Beyond The Reef International

Beyond The Reef was formed in 2018 as a response to the devastating damage caused to the marine ecosystem by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Since then, Beyond The Reef (BTR) has established itself as the most productive environmental organization in the British Virgin Islands to date. BTR has created 3 large-scale artificial reefs out of hurricane damaged vessels that have gone on to become Marine Protected Areas. 

BTR has also taken the responsibility of monitoring and treating Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease within the BVI which has been prevalent in this part of the Caribbean for the past several years. 

BTR has initiated a shark research program as the BVI is a shark sanctuary with no baseline data. And lastly BTR has dedicated much of the past 2 years to identifying and clearing "ghost fishing" gear out of the waters and coastline. Ghost fishing gear refers to derelict, abandoned or lost fishing gear in the marine environment that continues to trap fish and animals for years and years after they were originally set for use. This abandoned gear such as nets, traps and pots not only attract, trap, entangle and potentially kill marine life, but they also often smother fragile marine environments such as coral reef. Beyond The Reef has been hard at work cleaning miles of coastline from these deadly nets as well as any other hurricane debris or plastics that we encounter along the way that pose a threat to the marine environment. 

In 2023, BTR also began a cetacean research program within the Virgin Islands, focusing on the North side of Anegada to begin getting baseline research on which species, densities, months of year, migration routes and habits that cetaceans like whales and dolphins use within these waters. With this data, we can help better protect these species for generations to come.