Last night, we told you how the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries and Oceana Belize alleged that the Ministry of the Blue Economy appeared to be taking steps to reverse the ban on the use of gillnets in Belize. Well, the Ministry is responding tonight to say that they are mistaken.
On November 5th, 2020 - 6 days before the election, the former Minister of Fisheries, Omar Figueroa, signed Statutory Instrument 158 of 2020, which made it illegal to use gillnets.
In a press release sent this morning, Minister Perez said that only days after taking office, he was greeted with a lawsuit from the Belize Fishermen's Cooperative Association, which is seeking to challenge the gillnet ban. In response, Perez and his team sought legal advice and support from the Attorney General's Ministry. He and the members of his team believed that this was the best way to proceed before engaging in any talks with the conservation community.
Responding directly to the press release from Oceana and the Coalition, the Ministry's press release says, quote, "...we are open to having discussions with Oceana and the Coalition, but expresses its disappointment that they have hastily drawn conclusions and engaged in casting aspersions." End quote.
The Ministry thinks that this was an unfair attack on its integrity, and so, the Minister and his team hosted a 40-minute press conference this afternoon to take questions from the press. Here's how that extended conversation went:
This afternoon's extended press conference was the first opportunity we got to ask about this lawsuit from the fisher-folks who want the gillnet ban lifted. This afternoon, the officials made it clear that there is a bit of confidentiality surrounding these mediation talks, but here's what they told us about the lawsuit:
