Pesca, Playa y Ambiente, Inc. (PPA) is a 501 C (3) non-profit organization based in Puerto Rico. It was founded in 2013 by a group of recreational fishermen and ordinary people concerned about the environment.
PPA promotes conservation through education and field activities. Our activities combine adventure, investigation, the education of participants and direct interaction with nature. We also, promote sustainable fishing practices and our island as an ideal destination for Nautical Tourism. Along our trajectory, the passion and enthusiasm that we put into each of our projects has been our trademark and has let us to be recognized in and out of Puerto Rico, in a short time.
Meet Our Team!
Each and every member of our team has the same compromise to protect and preserve our environment.
Board Of Directors:
Annette M. Ramírez López de Victoria, Esq
President/Secretary
Luz Belinda Arrieta
Treasurer
Dr. Craig Lyliestroms, Director of Science Dr. Lyliestroms is a retired Fisheries Biologist, graduate of the University of Massachusetts and Louisiana State University. He worked for 11 years in fisheries research in Venezuela, and 28 years in fisheries management with the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources. Since retiring in 2018, Dr. Lilyestrom collaborates as Director of Science with Pesca, Playa y Ambiente.
Israel Umpierre Chaar, Esq., Founder / Advisor – Lawyer, recreational fisherman, ex chairman at NOAA, Caribbean Fishery Management Council, Puerto Rico Advisory Panel. Current executive director of Shark Friendly Marinas. His passion for fishing and the outdoors, has led him to be a strong voice in the fight against gill nets and unsustainable fishing practices.
Advisory Panel:
Michelle T. Scharer- graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BS in Zoology, a master’s degree in Biology from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez and a PhD investigating the ecology of coral reef fishes at the Department of Marine Sciences, UPR. Her main research interests are coral reef ecology, environmental sciences, fisheries, hydroacoustics and conservation. Experiences include the implementation of a sustainable small-scale fisheries certification in Brazil, fisheries sciences in the US Caribbean, the use of passive acoustic methods to monitor grouper spawning aggregations, the conservation of threatened and endangered species, marine protected areas and environmental education.
Dr. Guy Harvey – Guy Harvey is a world renowned artist, biologist, angler, conservationist and explorer who uses his keen eye, a lifetime spent on the water and background in marine biology to create wildlife artwork with unmatched authenticity.
Guy attended Aberdeen University in Scotland and later received his Ph.D. in Fisheries Biology from the University of West Indies. After serving in the Jamaica Defense Force, Guy taught as a Professor of Marine Biology at the University of West Indies. Guy continued to paint in his spare time but it was not until anexhibition at Jamaica’s Port Antonio Marlin Tournament, where his paintings were first noticed by a team of American fishermen who encouraged him to display his artwork at the Ft. Lauderdale Boat Show. After selling his entire collection at the 1986 boat show, Guy resigned his teaching position to become a full- time artist.
Guy has been inducted into the Fishing, Swimming, SCUBA Diving, and Broward County Sports Halls of Fame.
The two cornerstones of Guy Harvey and his company are art and conservation; and each plays a crucial role in the success of the Guy Harvey brand. Guy’s artwork brings the undersea world into everyday lifeand helps give people a better appreciation for our marine environment.
Doug Olander – From 1994 through early 2020, Olander served as
editor-in-chief for Sport Fishing magazine, until the publication was discontinued. He is currently the editor of the international quarterly, Fishing & Travel.
Throughout his career, Olander has pursuing advocacy for conservation and sensible fisheries management.
A few highlights of these efforts include:
- Initiating the “IGFA Report” in each issue of Sport Fishing magazine to share with a national audience news of pending or approved world-record catches.
- Editorializing repeatedly on the folly of overly generous bycatch allowances for Gulf longliners and plans to remove or reduce brief seasonal closures which further threaten western Atlantic bluefin tuna in their only known spawning ground.
- Urging recreational anglers to not keep and bring back to the dock dead sharks or billfish (even if legal) to hang for photos to avoid further fueling the fires of anti-fishing forces.
- Making the case to reduce the release mortality of recreationally caught fish, Olander was one of the first to advocate nationally the use of descending devices vs. venting for releasing barotraumatized fish in an editorial that criticized the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council for requiring the use of venting tools only. That rule was subsequently modified to allow the use of descender devices in the Gulf.
- Recognition by several editorial-related awards, including the Mouton H. Farnham Award for Excellence in Editorial Commentary from BoatU.S. and the Homer Circle Fishing Communicator Award from the Professional Outdoor Media Association and the American Sportfishing Association.
Antonio Fins – is the politics and TrumpWatch editor at the Palm Beach Post. Antonio’s 30-year journalism career includes roles as the managing editor of the McClatchy News Bureau’s Washington, D.C., bureau and correspondent for Business Week magazine. He also served as a business writer and opinions editor for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
One of Antonio’s journalism and personal passions is the environment, especially the oceans and coastal regions. For three years, he guided the research and education programs at the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.
Steven Stock – My passion for the oceans and concern for marine wildlife combined with my experience in management.
Member of Florida Sea Grant (FSG) Advisory Board, St Marys Riverkeeper Board and consultant to the Florida chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association. From advising the Florida Sea Grant Board, NOAA’s Sanctuaries Systems Business Council, the Center for Coastal Conservation Board of Directors or NSU’s Guy Harvey Research Institute, I’m a lifetime Floridian and grew up fishing on Tampa Bay.
Michael Christopher – Michael Christopher is the Managing Director and co-owner of Elemental Methods, LLC, an information technology consulting and software development firm. Elemental Methods has become a recognized leader in the development and integration of mobile applications for the collection of commercial and recreational catch data for fisheries management and research. Their leadership in the field was highlighted during testimony before the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans and Insular Affairs’ Oversight Hearings in relation to the reauthorization of the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act”
Our Staff:
Capt. José Aponte – Our art designer. Jose is one of our original members. A passionate recreational kayaker, Captain and SUP fisherman in our Island.
Capt. Clery Morales – Fishing charter Captain at Backwater Tarpon. Clery is a valuable part of our team.
Prof. Víctor Oliver – A creative and passionate artist with extraordinary ability to to work with kids at our activities. Avid fly fisherman, conservationist and art professor at the Puerto Rico Department of Education.
Gloria E. Rodríguez Carrera – An outstanding woman who’s