Many of you may remember the Winnie Estelle as a vessel used by TREC students.

Winnie Estelle to stop in San Pedro on her final
voyage home

Many young islanders may not be familiar with
the Winnie Estelle but many long-time residents can certainly share their
memories of the vessel. 90 years after her launching, the vessel is making her
final voyage, with a stop on Ambergris Caye, before heading back home to the
Maritime Museum at Chesapeake Bay in Crisfield, Maryland, USA. The vessel, which
was built in 1920, has a long history and passed from one hand to another,
eventually making its way to Belize in the 70′s where it was used to transport
pine lumber and eventually used for tours off the island.

The Winnie Estelle was one of the original
Chesapeake Bay buy boat (buy boats are a type of cargo vessel used to buy
catch-of-the-day/products and transport such loads to a mainland market) used to
transport melons and sea products in the US. Buy boats are so uncommon now and
only a couple of them exist, so much so that it is considered a historical piece
that is referred to as an “endangered piece in the Americas.” Of the
few buy boats left, the Winnie Estelle is the only known boat so far that has
kept its original design and in perfect condition, keeping about 20 percent of
the original material it was built out of 90 years ago. The boat was used for
many years between the Guatemala and Honduras border to transport pine lumber to
Belize. But it became an icon when it was brought to Ambergris Caye and used to
conduct cruises and even tours to the Blue Hole. The boat was used until it
became too dilapidated, and was left to sink off Belizean shores. Thanks to
Roberto Smith, the boat was pulled up and it took a little over six years to
salvage the boat that holds so many memories and history.
The Winnie Estelle,
which was named after the two daughters of the original owner Noah T. Evans, is
currently in Rio Dulce, Guatemala and will be in San Pedro on May 4th and 5th.
The vessel will then depart to Crisfield Maryland, where it will be
decommissioned and placed into the Martine Museum at Chesapeake Bay. Those who
want to see the Winnie Estelle can look out for the vessel on the Eastern
coastline as the 60 foot boat cruises around for the last time in Belizean
waters. It will make a stop at the San Pedro municipal dock before leaving to
the US.
San Pedro Sun

Belize Collecting
Suggestions –
Maynard Schaus (mschaus@vwc.edu)

During Jan. 2012 we obtained a permit to collect daddy
long-legs from the ministry of forestry.  It was a big hassle, but ended
up working out in the end.  For other terrestrial animal and plant species,
you would go through the forestry office.
For marine specimens, you apply to the fisheries department in Belize
City, who may do things differently.  I
have heard that a permit to import sport fish is fairly easy, but coral or
CITES listed species would be much more difficult.  I have also collected mangrove leaves from
near Ambergris Caye and imported them with no problem, as long as they were dry
(no permit was necessary).

In general, plan on
at least 4-6 months advance notice to get the paperwork submitted via
e-mail, and consider devoting a day to
getting the permits once you are in the country.  It may be quicker than that, but you can
always add a side trip if you have the time set aside or you can get your Maya
Island air tickets after the permit stuff is finalized.  We also had to send our application to
several people, in some cases multiple times.
We sent both an electronic and a paper copy, and still had to send a
second copy later via e-mail.

In addition to starting this well in advance, you need to
(nicely) bug them regularly, including the government officials and any
officials from the site where you will be collecting, such as the Belize Audubon
society.  This will let you ensure that
everything will be set and will run smoothly when you get there.  I would
send a letter to the contact on their web site and any people that are listed
that would possibly be overseeing the permitting process.  If you send it
to multiple people, you increase the odds that someone will act on it or
forward it to the right person.  If e-mail does not seem to work well,
don’t hesitate to call them and get information about who specifically you
should talk to.

If you collect from private land, you are supposed to have a
letter from that person authorizing you to be there and collect.  If you collect from public reserves that are
managed by Belize Audubon or some other agency, you are supposed to get the
permission of that agency, or at least have them consult on the approval of
your permit.  To collect from other areas
(like coral reefs or mangrove islands) it should be a lot easier, especially if
it is not owned or if the area is not protected.

Make sure that your application is clear and concise.  If you apply to have students help you, I
would omit them entirely, since you need their names, passport information, a
justification of their qualifications, etc. 6 months in advance, and the list
of students could change.  It is much
easier to list yourself as the principal investigator and leave any others off
the permit, unless they are a full collaborator.  If you give a location, describe it
precisely, as it is not enough to give the town or district.  Google Earth can help you provide GPS
coordinates of where you intend to sample, or you can name the protected area
or dive site.

Know the rules for the species you are importing and make
sure that you proceed accordingly.  For
the mangrove samples, I had to make sure they were dried, and I called the USDA
to make sure that this was sufficient.
For some things, you will need an APHIS permit, and CITES species will
need extra permission.  Be sure that you
find out what specifically is needed well in advance.  Be prepared for problems, because they most
likely will occur.  We had them question
why we hadn’t filled out a camping permit (we were staying in guest
houses).  At least they had read the application
thoroughly.  Finally, if you get a permit
– make the most of it.  We are taking a
second trip this summer, because our permit runs through the end of the year.

