Marine Research & Ecosystem Restoration
- BICA
- May 4
- 3 min read
Updated: May 15
The Bay Islands are home to some of the most biodiverse reefs in the Caribbean. Keeping them that way takes constant work. Here's what we've been up to.
Lionfish Derby 2026, Utila
The cook-off added a culinary dimension to the derby through a competition among local restaurants, each preparing creative tasting portions using lionfish fillets as a sustainable protein source. The winning dish was a delicious Lionfish Tartar Crisp, highlighting the potential of lionfish as an appealing seafood alternative while promoting the removal of this invasive species from local reefs.
During the derby, participants removed a total of 130 lionfish from the reef ecosystem, with the derby winner alone removing an impressive 96 lionfish. Biological data were collected for every fish captured, including morphometric measurements and gonad examinations, to improve understanding of the species’ ecology in local reefs. Of the total lionfish removed, 68 were identified as female and 62 as male, with the largest specimen measuring 36 centimeters.
Lionfish removed: 130 Data recorded per fish: Morphometric measurements + gonad exams
Coral Restoration at Roatan
The coral out-planting initiative led by BICA in Roatan responds to a crisis that has unfolded across the Caribbean a significant decline in coral reefs driven by widespread coral diseases and mounting environmental stressors. The initiative focuses on restoring reef health and resilience by propagating and transplanting resilient Acropora species back into degraded reef areas. As of 2026, this program has out-planted a total of 407 coral fragments to the reef, including 124 Staghorn coral fragments and 81 Elkhorn coral fragments in Roatan, alongside 202 Staghorn coral fragments in the Utila reef, demonstrating a strong commitment to long-term reef recovery and building local capacity for sustainable marine conservation.
The program has three specific objectives: increasing live coral coverage, enhancing genetic diversity through the careful selection of healthy donor colonies, and strengthening reef resilience to disease and climate impacts. Through this work, BICA aims to contribute to the long-term recovery of Roatan's reef ecosystems while building local capacity for sustainable marine conservation.
Lobster and Conch Monitoring
Bay Islands National Marine Park
This monitoring effort was created to address a real gap: the lack of reliable information on economically important species. Developed in dialogue with Indigenous communities, the program aims to evaluate potential changes to regulations within the Bay Islands National Marine Park.
The data being collected helps us understand how populations of lobster and conch change over time and across different areas of the park, supporting better decision-making for their management and conservation. The program began in mid-2024 and already encompasses two years of data (2024–2026).
Monitoring activities are being conducted across 20 reef sites focused on lobster populations and 20 seagrass sites dedicated to juvenile lobster and queen conch monitoring, provisioning critical information on the status and trends of these key marine species and habitats. Currently, three monitoring campaigns are underway, one on each island, with the active support of trained volunteers who contribute meaningfully to this effort.
These efforts are made possible through collaboration with the Coral Reef Alliance, the LifeWeb Initiative, and the Instituto Nacional de Conservación Forestal (ICF), including support from FAPVs.
None of this happens without the divers, volunteers, local restaurants, Indigenous communities, and partner organizations that make each of these efforts possible. The reef is a shared resource, and protecting it is a shared responsibility.
