Caribbean Reef Buddy has received funding by the GEF Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) which is implemented by UNDP, to run a Lionfish Containment program and reduce the populations of these invasive fish around Carriacou.

Through this program, we train a team of local community members to dive and safely hunt Lionfish during weekly culls. Any catch is sold to local restaurants for sale to hungry customers. We work in conjunction with rangers of the local MPA in order to raise awareness about the invasive Lionfish in the community through school programs, a Lionfish jewellery program, and quarterly derbies covering all of Carriacou and beyond!

A separate record and photos of our lionfish catches can be found in our Carriacou Lionfish Containment Blog.

The coral reef systems around Carriacou comprise a beautifully special and biodiverse coral reef ecosystem on which the population of this island relies. Though still teeming with life, increasing stress due to over-fishing and invasive species could ultimately threaten their collapse!

Through reef monitoring and data collection, a better picture can be obtained concerning stressors to the reef ecosystem and strategies by which they can be mitigated. We work together with universities and individual researchers around the globe that share our goals to protect this beautiful and productive ecosystem. Caribbean Reef Buddy employ a variety of monitoring techniques ranging from Coral Watch, Reef.Org, Reef Check and AGRRA.

Through our partners at Deefer Diving, Caribbean Reef Buddy have helped establish an Elkhorn coral nursery. A new and exciting project, ‘out planting’ of the first crop of coral fragments has started and will continue throughout 2017 thereby providing a degree of protection for the vulnerable coastline on the north of the island.