Will a change in fisheries regulations allow foreign fishermen to plunder Belize's seas? Well that's what, APAMO, the Association of Protected Management Organizations says. A statement points to a statutory instrument signed by Fisheries Minister Mike Espat, which will allow "all non Belizean nationals to legally exploit Belize's fisheries stock." That's a dire prediction, and today, APAMO's Public Relations Representative, Tanya Williams-Thompson explained that there's only so much fish in the sea, and an increased number of fisher folk will put undue stress on already depleted fisheries stock.
Tanya Williams-Thompson, APAMO
"APAMO is concerned that this new SI essentially provides access to Belizeans and non-nationals to exploit our fisheries stock. It is a great concern for us because it compounds a difficult issue we have right now and that is we are already seeing a decline in the fisheries stock. Now to add on additional fishers to the 2,000 fishers who are harvesting from the fisheries stock will increase the pressures on the resources. It is a concern for us that people who really don't have the goodwill of Belize's resources at their heart will come and start reaping from these resources. We are already seeing problems as it is now with the 2,000 Belizean nationals who are using the resources. Previously only Belizean nationals could obtain a fisherman license. What this new SI does is to allow both Belizean nationals and people who have permanent residence to obtain fisherman license and basically to access the fisheries stock."
Alfonso Noble,
But how could an SI be slipped into the works without anybody noticing?
Tanya Williams-Thompson,
"That is the issue that APAMO has concerning the whole process in how this SI was developed and came about. There was no national consultation. We feel that such a policy that really affects a large number of people should have had a large national consultation. We are calling on the Minister of Fisheries and the Fisheries Department to really consider the implications of this statutory instrument. Consider the impact it will have on the fisheries stock and stop the implementation of the statutory instrument. It has not been gazetted (sic) as yet, as far as we know, so all it is not lost yet and that is why APAMO believes there is still room for that implementation to be stopped."
Today the CEO in the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. Mike Tewes flatly rejected APAMO's criticism. He says the organization is making a mountain out a molehill. Tewes says the law was changed last year by Former Minister Servulo Baeza to grant licenses only to Belizeans, thus excluding permanent residency cardholders. But, he says the cooperatives approached the Ministry on behalf of what he calls a few handfuls of fishermen resident in Belize, and that's what led to the decision. He deflected the criticism that Minister Mike Espat is doing it for a political gain. Those are the two sides, but it's a battle that will clearly continue on APAMO's side as that group comprises 10 organizations including major conservation players such as Programme for Belize, the Belize Audubon Society, TIDE and SATIM.
