A unique opportunity to advance tropical marine research in Belize

Idyllic Ranguana Caye, a remote private island paradise within Belize's southern barrier reef and the Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, hosts crucial populations of Caribbean reef and nurse sharks, rays, turtles, and large predatory fish such as snappers and groupers.

Your participation in this long-standing conservation project will help us collect invaluable data on populations, abundance, density, and habitat preference of a range of species with traditional fishers, and will help evaluate the effectiveness of protected areas and the ban on fishing nets on the progress of marine rewilding in Belize's southern seas.

During the course of the week, the fieldwork will be complemented by presentations by our research team, where we will share our findings with you.

Join us on this unparalleled Expedition, where each moment promises discovery, adventure, and a profound connection with the mesmerizing world beneath the waves.

• In-water Visual Transect: Transects are a non-invasive method for assessing the diversity and relative abundance of marine megafauna. Each transect involves four swimmers positioned in the water and spaced 15 meters apart. Transects are 1km in length, and throughout the transect, each swimmer is responsible for recording species, quantity, distance estimation, and size estimation for the sharks, rays, turtles, and piscivorous fish they see within their area. You will learn species identification and size estimation techniques to accurately record data. Following fieldwork, you can help to transcribe data to provide indices of species diversity, abundance, demographics, and size frequencies according to the different habitats sampled.

• Baited Remote Underwater Videos (BRUVs): BRUVs are structures made out of PVC pipe or metal that contain a GoPro camera and an extended arm with a bait cage. BRUVs are deployed at various sites around the Bay Islands for at least 60 minutes at a time in order to record species that are attracted to the bait. These videos are later analyzed to record the species and relative number of individuals and assess diversity and relative abundance.

• Longline Capture and Tagging of Sharks and Rays: Scientific longlining is another method to assess shark and ray diversity and abundance, especially over long periods of time. This technique involves setting a line of 50 baited hooks in order to capture individuals and collect more specific measurements, tag the animal with a marker that will identify them in future captures or sightings, and collect a tissue sample for DNA and contaminant analysis. You will assist with baiting and setting the longline, collecting environmental data, and learning proper handling techniques for safely tagging and releasing sharks and rays.

• Arrive at Philip Goldson International Airport, Belize City

• Take a local air transfer via Tropic Air from Goldson to Placencia.

• Upon arrival in Placencia, you will be greeted by a MarAlliance team member who will coordinate your transportation to Ranguana Villa.

Afternoon & Evening

• Settle into the villa and join the group for pre-dinner snacks, drinks, and a brief orientation on the upcoming marine monitoring activities.

• Group dinner to kick off the week.

Morning

• 8:00 AM: Breakfast at the villa followed by a taxi transfer to the dock.

• 9:00 AM: Depart from the dock for a boat transfer to Ranguana Caye (approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes)

Afternoon & Evening

• Settle into your accomodations and meet the team over pre-dinner snacks and drinks.

• Orientation on the upcoming activities, covering marine monitoring plans and snorkeling preparations.

• Group dinner

Morning

• Start with an early breakfast before transferring to the field sites. Mornings are dedicated to activities like size estimation and snorkeling, introduced through brief overview sessions.

Afternnon

• Participate in rotating fieldwork activities, including in-water surveys for sharks, rays, and turtles.

  Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys.

• Enjoy lunch at Half Moon Caye or in the field, providing a chance to relax and recharge.

Evening

• Return to base to review data, share insights over dinner, and attend expert presentations or group discussions.

Morning

• Start with an early breakfast before transferring to the field sites. Mornings are dedicated to activities like size estimation and snorkeling, introduced through brief overview sessions.

Afternnon

• Participate in rotating fieldwork activities, including in-water surveys for sharks, rays, and turtles.

  Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) surveys.

• Enjoy lunch at Half Moon Caye or in the field, providing a chance to relax and recharge.

Evening

• Return to base to review data, share insights over dinner, and attend expert presentations or group discussions.

• Breakfast at Blly's Bar

• Boat transfer back to Placencia.

• Ground transfer from Placencia dock to Placencia Airport for your Tropic Air Flight to Belize City. Please arrive at Philip Goldson International Airport at least 3 hours before your international flight home.

From her early days growing up by the sea in Tunisia, Dr. Rachel Graham was drawn to research, conservation, and development across Latin America, Africa, and Micronesia. For over 30 years, she has worked with the private sector and organizations such as the United Nations, University of York, Smithsonian Institution, and Wildlife Conservation Society. In 2014, Rachel founded the international NGO MarAlliance to promote inclusive, grassroots science and marine conservation.

For over two decades, Rachel has lived in Belize and worked with fishers and partners in several countries to identify threats, research needs, and conservation opportunities for threatened marine wildlife and their critical habitats. Her work has driven megafauna research and conservation worldwide, and she actively serves on the IUCN Shark Specialist Group, co-founding several National Shark Advisory Committees to advance policy reform for elasmobranchs.

In recognition of her contributions, Rachel received the Whitley Fund for Nature Gold Award in 2011 and the Pew Marine Fellowship in 2021 for her shark research and conservation work. Rachel holds a BSc in Zoology from Oxford, an MSc from Edinburgh, and a PhD from the University of York, UK. She is especially proud of her two sons, who share her passion for fishing and marine conservation.

Growing up in a fishing family, Kirah developed a deep love for the sea early on. Her commitment to marine science was sparked while volunteering at Half Moon Caye, where working with researchers on spawning aggregations affirmed her career path. While completing her Bachelor’s in Biology at the University of Belize, she began her role as a biologist, overseeing monitoring efforts at Lighthouse Reef Atoll. She later joined the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, one of Belize’s most visited MPAs, where she spent 17 years advancing from biologist to program supervisor.

During her tenure at Hol Chan, Kirah obtained a Master’s in Protected Areas Management and Eco-Regional Development from the University of International Cooperation in Costa Rica. Passionate about sea turtle conservation, she has led Belize’s sea turtle preservation efforts. Today, she serves as MarAlliance’s National Coordinator for Belize, working alongside Dr. Rachel Graham and the Belize team to support the conservation of marine megafauna and their coastal communities.