Lobster, behind farmed shrimp it is Belize's most lucrative fisheries product. Last year Belize exported 500,000 pounds of lobster tail and lobster head meat and we raked in nearly $14 million in foreign exchange earnings for it. That's 14 million reasons for lobster fishermen to celebrate the start of the lobster season on June 15th. And that is what they have been doing on Caye Caulker for the past 12 years. The annual lobster fest was held this weekend and the 7NEWS was on the place they call Carinosa.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Like most parts of Belize the once small fishing village of Caye Caulker has embraced the tourism dollar But for this weekend Caye Caulker has forgotten tourism, they are celebrating the island's roots, these crustacean, a spiny lobster. Yes its alive and its also edible.
Manuel Heredia Jr., Belize Rural South Area Rep.
"I feel that the importance of this festivity and the importance of this fishing industry is something to make the young generation aware that this tradition is supposed to continue for many many decades to come."
Alberto Villanueva, Caye Caulker Village Chairman
"Caye Caulker started from a lobster community and from there we have moved on to tourism but it is still the very backbone of Caye Caulker. Tourists come here particularly to have lobsters, Belizeans on whole."
The island celebrated with a party in the middle of town. They even had a queen, Miss Lobster Fest 2006 Crystal Aguilar.
Crystal Aguilar, Miss Lobster Fest 2006
"It is a income, like the number one income for the fishermen on the island."
And though Aguilar was the queen, she wasn't the center of attraction, the lobsters were. Most ended up on a grill but there were more exotic creations such as lobster dip and lobster ceviche which we sampled.
And as the island celebrated its 12th Lobster Fest, those who make a living from fishing say lately there hasn't been much to celebrate. This is just the
start of the lobster season and after a couple hours at sea, fisherman Jorge Requena returned only mildly pleased with his catch.
Jorge Requena, Fisherman
"I guess there is more tourism than lobster nowadays. The lobster is less and less."
Gerald Badillo Jr. and Porfilio Guzman have been fishing for most of their lives. Guzman actually pioneered the Lobster Fest. But both lament the fact that Caye Caulker the fishing village is becoming Caye Caulker the tourist hotspot.
German Badillo Jr.,
"From I know myself, from I was very small, that is all we use to catch
on this island. We're all fishermen here and there wasn't any tourist industry. Tourism came about after the lobster and that's how fishermen got involved in the tourist industry because they saved the little amount of money they made from lobster and started building little hotels, guesthouses, and the tourist industry grew. It grew so much that I think it has even has more income coming into the island than lobster. But lobster has been ever since the backbone of this island."
Porfilio Guzman, Lobster Fest Chairman
"It has changed a lot form fishing to tourism but on behalf of myself and behalf of the older fishing guys on the island, we would still like this to remain as a fishing village, fishing island."
The Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries agrees. The Honorable Mario Castellanos told us fisheries contribute 5% to our GDP and Belize simply cannot afford to have Caye caulker not fishing.
Hon. Mario Castellanos, Minister of State in Fisheries
"The fishing industry and lobster contribute 5% to the national economy so we deem it very important. We are working very closely along with our technicians to ensure that we have a continued industry and a survival of the industry and not to have a occurrence like what has been happening other parts in the world where the industries are being destroyed."
One more challenge for a village already trying to embrace the future while celebrating the past.
The lobster season opened on June 15th and it runs through to February 14th.