 Basiliscus vittatus

Minister And Co-ops Meet: Close Conch Season Soon?

Today Fisheries Minister Lisel Alamilla met with key stakeholders in the fisheries industry – including the bosses of the principal cooperatives.
It was a consultation session about a very sensitive issue: namely, an early closing of the conch season – as much as two months early. It’s no small matter – that two months could mean significant losses in earnings for fisherfolk.
But, the issue is that the Queen or Pink Conch is now listed internationally as an endangered species. At the start of the consultation this morning, the Director of Fisheries, and the Minister made it clear that a delicate balance between conservation and Belize’s fourth largest foreign exchange earner has to be struck:

Beverly Wade – Fisheries Admin istrator
“What we have today is based on science, its management advice based on current situation, it is also based on our obligations nationally to ensure that we continue to have a sustainable and viable fishery, and also based on our obligations that we have internationally.”
“Conch has become important internationally because it’s now been listed as an endangered species. For us to look at the best way forward for the conch industry, which translate to the best solution for the individual fisherman and the best solution for the cooperatives.”
Hon. Lisel Alamilla – Minister of Forestry /Fisheries
“What is the balance that we need to strike to ensure that on the one hand we safeguard the viability of the conch stocks while at the same time ensuring that our fishers are afforded their continued livelihood.”
During that meeting, it was agreed that the conch quota for 2012 has been met, so the season will close about two months early. We spoke with senior fisheries officer, George Myvett to find out exactly when the season closes, and what spurred that decision.

George Myvett – Senior Fisheries Officer
“Classically it’s from June 30th to September 30th, but this year because the quota has been realized it will be closed from the 24th of April until September 30th.”
“The Industry leaders along with our Minister of Fisheries and Forestry and Sustainable Development have agreed collectively that there is great wisdom in ensuring that a sustainable management continues to be the strategy which we applied to the Industry and so great sacrifices will need to be made but generally there was a feeling that are in the interest of the fishers in the national interest. We have agreed that the season will need to close coincident with the realization of the quota.”
So, the closed season, which usually lasts 3 months will now span a little over 5 months, but Myvett stresses that it is a necessary step that must be taken to preserve Belize’s conch population.
The season for sea cucumber closed today – which is also early, again, because the quota for the 2012 fishing season has been filled. As a result, no one should buy, sell, or have in their possession any sea cucumber after today.
CH7

Bill Gates is here in San Pedro with his $275 million yacht.
He snorkeled Hol Chan yesterday. With all the money in the world to go anywhere –
the snorkeling is still Best in Belize

COALITION RELEASES REFERENDUM NUMBERS

Yesterday was a busy day for the Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage as they held the People’s Referendum, as a way to give a voice to many who were silenced when signatures were rejected from a petition to host a national referendum. People came out by the numbers to vote and the results were released today at a press conference in the front yard of the OCEANA Belize office. Ninety six percent of the twenty nine thousand two hundred and thirty five voters came out, voted no to offshore oil drilling while the remaining four percent voted yes. Vice President for OCEANA Belize, Audrey Matura Shepherd went more in detail with the results at the conference this morning.
Audrey Matura Shepherd – Vice President, Oceana Belize
“We had 143 spoilt ballots and 25 missing and this may sound funny but apparently people got the ballots and walked away with it, I wonder if those were the mischievous operatives. 25 ballots went missing. For the Corozal District what we had, we had a total of 3,501 voters came out and that is only in the District itself because a lot of them did vote in San Pedro or Belize City where they live or work. There we had 98% of the people of Corozal say no to offshore drilling and 1.5% said yes, that .5% may have accounted for spoilt or missing ballots. In the Stann Creek District we had a total 3,721 voters went out to cast their vote, 95% of them said no to offshore drilling, 4% said yes. In Caye Caulker we had 478 registered voters went out to cast their vote, of those 97.2% said no to offshore drilling and 1.8% said yes. In San Pedro 2,725 persons cast their votes, of those 98% of said no to offshore drilling, 1.5% said yes. In Cayo, those people love their politics, listen to this number, 4,984 people went out to cast their vote and of those 95% of those said no to offshore drilling and 2.7% said yes. In the Belize District we had the largest amount of course, we had 9,463 voters went out to cast their vote and listen to this number , 97% of them said no offshore drilling, loud and clear and 3% said yes, also loud and clear. In Orange Walk again another place that loves their politics, listen to this number, 3,356 people went out to cast their vote and they only had three polls in Orange Walk and of those 97% said no to offshore drilling and 1.9% said yes and finally, this one is alarming too, Toledo; 1,007, we couldn’t get the polls we had to bring the people out and of those 94% of them said absolutely no offshore drilling and 5.6% said yes, so those are the figures.”
Matura-Shepherd says that this is just the beginning of the fight against offshore oil drilling.
LoveFM
My Hero for Today is Mr. Pan he is from the village of Dolores. He got up at 1 AM start walking at 1:30 AM to the village of Otoxa so he can catch the 3:30 bus to PG so he can vote against offshore drilling. He voted and catch the 1130 bus back to Otoxa then he will walk again another two hours or so to get home. Thats my hero for today!
Wil Maheia

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Subject: [Coral-List] Fully funded Marine Science internships in
Bermuda
To: “coral-list@coral.aoml.noaa.gov”
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Applications are now being accepted for BIOS’ 2012 REU Program!

