Inside the Struggle to Save an Endangered Grouper Species | National Geographic

why

why this female Nassau grouper caught off

this female Nassau grouper caught off

this female Nassau grouper caught off the coast of Belize is taking her last

the coast of Belize is taking her last

the coast of Belize is taking her last few breaths the survival of this

few breaths the survival of this

few breaths the survival of this endangered species an apex predator is

endangered species an apex predator is

endangered species an apex predator is critical to the survival of the coral

critical to the survival of the coral

critical to the survival of the coral reef the Belizean Barrier Reef the

reef the Belizean Barrier Reef the

reef the Belizean Barrier Reef the second longest in the world is quietly

second longest in the world is quietly

second longest in the world is quietly being decimated by global warming and

being decimated by global warming and

being decimated by global warming and overfishing illegal fishing poses a

overfishing illegal fishing poses a

overfishing illegal fishing poses a major challenge for poor countries like

major challenge for poor countries like

major challenge for poor countries like Belize as they struggle to protect their

Belize as they struggle to protect their

Belize as they struggle to protect their natural resources here in Belize City

natural resources here in Belize City

natural resources here in Belize City Julio Moz of the Wildlife Conservation

Julio Moz of the Wildlife Conservation

Julio Moz of the Wildlife Conservation Society receives a tip from a local

Society receives a tip from a local

Society receives a tip from a local fisherman you know which vessels to go

fisherman you know which vessels to go

fisherman you know which vessels to go to

no in the rain ends the tip came from

no in the rain ends the tip came from this place key glory or Emily as it’s

this place key glory or Emily as it’s

this place key glory or Emily as it’s known to Belize ins between December and

known to Belize ins between December and

known to Belize ins between December and March every year during the full moon

March every year during the full moon

March every year during the full moon the Nassau grouper travel here to spawn

the Nassau grouper travel here to spawn

the Nassau grouper travel here to spawn it is one of the most critical spawning

it is one of the most critical spawning

it is one of the most critical spawning sites for Nassau grouper in the world it

sites for Nassau grouper in the world it

sites for Nassau grouper in the world it is also a haven for fishermen by the

is also a haven for fishermen by the

is also a haven for fishermen by the early 2000s the Nassau grouper was

early 2000s the Nassau grouper was

early 2000s the Nassau grouper was functionally extinct here with less than

functionally extinct here with less than

functionally extinct here with less than 50 fish left not very easy to catch that

50 fish left not very easy to catch that

50 fish left not very easy to catch that it’s been that done for really renowned

it’s been that done for really renowned

it’s been that done for really renowned conservationist and wildlife filmmaker

conservationist and wildlife filmmaker

conservationist and wildlife filmmaker richard Foster and his wife carol

richard Foster and his wife carol

richard Foster and his wife carol documented what Emily was like in the

documented what Emily was like in the

documented what Emily was like in the 1980s they were catching them about that

1980s they were catching them about that

1980s they were catching them about that thousand they put him on strings they

thousand they put him on strings they

thousand they put him on strings they drag them back to the camp

drag them back to the camp

drag them back to the camp behind the reef they put them in big

behind the reef they put them in big

behind the reef they put them in big enclosures and then they were cleaning

enclosures and then they were cleaning

enclosures and then they were cleaning them at their leisure and the fisherman

them at their leisure and the fisherman

them at their leisure and the fisherman generally they if they’re allowed to

generally they if they’re allowed to

generally they if they’re allowed to they’ll kill village the last one my

they’ll kill village the last one my

they’ll kill village the last one my lord Oh Barrow Alice’s in this amateur

lord Oh Barrow Alice’s in this amateur

lord Oh Barrow Alice’s in this amateur video was seized during the recent

video was seized during the recent

video was seized during the recent arrest of the Honduran fishermen all

arrest of the Honduran fishermen all

arrest of the Honduran fishermen all these fish were believed to have been

these fish were believed to have been

these fish were believed to have been caught in protected marine areas the

caught in protected marine areas the

caught in protected marine areas the fishermen were also caught they were

fishermen were also caught they were

fishermen were also caught they were fined and had their boat confiscated but

fined and had their boat confiscated but

fined and had their boat confiscated but for every illegal fishing boat that gets

