Queen Conch Season to Close on April 6

Belizean fishers are being put on notice tonight, as authorities move to protect one of the country’s most valuable marine resources.  The Belize Fisheries Department has announced that the Queen Conch fishing season will officially close on April 6, under existing regulations enforced by the Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation. The directive calls for an immediate halt to all harvesting of Queen Conch as the season winds down.  Fishers currently at sea have been given a firm deadline, all conch catches must be delivered to authorized buyers or cooperatives on the mainland no later than April 2. Officials say this is necessary to ensure proper monitoring and to facilitate an orderly closure of the season.  Hampton Gamboa, Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor within the Fisheries Department, explained how enforcement measures will be carried out.

Gamboa also issued a stern warning, noting that anyone found in possession, processing, or selling Queen Conch after April 6 will face prosecution under the Fisheries Regulations.

The seasonal closure is a critical conservation measure aimed at allowing conch populations to recover, while safeguarding the long-term sustainability of the fishery, an industry that supports thousands of Belizean families.  The Queen Conch season is scheduled to reopen on October first, marking the start of the next harvesting period.