SPLASH DIVE SHOP

 Protecting Our Reef

A Peninsula Industry & Community Lead Project
  
Through the ICRANMAR workshops earlier this year a project was formed to put in mooring buoys to protect the reef from anchor damage. On the peninsula we are used to seeing conservation groups spearhead most conservation projects; this project is special because it is lead by marine industry stakeholders within the community, i.e. tour guides, dive/snorkel operators & sailing charter operators.  The steering committee was formed from those attending the last workshop, they elected to name the project the “Placencia Mooring Masters”, working in conjunction with Placencia Tourism Center as financial manager, they applied for a grant to start the project from Coral Reef Alliance & WWF who hosted the ICRANMAR workshop.

How do mooring buoys help save the reef you ask? Dropped & dragged anchors create great damage to corals & sea grass beds, the damage often can take decades to recover if at all. In severe cases of anchor damage the corals can die or become susceptible to infection. Our coral reef including all the reefs that surrounds cayes are homes for juvenile fish & a vast variety of marine life, it also protects the coastline from the worst ravages of hurricane damage, wave surges would be a lot higher & stronger. From lobster & fish harvested from the sea to recreational snorkeling & diving all are dependent on a healthy coral reef. One of the most effective and immediate ways to prevent coral damage from anchors is to use mooring buoys as alternative anchorage. 

 
The project plans to install 15 buoys at the most frequently visited dive & snorkel sites, including 2 buoys at wall dives locations, also and 15 mooring buoys primarily for charter & sailing boats.

The project also includes a maintenance & monitoring program to run in tangent, as this is just as important as installing the buoys. One of the criteria for the ICRANMAR grant & the project is, that it be voluntary & non-profit. The steering committee have all donated their time, knowledge & where possible, resources, to make this project a reality. We will need support from not just the dive & charter operators but also the community, to ensure this project is not just successful but also sustainable. It is an ambitious project but we believe the Placencia peninsula is up to the task. We have already been given support for the project from most of the resort & marine recreational operators on the peninsula, Dept. of Fisheries & Placencia Village Council.

 
It has been estimated by the committee that it will take approx 15 days to install the 30 buoys. The Maintenance program will need to start at least one month after installation to ensure all are still intact. From this point a 3-6 monthly (quarterly) inspection will be carried out which is expected to be approx 3 days duration, during this time buoys will be cleaned & any repairs made. The dive operators have been asked if they will assist in the frequent monitoring of the dive site buoys, with any problems spotted reported back to the steering committee, so that a team if its urgent can be sent out to repair the problem buoys. The charter operators have agreed to do the same in regard to the mooring buoys they will be using.

 
Even though this is a voluntary based program it will not be cheap; the equipment in itself is expensive, most parts have to come from the USA. We anticipate the installation costs to be over US$20,000, with the maintenance costs to be approx US$10,000 per year. This is based on spares for mooring buoys as in addition to general replacements, every 6 months they should have the lines replaced, gasoline, food & minimal wages for crews. Various dive operators have already pledged their boats & gear for the crew for inspection runs, which will be rotated between those dive operators.

We are fortunate to have Erwin Westby, who has extensive experience installing mooring buoys, on the steering committee. He is volunteering his services to train those dive masters who volunteer, in installation & maintenance techniques, including rope splicing. Installation of mooring buoys requires divers to be experienced at diving depths of 60 feet, have full buoyancy control & be used to making multiple dives. We hope that each dive operator in the area will send at least one volunteer experienced dive master to be trained, ensuring that each dive shop has one member of staff who knows what to look for when monitoring mooring buoys & their lines. Lisa Carne has also volunteered her services as consultant Marine Biologist helping us ensure the mooring buoys are placed in the appropriate substrate or bottom type.

We are pleased to announce that we have been successful in being awarded an ICRANMAR micro grant to start the project from Coral Reef Alliance & WWF. Additional pledges of money & in kind donations – such as food supplies, gasoline, boats, dive gear and installation equipment which have already been made in support of the project are from TMM Charters, Splash Dive Shop, Seahorse Dive Shop, Joy Tours, South Belize Reef & Jungle, Erwin Westby, Friends of Nature, Wallen’s Market, Placencia Waste System, The Crow’s Nest Caf, Bar & Grill & Placencia Village Council.

 
If you can splice rope, paint lettering, can’t dive but, want to volunteer we will need your help as we prepare the buoys for installation. If you would like to help by donating money or in kind supplies to assist the project please contact Marion Carr 523 3563 or Elysia Dial at PTC 523 4045. Please help us to save the reef.

 
The PPM steering committee consists of Paul Steel (TMM Charters), Erwin Westby (Dive Instructor & Captain), Patty Ramirez (Splash Dive Shop), Arthur Westby Jr (South Belize Reef & Jungle), Louis Godfrey  (Dive Master), Ed Carr (Snorkel Tour Guide & Captain), Marion Carr (project coordinator) , Lisa Carne (Consultant Marine Biologist), Elysia Dial (PTC as financial manager).