The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences has received National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) funding to support 4-8 fellowships for undergraduate student research at BIOS during the 2012 fall semester (Dates: arrive on August 29, 2012 – depart on November 25, 2012). Students will design and conduct independent projects under faculty supervision within several research areas including:

* Biology, chemistry and physics of the open ocean
* Biology, physiology and biochemistry of reef building corals and reef ecosystems
* Aspects of the molecular biology of marine organisms
* Environmental chemistry of Bermuda’s atmosphere and inshore waters
* Effects and consequences of global environmental change

Students who have completed at least two years of undergraduate study and will still be undergraduates in the fall of 2012 are eligible to apply. Minorities and women are especially encouraged. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. We encourage all successful applicants to arrange for independent study credit through their home institutions. Each successful REU applicant will receive a stipend paid at competitive rates. Students will reside on the BIOS campus. Travel expenses, tuition, room and board will be covered by the REU program.

You can apply to BIOS’s REU program by downloading an application form (in Word format) at http://www.bios.edu/education/REUapp.doc and e-mailing your completed application to the address listed on the form. If you have difficulty with the form, you can contact BIOS’s Education Department at education@bios.edu or telephone (441) 297 1880.

If you have any other questions about the program or BIOS, please e-mail education@bios.edu or check http://www.bios.edu/education/reu.html.

Applications will be accepted until the program is full. Initial selection of participants will begin May 30. Students will arrive on August 29 and will begin work on August 30. Work will end on November 24, with students departing on November 25.

We are looking to offer one Ph.D. Graduate Research Assistant position for
the Fall of 2012. The general focus of this position will be in the Human
Dimensions of Marine and Coastal Ecosystems. The academic program of study
will be in the Coastal Resources Management Ph.D. Program, which is within
the Institute for Coastal Science and Policy (http://www.ecu.edu/crm/ and

http://www.ecu.edu/icsp/ICSP/Home.html).

Responsibilities: This is a quantitative human dimensions graduate
assistantship. The successful candidate will study within and meet the
requirements of the Coastal Resources Management Program, and in addition
be expected to focus on and acquire knowledge in the social and behavioral
sciences, and to apply this knowledge to coastal management topics. The
Coastal Resources Management Program requires a minor in either Coastal
Geosciences or Coastal Estuarine Ecology. The development of strong
research skills will be required. This will include the completion of
multiple research methods and statistics courses. The successful candidate
will also be expected to pursue publication in various appropriate
scholarly publication outlets, including refereed journals, conference
proceedings and technical reports, and to attend and participate in
national and regional professional conferences. Several research projects
are typically in progress, and the student will be expected to participate
in some or all of them. Self-motivation and independent work capabilities
are important. Some recent projects include 1) a study of SCUBA divers,
snorkelers and recreational fishermen as part of the Florida Reef
Resilience Program in the Florida Keys, 2) a comprehensive socioeconomic
study of recreation and tourism in the Florida Keys, 3) a study of
recreational consequences of coastal restoration at Zuma Beach, CA, and 4)
a review of the social and economic understanding of coastal erosion from
Maine to Chesapeake Bay. A current project is to study divers, anglers and
boaters in Biscayne Bay National Park, and to study users at Dry Tortugas
National Park.

Qualifications: 1) The ability to work collaboratively as a member of an
interdisciplinary team and to assume leadership roles for research
projects. 2) Masters in the behavioral sciences or natural resources
disciplines. 3) An ability to conduct research, with basic course work in
research methods and statistical applications completed. 4) Good
communication skills; good writing and public speaking abilities. 5)
Previous professional experience in the coastal environment is preferred,
but not required.

Compensation: Contingent on funding, the position will be available on or
before August 22, 2012. An annual stipend of $22,000 is provided for the
first year. Funding in subsequent years is likely, but not guaranteed.
With the stipend comes a waiver of tuition, and basic health care. It is
expected that the successful candidate will apply to become a resident of
North Carolina by the end of their first year in the Program (if
appropriate).

Contact: Send resume, letter of interest summarizing qualifications, and
three references to: David K. Loomis, Associate Professor, Institute for
Coastal Science and Policy, Flanagan Building, East Carolina University,
Greenville, NC 27858-4353.
Loomisd@ecu.edu>.
252-737-4263. Please feel free to contact me with questions. The
position will be advertised until filled.