Reefsave Inc

Our mission is to develop a self-sustaining system to consistently remove lionfish that is simple, inexpensive and can be easily duplicated throughout the affected region.

Lionfish can be effectively removed from specific targeted areas through spearing by SCUBA for periods of time. However, this also tends to drive the “hunted” lionfish deeper and deeper.

We plan to do this by developing lionfish harvesting and trapping as small businesses in underdeveloped countries, building a local market for lionfish, and educating local communities about the difference between “Venomous” and “Poisonous” and how they are personally affected by these environmental issues.

As Sir James of Bequia proclaimed about ReefSave, “We are taking a problem and turning it into a resource”.

When people can make money catching and selling lionfish as food, the removal of lionfish will be consistent and self-sustaining.

The concern over trap failure issues put a halt on further expansion outside of St Vincent and the Grenadines (Bequia Island) due to concern that if the trap failed, fishers who might participate could reject the trap and ReefSave as being trustworthy. They expect the traps to simply work.

Our goals include to be at the forefront of knowledge concerning effective removal systems of the invasive lionfish and to teach what works and be a source of information for those interested in or participating in the programs.

To achieve our goals ReefSave is dividing its efforts into two directions: Research & Testing; and, International Deployment.

TRAP BUILDS and TESTS
We are working directly with Dr. Steve Gittings, NOAA, in furthering the development of the "purse trap". This design is patented by NOAA so that is available for the public to use without a licensee which corresponds to ReefSave’s goals of bringing this technology to the underdeveloped world as a new business and food source. ReefSave has an L.O.A. from NOAA with Dr. Gittings for testing the purse trap and derivatives and modifications in U.S.A. waters in North Carolina and Florida. Our focus will be obtaining another permit for "test fishing" with the traps in these same waters.

TRAP BUILD EVENTS GO MOBILE - in the U.S.A. with the development of a portable hitch mount rebar bender. The participates become trained and can follow a curriculum to become TRAINERS for international deployment.The traps they build are used for field tests in the U.S. (Under the exisitng L.O.A.) and for "test fishing" in those same waters. Donations from participants (Event Admission Fees) or the "Travel Dive Shop" help to pay for the cost of materials and expenses to do the Trap Build.

INTERNATIONAL DEPLOYMENT
The first PARTICIPATING DESTINATION DIVE SHOP, Serenity Dive, hosts a periodic but regular lionfish fish fry that Vaughn Martin has proven is profitable. The use of the "Vacation for a Cause" program will send volunteers to catch lionfish, help the participating dive shop financially and educate the diving public who participate in the program. ReefSave returns to St Vincent to further assist Mr. Martin with development techniques, behavioral patterns, implementing a "Harvesting" program as an alternative to "Hunting".

TRAVEL DIVE SHOPS in the USA book to the location where the Participating Destination Dive shop will run the ReefSave Lionfish "Harvesting" itinerary. Participants can just have “fun dives” or get involved with catching and counting lionfish and helping with the catch for the lionfish Fish Fry.

Developing the "Lionfish Fish Fry" allows for immediate removal by SCUBA with any lionfish retreat to deep water leading them into the purse traps provided by ReefSave in exchange for data collection and cooperation in fishing methods.

The international deployment mission is not stalled during further trap testing in the U.S. under the L.O.A. obtained from N.O.A.A. with Dr. Gittings.

ReefSave has an L.O.A. with Dr. Gittings for testing the purse trap and derivatives and modifications in U.S.A. waters in North Carolina and Florida. Our next focus will be obtaining a permit for test fishing the traps in these same waters andgetting access to boats from which we can run tests on the traps.



Trap Build Events will go mobile with the development of a portable hitch mount rebar bender, and those traps will be used for testing in U.S.A. waters. The participates become trained and can follow a curriculum to become trainers for international deployment.

Our goal is to obtain participating destination dive shops to host Reefsave Lionfish Harvesting Events and create "Vacation Packages" for SCUBA travel.

Travel dive shops in the USA book to the location where the ReefSave itinerary is run. Participates can just have fun dives or get involved with catching and counting lionfish and helping the participating dive shop stock up for the consistent but periodic lionfish Fish Fry.

The participating destination dive shop hosting a periodic but regular lionfish fish fry works and is profitable.

The use of the "Vacation for a Cause" program will send volunteers to catch lionfish, help the participating dive shop financially and educate the diving public who participate in the program.

The biggest limiting issues are:
(1) Covering some of the costs for the volunteers in international deployments. - Trained volunteers are far more efficient than learning when you get there. However, many experienced volunteers can not afford multiple deployments. Most volunteers are willing to absorb a substantial portion of the costs as well as volunteer their "Vacation for the Cause", however, being able to reimburse a fixed portion of expenses for a certified "Trainer", after the volunteer task work is completed, would dramatically increase the expansion rate of the program;
(2) Deep water trap testing requires boat access, fuel and variable costs, an underwater drone and other equipment that can be used to observe and study at depths beyond the safe limits for SCUBA volunteers.
(3) Sufficient income to hire a small staff, implement a CRM, update the website, get training videos into production.

These affect the rate of expansion of the program.

Our initial project in 2018 selected Bequia as the test destination due to its limited availability of resources. (If it can be done there it can be done anywhere) At that time we also studied the 14 day soak time interval for the purse trap. That period of soak time was never studied in the past and it represents the most critical periods for fishers.

We successfully demonstrated that the traps could be hand built on location. ReefSave made over 150 SCUBA dives on the traps. At the end the lionfish caught were cooked in a local restaurant and given away for free to the public in an educational "Open House". This permitted Reefsave to address the educational component for the local population: Lionfish are "venomous" not "poisonous". A widespread issue that prevents locals in many locations from consuming lionfish

Our tests revealed failure points in the trap design and use that had not been discovered in previous tests.

Our Second year focused on dealing with: trap failure issues; simpler design; and cost reductions by hosting three "Trap Building Events".

At these events Dr. Gittings and groups of ReefSave volunteers, built a new version of the lionfish trap: A "No-Weld" Purse Trap. (Saving $60 per trap compared to the 2018 Bequia build) ReefSave also built a special rebar bender for a more than 360-degree bend by hand of #4 rebar. (Commonly available material at remote locations)

These builds also trained international volunteers for experience in building, testing and using the traps.

ReefSave demonstrated a full scale live version of the No-Weld trap at 2019 Beneath the Sea. This was the very first "Public" demonstration of a full scale Lionfish Purse trap and its operation for the general public.

Reefsave also created and trained volunteers for the ReefSave "Trapping the Terror" presentation at the DC Dive show as well as similar presentations to various dive clubs and events in N.Y., Virgina, North Carolina and Florida.

June 2019 Bequia the volunteers built the bender and 3 no-weld traps on location, met with local fishermen and a decision was made to entrust the traps to Vaughn Martin, the owner of Serenity Dive in St Vincent that becomes the first participating destination dive shop.

ReefSave must now focus on “proof of concept” using the Lionfish Fish Fry model whole testing and improving the trap and studying behavior to increase catch rates.

The longer-term goal is to prepare for local expansion of the Fish Fry to multiple locations in St Vincent, increased catch rates, lower per fish costs. Following Mr. Martin's existing and successful model, expansion of the fillet and freeze method, prepare for expansion to local supermarkets and eventually a possible new product for export to other markets.

In 2020 all of our fund raising events and projects were cancelled through September 2020. At this time (31 MAR 2020) we hope that the travel and distancing restrictions are lifted before our NOAA permit expires.