The High Seas Fisheries Unit falls under the Ministry of Finance, but the Ministry of the Blue Economy is getting involved in it now.
Minister of the Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, Abner Andre Perez, held a meeting yesterday with Valerie Lanza, the Director of the High Seas Fisheries Unit.
Talks were focused on a 5-year, multi-sectoral, national blue economy plan that is currently in development. Other areas of discussion included Belize's exclusive economic zone, deep-sea fishing, and value-added processing of fisheries products for greater financial benefits to fishers and the economy.
Last week, this same High Seas Fisheries Unit made the evening news. That's after the Director signed a memorandum of understanding to make its vessel tracking data publicly available through the Global Fishing Watch map. This will make it possible for all flagged vessels to be tracked. It was presented as an improvement to address illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.
