And in other news, last week we told you about a bust of over 100 undersized lobster tails that were caught being smuggled out of Belize through the PGIA.
Sources tell us that there is an enterprise built upon the unauthorised exportation of undersized lobster and conch, which is sold in Los Angeles for an exorbitant price. And the Fisheries Department is on high alert.
According to the Supervisor of the Enforcement Unit, Fitzroy Hampton Gamboa, they became privy to the information on Thursday and immediately sprung into action. With collaboration from the Belize Airport Authority, BAHA, the police department, and Civil Aviation, they were able to detain the smuggler at the airport.
Gamboa told us more:
Fitzroy Hampton Gamboa, Superviser, Enforcement Unit
"Based on those intel and information we actually launched an operation to find the individual's house. Unfortunately because while doing the search, we got a call from the Airport Authority that the person as checking in at the airport at that said time, we then made our way to the airport and BAHA and the police had the person in custody and they eventually handed the person over to us. We checked the individual suitcases that he had and as result of searching one of his suitcases we found one in particular with all lobster tails. We processed the individual there, the individual is a Belizean-American and we got all the details and everything from that said individual and that person was issued a summons for him to be arraigned in court in the near future."
"In this case, there were three type of offences that occurred. One, it's the exporting of seafood without a valid permit because the individual didn't have any permit which is very important, whenever you're leaving the country you have to ensure that you have a permit to take out any seafood from Belize. Two, he was charged with possession of lobster during the closed season and the third charge is the possession of undersized lobsters because a number of the lobsters were extremely undersized."
"After we had tallied everything and so on, we did look at the potential fines, we're looking at a minimum of $20,000 Belize Dollars, minimum. Which is of course, you know, it's the Magistrate who will administer the fine and the penalty."
"And of course, I can tell you all, it's our local fishermen who are harvesting these things so we are bolstering up our presence as we speak and targeting some said individual in this matter."
"We have to ensure that we educate our counterparts at the airport, whether it's BAHA, whether it's customs, even the different airlines that is flying out, their managers or their frontline people have to be aware and educated as it relates to what is the requirements for these people to export individual quantity of product from the country so it is something that we at Fisheries Department is working with other agencies in stimulating them in our different fisheries infractions."
According to Gamboa, the exact number of lobster tails caught was 183. And according to the new fisheries act, undersized tails refer to those weighing less than 4.5 ounces.
