Mexico Marine Conservation Short Term Internship

Life on the Internship

Situated in the stunning Centro Ecologico Akumal in the heart of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, this site allows for some fantastic diving! Working days can be long and tiring but extremely rewarding. A typical day will start off with a team boat push followed by a short journey to one of the research dive sites. Other days may involve training on base, community days, beach cleans and bird surveys. Days are rounded off with evening debriefs, followed by dinner and time to relax, taking in a beautiful sunset and sharing stories with your fellow team members.

The main focus of the programme is to equip you with professional survey techniques for underwater data collection on the health of the reef. You will specialize in either fish or coral research techniques during your initial training to prepare for your dives. Training will include learning to identify the various species and learning how to take measurements underwater as well as an introduction into marine conservation. Depending on weather conditions, we aim for everyone to get into the water everyday to dive or snorkel but this is also dependent on the needs of our partners as there are conservation measures in place which will not require you to dive 5 days a week.

Besides diving, you should expect to be involved in additional projects and activities, including training sessions, marine debris surveys and removal, environmental education session or alternative income training, depending on local and project needs.

As part of the internship programme, there will be a lot of focus on developing leadership and teamwork abilities with the GVI Leadership course. After returning to base from your daily field work, you will undergo extra training with your mentor during the evenings or afternoons. This may involve watching presentations on certain theory topics which you will then need to base an assignment upon as well as weekly written assessments and oral and field discussions with your mentor. The Leadership course enables you to get more involved by equipping you with the skills to lead teams and supporting logistics. At the end of the internship, there will be a final evaluation, which will assess your competencies against the criteria set out.

Project Details

Our work on this Internship aims to assess the health of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system. The work will be focused around data collection for fish and coral species. The goal for this programme is to increase local and global awareness of marine issues and to be able to provide data that will play a key role in policy-making decisions regarding the future of this marine eco-system.

The GVI Leadership course has a main focus of developing the participant’s teamwork and leadership skills. Interns will be completing weekly written assignments as well as oral and field discussions. The course will involve the participants watching presentations to learn theory or working on their assignments during the evenings or afternoons after having completed their field work. A mentor will be assigned to the intern and there will be weekly one-on-one meetings to provide feedback and weekly assessment on their progress. After successful completion of the internship and the final evaluation, a certificate and professional reference will be given to the qualifying participants.

GVI is collecting data in the northern section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, working with our local partners with the aim to:

• Form a comprehensive overview of the ecological health of the reef


• Determine the species and breeding success of sea turtles (seasonal)


• Develop education and awareness programs within the local community
  

Overall, our monitoring program in Mexico aims to provide a long term record of coral and fish species abundance over time to contribute to the long term survival of the reef.

Akumal's short, mid, and long-term objectives:

All of our programs have short, mid and long-term objectives that fit with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This enables us to report on our collaborative impact across the world in a streamlined manner, measuring which UN SDGs we are making a substantial contribution to. Furthermore, this will help our local partners and communities measure and visualize their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Upon arrival to base, you will be educated about the history of the UN SDGs. You will learn about the specific goals of your location, the long-, mid- and short-term objectives, and also clarification of how your personal, shorter-term involvement contributes to these goals on a global level.

Our aim is to educate you on local and global issues, so that you continue to act as active global citizens after your program, helping to fulfill our mission of building a global network of people united by their passion to make a difference.

Learn about the long-term objectives you will be contributing to in Akumal:

1. Provide data to our partners on the overall health of the reef, to be used for coastal management, and to have a better understanding of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system.


2. Raise environmental awareness within the area and local community.


3. Minimise the environmental impact that visitors and other people have within the bay area.


4. Increase in-country capacity within our partners and community members in the area.

 

How This Project Makes a Difference

Over time and with the contributions of a small number of volunteers, Centro Ecologico Akumal (CEA) have been able to amass a large database on the condition, health and changes of this section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. With all our helpful and hardworking participants we can help our partners move forward providing great support to their work these other areas of the reef.

What's Included

What's Not Included

Exploration

Internships with GVI not only allow you to participate on programs assisting disadvantaged communities or endangered ecosystems, but it also offers wonderful opportunities to travel in the local area in your down time or further afield either before or after your program. Many decide to travel after their internship, solidifying the lifetime friendships established on the program.

Our long term field staff are a great source of advice and are here to help you make the most of your time abroad. Remember to ask about discounts on local activities and side trips through your association with GVI. Our Yucatan field teams have helped us put together the following information on trips and travel options in Mexico!

Optional Side Trips
As a large and vibrant country, Mexico can seem daunting at first, but here are a few ideas to get you going in the Yucatan Peninsula on your weekends off:

In this region you are spoilt for choice in the number of opportunities to explore a stunning underwater world. You could start with a dive or snorkel within the unique cenotes (the underground river systems); dive Cozumel, where the wall dives along the island have been voted as part of the world’s best top ten diving locations; or, for a full weekend, try Isla Holbox, a small island off the north of the peninsula. It’s a beautiful, tranquil place, great for a quiet weekend away. Whale sharks (the world’s largest fish) migrate up near the island from June to September and snorkelling alongside them while they filter feed is a truly breath-taking experience!

Alternatively, if you are looking for a break from the water, make your way to Río Lagartos where flamingos flock and river crocodiles abound; visit Bacalar – known as the lake of seven colours due to the various shades of blue; or visit prime breeding areas for the hawksbill, loggerhead, leatherback, and green turtle (May to October).

Immerse yourself in the surviving Mayan culture of the area and visit remote and untouched Mayan archaeological sites, such as the famous and easily accessible sites of Tulum and Coba, or visit the beautiful and majestic Mayan ruins of Palenque in the Chiapas region. And finally, the colonial city of Mérida is the peninsula’s cultural capital and the local artisans of Izamal will be sure to offer you some souvenirs of your trip.

Further Travel Opportunities
If you want to travel throughout the rest of Mexico either before or after your time with us, there is more than your fair share of interesting places that are well worth a visit. Take a trip to the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve and experience lowland tropical forests and have an opportunity to try and seek out threatened species; the island of Espíritu Santo offers kayaking with whale sharks (seasonal) and sea lions; if you are keen to try surfing, Puerto Escondido is rated as one of the world’s best surfing spots.

Oaxaca is a beautiful city to visit on the Pacific Coast, a colonial city with some of the nation’s most magnificent architecture, also offering several archaeological sites including the Zapotec ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Further south, San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, is definitely worth a visit. Colourful buildings, historical architecture, and impressive nearby ecological sites with fun activities will easily keep you entertained for days.

Neighbouring countries to the south, Guatemala and Belize offer something different yet again. In Belize, island hop all the way down the coast, stopping to dive the Blue Hole, another world-class dive site. Guatemala can be reached easily by bus and offers everything from the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Antigua, to volcanoes, the beautiful Lake Atitlan, adventure sports such as mountain biking, and the majestic Mayan ruins of Tikal.

If you do decide to spend time travelling through Central America, make sure to allow yourself time to take it all in, because this region will pull you in and not let go!