Blue Ventures Partners with Cisco Foundation to Empower Coastal Communities in Marine Conservation Efforts

The World Ocean Day celebration brought attention to an innovative approach to marine conservation. London-based nonprofit Blue Ventures, in partnership with the Cisco Foundation's $100M climate commitment, is empowering coastal communities to rebuild fisheries and restore ocean life.

Breanna Mossiah-Conorquie, Belize Country Director for Blue Ventures, emphasized that their community-centered approach prioritizes people over ocean conservation. 'At the end of the day, any decision we make that supports conservation efforts also affects people,' she said.

Fishermen Ron Escobar and Victor Jacobs, from the San Esteban Fisherman Association and Southern Grassroots Fishers Association respectively, shared their struggles with a changing climate. Warmer waters have led to fish scarcity, affecting their livelihoods and families' well-being.

To address this challenge, Blue Ventures is developing a Community Fisheries Data system, designed in collaboration with small-scale fishing communities. This initiative enables community members to collect, visualize, and use data to inform management decisions that support sustainable fisheries.