And while the Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association group has OCEANA and the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries on the defence, the tables are turned for the Ministry of the Blue Economy.
Those two went crossway last week with each side sending shots across the other's bow. That led to a war of words in the press.
But, today, they agreed to sit down for a talk via teleconference. Last night on Uncut, OCEANA VP, Janelle Chanona told viewers what she hopes to come out of it.
Janelle Chanona - VP, OCEANA Belize "I'm pleased to share that we have confirmed now a meeting with the Ministry of Blue Economy tomorrow at 11 o'clock and I think that is really going to be the first step that gets us past this rocky start."
Jules Vasquez "It's a rocky start, he said in the release, he called it baseless attacks on the integrity of the ministry and will not be taken lightly and will be challenged vehemently every stop of the way and that's an accusation against the coalition for sustainable fisheries and OCEANA, that's strong words from the ministry."
Janelle Chanona "Absolutely and I think there is also no denying that we continue to stand just as vehemently behind our press release but really gets us nowhere in terms of where there is obviously a disconnect but I don't see that the ministry and the NGOs on this issue are diametrically opposed. I have every hope and every reason to hope that we will have absolute clarity in terms of where we go next because I think all sides intend to be very candid and very clear. My takeaway from the press release was the ban will not be lifted."
Jules Vasquez "It would be retrograde if the government equivocated or did not hold the line on the gillnet ban."
Janelle Chanona "I always like learning new words from you Jules, yes it would be a capitulation as a conservation leader to lose any of the steps forward that have been taken."
Neither side has yet commented on what came out of today's meeting.
