But the other Easter crisis that residents across the country had been facing was trying to get a fish for their tables.
They call it the Fisherman's Christmas, the day that crowds of Belizeans head to the Conch Shell Bay Fish Market to nab the perfect fryers for their Good Friday dinners.
But the pressure was on this year with rumors of fish scarcity and skyrocketing prices threatening to force the public at large to forgo tradition and maybe, just maybe, switch to chicken for easter.
It's a thought that some would deem too unfathomable to contemplate, and to find out what's really going on, we hit the fish market for our annual Fish Finding mission.
Here's what we found out.
Barrett Aldana, Fisherman
"The price of fish, everyone sells at their own price. We sell for $8, $9, $10 and we also sell for the low budget people. Breeze blew hard, so we have difficulty catching fish, but we still make a little living for us. They say it's a fisherman's Christmas. We only get Easter, 19th [November] to make a little money. The price of gas, everyone has to eat and make a little paper, right. We are trying to make a little living. Other fisherman sells their fish for $12 and $13. I as a fisherman, I sell wholesale. Its only on Easter and 19th I sell my fish out here retail, but beside that I sell my fish to get a little money for easter. I have kids and a family."
Reporter
"Talk to us about the scarcity, is it true that there is less fish right now?"
Barrett Aldana, Fisherman
"Not really, not less. Fish has seasons. Due to the economic and like how they lock off certain areas where we fishing, the fishing gets kinda tight for us. Climate change and everything changes up in life."
Reporter
"We hear rumours that some people are selling fish for $16 a pound. Have you heard about that?"
Barrett Aldana, Fisherman
"Rumours are rumours. Like I tell you, everybody sells at their own budget, but me or fisherman like certain people, we sell at our prices. You can't mixed it up - you have people who buy and sell. We catch and sell off our boats."
Reporter
"How many years have you been a fisherman?"
Sotero Verde, Fisherman
"From before I was born, I think, because from when my mom was pregnant with me, she was at sea. So from the day I was born I am a fisherman up to now."
"Not too bad and not too good, but still, I make something. I don't complain."
Reporter
"Is it true fish are scarce right now?"
Sotero Verde, Fisherman
"Yes."
Reporter
"Why?"
Sotero Verde, Fisherman
"I don't know, but sometimes when easter comes, like they fish they hide and then we punish to catch the fish."
Reporter
"How much were you selling fish for?"
Sotero Verde, Fisherman
"$7 a pound. But I don't sell it retail, I sell it wholesale. They are killing the people here, but what can I do? I can't do anything. I hear about $12 a pound and I don't know if that is true. The thing is that we have more fisherman. Years a back you had like 2-3 boats. Right now, you have like 50 boats. That's why the fish getting scarce right now."
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"I sell cheap and its okay for me."
Reporter
"How much you sell for?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"All different prices, but I haven't reach $10 yet. I sell like for $8, $9 - nice size."
Reporter
"Is it true its hard to find fish this year?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"Yes, ma'am."
Reporter
"How come?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"The weather. Climate change."
Reporter
"The water too warm?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"I feel so."
Reporter
"What happens when the water is that warm? Where does the fish go?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"In the deep."
Reporter
"How was business today, did people buy from you?"
Calvert Bainton, Fisherman
"Very good, I am done now. Finish."
Easter 2023's retail fish prices seem to have been set at a steady $7.00 to $10.00.
