In 2010 ECOMAR welcomed Dr. Lis Bach from Denmark to assist with the Coral Watch Program, Gallow’s Point Turtle Project and initial set-up of the Lionfish Project.  Lis had just completed her PhD at the University of Denmark where she studied marine microorganisms.  Before arriving in Belize She studied the coral species of the Caribbean and came prepared to assist with the scientific studies that Coral Network members conduct during bleaching events.  At that time ECOMAR received and compiled the coral bleaching data from all Coral Network members and Dr. Liz prepared summary reports from all sites surveyed in Belize.  We miss Liz and hope she will return one day soon for a visit with a school group and conduct research based out of our new facility at St. George’s Caye!  Dr. Bach acts as a science adviser on our programs and continues to assist ECOMAR by analyzing data and preparing graphs.  We are very grateful for her support, even though she is miles away!

Originally from the United States, Mrs. Gillian Kirkwood, came to Belize from the United Arab Emirates, where she and her husband were very active in many volunteer activities.  Gillian has been our #1 volunteer in the Belize Lionfish Project and has assisted the program by analyzing lionfish samples that came in under the Monthly Lionfish Tournaments that were held throughout the country.   Gillian and LInda both enjoy sampling lionfish to see what new prey might be found in the belllies of the hungry lionfish!  Currently Gillian is compiling the data base of lionfish statistics that were taken for the 8300 lionfish that were received in six months from May through November when the tournament was held.

Khristina Bonham hails from sunny California, but came to us via the University of Exeter where she is working towards her Masters degree and is studying under the tutelage of Dr. Brendan Godley.  Khristina fell in love with turtles while working in Barbados under the direction of Dr. Julie Horracks in their nesting beach monitoring program.  In 2010 Khristina was looking for a research project for her Master’s thesis and ECOMAR founder Linda Searle presented the Turtle Watch program to Khristina.  The Turtle Watch program is comprised of the In-Water and Nesting Beach Observation Programs and Khristina has been spearheading getting dive centers and marine guides on board reporting all sighthings of sea turtles in Belize.  Khristina is doing a great job and has already been to Bacalar Chico, Belize City, Lighthouse, Turneffe and Placencia.

Ms. Kalene Eck, Ms. Ninon Martinez and Mr. Hubert Gillett graduated this year with an Associate degree in Environmental Science and are part time volunteers with the Belize Turtle Watch volunteer at ECOMAR during the summer.  All three participated in the Sea Turtle Training Workshop in June, helped prepare the Turtle Libraries for all participants and began mapping all the sandy beaches in Belize to get them adopted.  Kalene & Ninon will be going away to school in August to pursue their Bachelor's Degree in Evironmental Sciene at Galen University and Saint Louis University, respectively.  Hubert has decided to look for a employment in his field.  We wish them all the best of luck in their future endeavors and thank them for their help this summer on launching the Turtle Watch Project!

Mr. Gordon Kirkwood is originally from Scotland but like his wife Gillian, comes to Belize via the United Arab Emirates where he was working in the oil industry.  His knowledge of oil companies has been very useful to our colleagues at Oceana as they lobby for Belize to ban offshore oil drilling.  Gordon is our "roving diver" since he regularly visits dive sites throughout Belize and is therefor able to report on coral reef conditions and sea turtle abundance for a variety of dive sites throughout the country (lucky him!).  His dive log details have contributed immensely to our "Turtles of Belize Photo ID Project".

Melanie Day hails to Belize from a small town in northeast Indiana.  She graduated in May 2011 from Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis with a bachelor of science in Biology and minor in Chemistry.  Her senior research thesis focused on Down syndrome, using mouse models to study embryonic neural deficits at a cellular level.  Upon her graduation, she moved to Belize to continue her relationship with Belizean boyfriend Gian Alpuche, as well as to pursue other avenues of her degree. She has been an avid SCUBA diver since 2002 and has enjoyed past trips to Belize, Roatan, Cozumel, Cayman Brac and Bonaire.  She is excited to be here and is looking forward to helping out with the 2011 Sea Turtle Census and Belize Turtle Watch Program!

Please welcome Melanie on board!  Melanie will be spearheading the Sea Turtle Census 2011 and will be liaising with coastal property owners and encourage all to Adopt A Beach and following up with dive operators and marine guides to encourage reporting of all in-water sightings of sea turtles.

Losita Lee has been actively involved in the campaign against lionfish when they first arrived in Belize.  After spending some time in the US she returned and has been volunteering with ECOMAR and the Belize Lionfish Project.  Losita has assisted Lionfish Project Coordinator Mrs. Nidia Chacon in outreach including the Placencia Lionfish Tournament over the 9th of March weekend, and will assist at the University of Belize Earth Day Celebration in Belmopan on April 13, 2011.  Ms. Lee has been instrumental in processing lionfish received and found the butterfly fish in a lionfish stomach in Placencia! Thank you Losita, we really appreciate your help!

From Belize City, Mineli has a history of fishing in her background as her father is a fisherman.  When a call was made for volunteers in 2010, Mineli contact ECOMAR and assisted us with sampling lionfish and entering the measurements into our lionfish database.  Ms. Mineli help at this time was great since we were overflowing with lionfish!

Currently representing the OAK Foundation, Angeline has a long history in conservation in Belize as she used to work with the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute conserving manatees and sea turtles.  Angeline received our calls for volunteers and assisted Linda Searle in sampling lionfish.  Measurements were taken and samples were stored for several hundred lionfish in one afternoon.  We need other persons interested in sampling lionfish at San Pedor during the Lionfish Tournaments that the San Pedro Tour Guide Association organizes.  In one day more than 500 samples are brought in and valuable scientific information is being lost since measurements are only taken on the biggest and the smallest lionfish.  If you reside on San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and can assist like Ms. Valentine, please contact us so we can put you in touch with the organizers and train you to samples lionfish!