In a recent joint patrol, the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) and Seadaft Tours discovered disturbing evidence of continued illegal fishing activities in southern Belizean waters, increasing concerns among conservationists who are advocating for the protection of marine life.
On Thursday, the patrol discovered gillnets, a fishing tool explicitly banned by the Belize government since 2020 due to its detrimental impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the regulations in place, there have been persistent reports over the years indicating the illicit presence and use of gillnets in Belizean waters. Such activities not only threaten marine life but also undermine the country’s regulatory efforts.
Wil Maheia, the leader of BTV, shared a distressing account from their recent patrol near the Port Honduras Marine and Sapodilla Caye Reserves. The BTV crew recorded video footage showing numerous species of fish and crustaceans caught in the gillnets, struggling for life. Many were close to suffocating before the team intervened to release them.
To make matters worse, the patrol also identified illegal fishing activities undertaken by Guatemalans within Belize’s territorial waters. This recurring issue has been previously acknowledged by Belizean authorities, yet, much to the dismay of conservationists and patrolling groups, it remains unresolved.
In a public statement, Maheia expressed deep concerns over these troubling discoveries. “We were dismayed to have encountered gillnets and found that Guatemalans were illegally fishing within our waters. Both of these marine reserves are supposedly manned by Belize’s Coast Guard, the Fisheries Department, and TIDE (Toledo Institute for Development and Environment) Rangers, and so it is with grave concern that we continue to encounter these illegal activities,” he said.
Echoing Maheia’s concerns, TIDE recently encountered similar illegal activities and highlighted their findings on social media.
They shared images of gillnets, which they believe were set under the cover of night, thus deliberately violating Statutory Instrument No. 158 of 2020. This regulation, also known as the Fisheries Resources (Gill Net Prohibition) Regulations, 2020, Section 3(1), bans the use of gillnets of any mesh size or length in designated fishing areas.
In response to these findings, TIDE emphasized its commitment to public education on the detrimental effects of gillnet fishing. They stressed the need for change, stating, “It is our fervent hope that the small minority of fishers that continue to illegally set them will realize that their use is detrimental to all of us.”
Such incidents highlight the urgent need for increased surveillance, public awareness, and stricter enforcement of regulations to ensure the protection and sustainability of Belize’s precious marine resources.
Amandala reached out to the Fisheries Department seeking comments on these concerns and potential plans for mitigation, however, citing the absence of the department heads, we were advised to reconnect on Monday.
Unfortunately, when we reached back on Monday, the person referred to us, Lindon Rodney of Fisheries Punta Gorda, was out in the field conducting surveys and thus unable to assist.
Fortunately, we were able to reach out to the vice president of Oceana, Janelle Chanona, who informed us that anyone caught committing such an offense could face a fine of up to $5,000 dollars, imprisonment for six months, or both.