On Tuesday's news, we took you to the fishing village of Sarteneja, located on the northeastern edge of the Corozal District. Residents were outraged by the decision of the Ministry of the Blue Economy to increase the minimum size of lobster tails that can be legally sold from 4 ounces to 4.5 ounces.
Although the Government has decided to raise the minimum size by half-ounce, this community is strongly objects. They insist that, from their many years at sea as fisherfolk, the majority of the lobsters that meet that minimum requirement will be caught and delivered early in the season. They say that as the season progresses into its later stages, significant portions of their lobster catch will not meet that requirement because there aren't enough of the bigger lobsters in Belizean seas to share equally around the entire country's registered fishermen.
We understand that Blue Economy Minister Andre Perez met with some of the villagers today to hear their concerns and correct any misconceptions they may have.
But as viewers know well, fishermen from the Corozal District have regularly made our newscast because marine law enforcement teams have caught them in possession of undersized fisheries products. While we were in Sarteneja, we put that tough question to several of our interviewees, and here's what they had to say:
Fisheries Stocks Face Cross Border Pressures
As you heard, Sarteneja fisherman Benedicto Perez pointed out how illegal cross-border fishing has negatively impacted Belize's fisheries sector. He feels that Belizean fishermen must follow strict rules for sustainability, while the authorities are incapable of truly stopping cross-border fishing. Ovel Leonardo, the organizer of Tuesday's community also made the same point:
Ovel's Ulterior Motives?
We also asked Ovel Leonardo about suggestions we received that his recent public concern for the plight of Belizean fisherfolk is not purely benevolent.
Sources in the know allege that he has ulterior, political motives to make a power play on the chairmanship of the board of one of the fishing cooperatives. If he is able to unseat the current chairman, he will gain the post's attractive salary and executive perks.
Here's what he had to say when we put that question to him:
We understand that the fisherfolk of Monkey River is similarly upset about the change in the lobster regulations.
