Gill nets have been a banned fishing gear in Belize since November of 2020, one of the last acts of the former Barrow Government, just before they exited office.
Still, we've shown you over the last few months how the park rangers of protected areas continue to find them being used in Belizean waters. Well tonight, the Fisheries Department says that they came across a batch of them 4 days ago.
On Monday, a team of the department's enforcement officers conducted an operation in a location north of the mouth of the Sibun River and in the Robinson Point area. That led to them finding and confiscating 10 different gill nets.
The Fisheries Department reminds fisherfolk and the public that in accordance with the SI 158, No person can use a gill net of any mesh size or length for the purpose of, or as a method of, catching fish in the fisheries waters.
Also, no person can have in his possession a gill net in the fisheries waters.
The Fisheries Department also made an important note that, quote, "...The gill net ban does not apply to inland waters as defined in accordance with the Fisheries Resources Act, and fishers are required to have in possession a license to use gill nets in these areas." End quote.