for every illegal fishing boat that gets

for every illegal fishing boat that gets caught countless more get away part of

caught countless more get away part of

caught countless more get away part of the problem is the lack of real-time

the problem is the lack of real-time

the problem is the lack of real-time intelligence about what’s actually

intelligence about what’s actually

intelligence about what’s actually happening out at sea the Fisheries

happening out at sea the Fisheries

happening out at sea the Fisheries Department have tried using drones but

Department have tried using drones but

Department have tried using drones but they have had more failed flights than

they have had more failed flights than

they have had more failed flights than successful ones to date their drones are

successful ones to date their drones are

successful ones to date their drones are made of styrofoam and do not fly well in

made of styrofoam and do not fly well in

made of styrofoam and do not fly well in windy and wet conditions they also don’t

windy and wet conditions they also don’t

windy and wet conditions they also don’t have a live feed which means they need

have a live feed which means they need

have a live feed which means they need to wait for the drone to come back

to wait for the drone to come back

to wait for the drone to come back safely before they know of any

safely before they know of any

safely before they know of any infractions at at sea

Julio is trying to push the Belizean

Julio is trying to push the Belizean government to buy better drones in the

government to buy better drones in the

government to buy better drones in the meantime he tags along with the

meantime he tags along with the

meantime he tags along with the Fisheries Department on boat patrols in

Fisheries Department on boat patrols in

Fisheries Department on boat patrols in rough conditions like today it can take

rough conditions like today it can take

rough conditions like today it can take six hours to reach Emily from Belize

six hours to reach Emily from Belize

six hours to reach Emily from Belize City which means that often the illegal

City which means that often the illegal

City which means that often the illegal fishermen are no longer there the cost

fishermen are no longer there the cost

fishermen are no longer there the cost of the trip in fuel and oil is in the

of the trip in fuel and oil is in the

of the trip in fuel and oil is in the hundreds of dollars

Rodney Castillo is in charge of

Rodney Castillo is in charge of enforcement that is going on he spots a

enforcement that is going on he spots a

enforcement that is going on he spots a fishing boat in the protected area as

fishing boat in the protected area as

fishing boat in the protected area as soon as they spot the police fisheries

soon as they spot the police fisheries

soon as they spot the police fisheries boat Rodney sees them tossing a grouper

boat Rodney sees them tossing a grouper

boat Rodney sees them tossing a grouper from their boat I’m 12 we’re going to

from their boat I’m 12 we’re going to

from their boat I’m 12 we’re going to water this I put my money to a quick way

water this I put my money to a quick way

water this I put my money to a quick way to water Rodney scoops and unconscious

to water Rodney scoops and unconscious

to water Rodney scoops and unconscious grouper out of the sea I can’t go wrong

grouper out of the sea I can’t go wrong

grouper out of the sea I can’t go wrong seven five Nassau grouper this is a mark

seven five Nassau grouper this is a mark

seven five Nassau grouper this is a mark this is a way I didn’t find us a grouper

this is a way I didn’t find us a grouper

this is a way I didn’t find us a grouper buddies

he boards the vessel and sees that the

he boards the vessel and sees that the rest of the catch is legal yeah but my

rest of the catch is legal yeah but my

rest of the catch is legal yeah but my mom look at you German remember they

mom look at you German remember they

mom look at you German remember they were not Hondurans after all but local

were not Hondurans after all but local

were not Hondurans after all but local police ins he decides to issue them a

police ins he decides to issue them a

police ins he decides to issue them a warning

warning

warning so most of their catch was another

so most of their catch was another

so most of their catch was another species not as a grouper and so the

species not as a grouper and so the

species not as a grouper and so the officer I was able to use his discretion

officer I was able to use his discretion

officer I was able to use his discretion and realize that it’s not a targeted

and realize that it’s not a targeted

and realize that it’s not a targeted species so give them a verbal warning if

species so give them a verbal warning if

species so give them a verbal warning if you’re squeamish you might want to turn

you’re squeamish you might want to turn

you’re squeamish you might want to turn away for a minute cleaning the fish

away for a minute cleaning the fish

away for a minute cleaning the fish Rodney discovered that this grouper had

Rodney discovered that this grouper had

Rodney discovered that this grouper had a belly filled with the role of the eggs

a belly filled with the role of the eggs

a belly filled with the role of the eggs with a population of just over 10,000

with a population of just over 10,000

with a population of just over 10,000 mature individuals left on the planet

mature individuals left on the planet

mature individuals left on the planet this dead grouper could have improved

this dead grouper could have improved

this dead grouper could have improved the chances of her species survival

the chances of her species survival

the chances of her species survival instead she is transported to a freezer

instead she is transported to a freezer

instead she is transported to a freezer to be used as evidence in case the

to be used as evidence in case the

to be used as evidence in case the fishermen break the law again