier this year with the generous support of Copal Tree Lodge. In May and June, the team visited a total of 66 primary schools in coastal communities where they presented on the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of bonefish, tarpon, and permit. The goal of BTT’s educational outreach campaign was to increase awareness of the flats fishery and the need to protect the essential coastal habitats that support it. The students and teachers who participated will in turn spread this awareness and appreciation within their communities, empowering local stakeholders to be strong advocates for their natural resources.
Belize’s marine ecosystems are world-renowned for their biodiversity. The Belize Barrier Reef is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sustainable eco-tourism, which includes catch-and-release sportfishing, supports thousands of jobs in coastal communities and the industry depends on healthy marine environments.
The ‘Grand Slam’ species of bonefish, permit, and tarpon, which are protected by law in Belize under catch-and-release regulations, generate about $120 Million USD for the Belizean economy annually (about 6% of the country’s GDP and 13% of tourism spending). Despite its substantial economic value, the flats fishery in Belize faces many challenges and is unfamiliar to many. Threats include the illegal harvest of bonefish, tarpon, and permit using gill nets and beach traps, but the most critical threat is habitat loss and degradation caused by unwise coastal development. Local opposition to these threats is paramount to the protection of flats fish and their habitats.
To fuel support for conservation, BTT embarked on an education and outreach campaign in Belize schools in May 2024. With funding from Copal Tree Lodge, BTT created educational materials and distributed more than 6,500 workbooks to students and 530 information books to their teachers. Over the course of May and June of 2024, BTT educators gave in-classroom presentations at 66 primary schools located across the Corozal, Belize, and Stann Creek districts. The campaign was also supported by El Pescador Lodge and Villas, Blue Bonefish Lodge, Belize River Lodge, and Garbutt’s Fishing Lodge, and received assistance and support from the Ministry of Education, district officials, and school principals and teachers.
The students learned to identify bonefish, tarpon, and permit, and why mangrove habitats are important to these fish and their prey. They also studied the life cycle of tarpon, which take ten years to mature and can live up to 80 years or more. Most importantly, the students learned how protecting these species and their habitats helps to safeguard the livelihoods of people in their communities. Follow-up surveys indicated that the students retained what they learned remarkably well.
BTT offers a range of educational workbooks and videos for free, including:
Click here to learn more about BTT’s Belize-Mexico Program.
