Honduran Fishermen Charged After Illegal Fishing in Sapodilla Keys Reserve

Three Honduran nationals were intercepted, arrested, and charged after being caught fishing illegally within the Sapodilla Keys Marine Reserve in southern Belize. The incident took place on Friday, May 22nd, when conservation officers from Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment, along with the Belize Coast Guard, encountered the men operating within Conservation Zone 4, a protected area designated specifically for the preservation of marine biodiversity. The suspects were subsequently brought into Punta Gorda town, where they were handed over to police and formally charged. Love news spoke with the Sight Manager of Toledo Institute for Development and Environment Marty Alvarez, who gave us the details

Marty Alvarez, Site Manager, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment:“On May 22nd our conservation officers, we used to call them rangers but they’re conservation officers, they were conducting patrol within their area of responsibility which is Sapodilla Cayes an within a specific zone conservation zone 4 which is a conservation zone for the protection of biodiversity we intercepted three Honduranian nationals that were fishing illegally within that location. Subsequently they were detained, they were brought in to Punta Gorda and they were arrested and charge and they were handed over to the Punta Gorda Police Station. So there were several charges that occurred. For one they were fishing in a prohibited zone which is conservation zone 4 within the Sapodilla Caye Marine Reserve. They were also charged with fishing without a valid fisherfolk license you have to be a Belizean to have a fisherfolk license commercially. And they were also charged with fishing in a vessel that is not registered to fish in Belizean waters and they were also charged with having fish fillet without skin patch. So in Belize it is illegal to have fish fillet without a skin patch, you need to have a skin patch to identify which fish you are catching.”

The successful interception was the result of a joint patrol operation between TIDE conservation officers, the Belize Coast Guard, and the Belize Fisheries Department, highlighting the importance of inter-agency collaboration in protecting Belize’s marine resources. TIDE says it remains committed to conservation and the enforcement of regulations within the marine protected areas it co-manages, including both the Port Honduras and Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserves.