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RESEARCH & MONITORING
Our objetive at BICA Utila is to promote research, monitoring and investigation of the natural resources of the islands, in order to provide a better management and understanding of them.
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The program aims for a better understanding of the environmental resources provided by the Bay Islands. As well as the environmental interactions within the different ecosystems found on each island. This way we can provide a holistic approach to pertinent issues that not only ensure the conservation and protection of the organisms and ecosystems of the National Marine Park, but also promotes community development in a sustainable manner.
PROJECTS
SCTLD
In this project we aim for a better understanding of the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the island through constant monitoring and data gathering. As of now we monitor the disease in 10 sites across the whole island. Treatment of the disease goes hand in hand with the monitoring of the disease. BICA Utila has treated and tagged 412 colonies across the island.
coral sexual
rePRODUCTION
Interventions based on sexual reproduction are aimed at assisting coral fertilization, providing healthy substrate for larvae, and introducing coral recruits into degraded reefs. To carry out such intervention, monitoring and recording of spawning events are necessary, which is a fundamental piece of coral spawning monitoring. It is important to generate more accurate prediction calendars and to recognize temporal and regional variations.
Ways to Give
Join us in protecting the stunning marine and coastal biodiversity of the Bay Islands in Honduras by supporting our conservation efforts and safeguarding the future of our oceans for generations to come.
Founded in 1990 by concerned citizens, the Bay Islands Conservation Association (BICA) is a grassroots organization dedicated to safeguarding the future well-being of the Bay Islands, Honduras. It is a private, non-profit entity coordinating and initiating efforts to protect the islands' delicate natural resources. To effectively carry out its operations, BICA has established three strategically located chapters on each island—Utila, Roatan, and Guanaja. Additionally, it has recently expanded to Tampa, FL, where it has obtained official 501c3 status to facilitate donations from interested individuals and groups.
With over 30 years of experience, BICA has successfully implemented various programs and projects in the Bay Islands, focusing on environmental education, community development, protection, and research & monitoring. Since 1994, BICA has entered into a co-management agreement with the Institute of Forestry Conservation and Wildlife (ICF) to jointly manage the marine and terrestrial protected areas in the Bay Islands of Honduras.
