Fellowship Year:
2026
Degree:
MESc
Research Country:
Honduras
Research Continent:
North America
Project Title:
An intimate cull: Killing lionfish for conservation in the reefs of Utila
Abstract:
This project investigates the targeted culling of invasive lionfish as a form of environmental stewardship and ecological resilience within the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. Using participant observation and visual ethnography, the research examines how maritime communities engage in lionfish hunting and how these practices reshape relationships among people, marine ecosystems and invasive species following reef degradation after Hurricane Mitch. The study explores whether this form of “restorative violence” can help stabilize changing marine ecosystems in an era of rapid species displacement.