Problem: Lionfish is an invasive species that threatens the Caribbean; it lays more than 2.000.000 eggs per year. It has no natural predators in these waters and it’s eating crucial native species destroying the coral reef.

It has become a risk for the environment and the economy of over 30 countries in the Caribbean. The only way to stop this menace was to eat it, but people didn’t know about it.

The strategy: First we had to generate demand in order for the supply chain to exist. The strategy contradicts the basic supply and demand rule, but taking the risk was worth trying. We needed to generate value for the fishermen, they had to understand that hunting Lionfish was not only important for the environment; it was also a good business. If they didn’t see the commercial value of hunting it, they would have never started doing it.

This strategy was the core of the campaign and every effort that the Ministry did, was to follow this simple, but very unique and complex strategy.

Idea: We generated a cultural shift by working with Colombia’s top chefs, turning it from exclusive to popular. We helped create a supply chain from scratch: Fishermen, fisheries, restaurants and hotels working together. For the first time ever it was sold in supermarkets, making it part of Colombians diet.

More than 84% of Colombia’s population is Catholic and half of them eat fish during Lent. That’s why we sought help from the most influential institution in the country: The Catholic Church. Priests supported the campaign by inviting Catholics to not just eat fish during Holy Week, but to eat Lionfish. A cultural impact traditional media would’ve never accomplished. Colombia’s President joined the campaign, inviting fellow Colombians to eat Lionfish by incorporating this foreign species into their daily diet. Resulting in the preservation of the natural balance of the Caribbean's ecosystem.

Main issue:

The tools to catch Lionfish in a safe way are unaffordable for fishermen.

Holding bag – US$ 55.00

Polespear – US$ 65.00

Artisan fishery is the the only way fishermen around the country hunt Lionfish. The Lionfish is venomous to human contact and fishermen are afraid of hunting it.

Process:

We developed 3 designs based on recycled materials fishermen could find anywhere. We made 4 prototypes of each weapon until we finally tried them on the Caribbean Sea. The design process took 5 months.

The promotional item given to fishermen, showed them step by step how to assemble a Priceless Weapon.

Results:

The cost of the weapons reduced by 96.4% or even for free.

Fishermen live with US$6 a day. The commercial value of one Lionfish is US$8.

The Ministry has done over 100 workshops teaching fishermen the importance of hunting Lionfish.

More than 1000 promotional items have been delivered to fishermen.