about farmers building resilient local economies across rural America.<\/em><\/p>\nThis World Ocean Day, I chatted with ocean conservation nonprofit Blue Ventures about\u2026people. Seems unusual, right? When I think of the ocean, I picture a chatty coral reef, bubbling with colorful parrotfish and angelfish. Or maybe a smiley pod of dolphins, or velvety seaweed tangling on the seafloor.<\/p>\n
But London-based nonprofit Blue Ventures situates the conversation around oceans differently. Aligning with the Cisco Foundation\u2019s $100M climate commitment to invest in tech-based nature preservation solutions, their approach to marine conservation has coastal communities at its center. Their goal is to support coastal communities to rebuild fisheries and restore ocean life, and with support from the Cisco Foundation, they\u2019re bringing this vision to life on the coast of Belize, home to the world\u2019s second largest coral reef.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are empowering people to take charge in ensuring that conservation efforts are achieved,\u201d Belize Country Director Breanna Mossiah \u2013Conorquie, says. Breanna, born and raised in Belize, says that Blue Ventures\u2019 community-centered approach to systemic change drew her to work for the nonprofit for the past 5.5 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the end of the day, any decision we make that supports conservation efforts also affects people,\u201d she says. \u201cConservation efforts exist because people exist.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fisherman and Treasurer of the San Esteban Fisherman Association, Ron Escobar, is one of the fishermen that Blue Ventures works closely with. Ron has seen the effects of a changing climate alter the ocean he\u2019s spent his life fishing in. Warmer waters have caused fish and crustaceans like lobster to seek cooler temperatures. An unpredictable variation in rainfall has created murky water and poor fishing conditions.<\/p>\nBreanna Mossiah-Conorquie with members of the San Estevan Fishers\u2019 Association. Photo Credit: Blue Ventures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u201cProduction is getting scarcer and slower,\u201d Ron says. \u201c[The ocean] is our living. If we can\u2019t depend on the sea and don\u2019t mind the sea, we can\u2019t \u2026 provide for our family and our community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Paula Jacobs Williams is the Chairlady of Southern Grassroots Fishers Association and caters traditional Belizean seafood. Paula says she\u2019s been a \u201cfisherwoman since I was in my mother\u2019s belly!\u201d Like Ron, she says the ocean has been central to her livelihood in Belize.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ocean is important to me in a lot of ways because from when I was young, it helped send me to \u2026 primary school and secondary school,\u201d Paula says. \u201cThat\u2019s our food. We do almost everything with the ocean, like lobster, conch, and fish.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spearheading conservation efforts through data ownership and accessibility<\/strong><\/h2>\nCommunity members like Paula and Ron lacked the systems to collect, visualize, and use their own fisheries data to inform management and support their interests. Blue Ventures is collaborating with communities to address this challenge.<\/p>\n
By developing a Community Fisheries Data system, designed with and for small-scale fishing communities, Blue Ventures helps fishers make informed decisions that improve ocean health and local resilience. Staff train community members to collect data on fish, like weight, species, and quantity. Fishers then use this data to determine where and how much to fish, supporting strategic, data-based decision making that guides more sustainable management of fisheries.<\/p>\nFishers landings monitoring and data collection in Punta Gorda, Belize. Photo Credit: Blue Ventures.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nVictor Jacobs has fished the waters of Belize for over 48 years. He prides himself on his deep involvement with his local fishing community, serving as Vice Chairman of the Southern Grassroots Fisherman Association. Like Ron and Paula, he\u2019s passionate about protecting the oceans that have supported his entire life.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are smart fishers,\u201d Victor says. \u201cWe want to catch stuff and catch again, [so] my kids can catch, my grandkids can catch, everybody can catch \u2013 but we have to start saving from now on to protect what is ours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Victor has worked with Blue Ventures staff in Belize for over a year and says they\u2019ve helped his community learn to collect and interpret valuable data on fishery health.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been trained by Blue Ventures, so some of the fishers that are in our group know how to handle the gadgets,\u201d Victor says. \u201cIt\u2019s a very good thing because at the end of the day, \u2026 we\u2019re going to be able to represent ourselves with our own data.\u201d<\/p>\nThe landing page of the Community Fisheries Data System. From here, users can access near real-time data relating to key catch metrics.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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