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The Fisher of the Year award ceremony was held today at the UWI Building by the Wildlife Conservation Society. In a time of global resources shortages, and overfishing, it's a way to tribute fishers that harvest the seas sustainably - and here's who came out on top.
Raina Lewis, Assistant country Director Marine-WCS
"It's just for us to highlight the work that persons are doing within Belize's small scale fisheries sector. You know, often times you only think about when we get the seafood at our restaurants or at home. But then we want to also appreciate and recognize those who are out there on the sea, you know, fishing, you know, braving the storms, all the difficulties you known and especially opening of lobster season there's a lot of challenges. People out there trying to rob them as well. So it's you know, it's a very difficult job, but one that they love and they appreciate. And I know that they definitely wouldn't want to give it up for any other thing, you know, for doing any other thing."
Osvaldo Santoya, Chunox Village - Fisher of the Year 2023
"In my community, it is all known in our community, like fisheries folks. Well, in my behalf, I am working as chairman of the Association of United Fishermen Association. Well, we are working in the village trying to encourage fishers to know more about the rules, the bylaws, and how to go about doing fishing."
Reporter
"Talk to us about the importance of of sustainable fishing?"
Osvaldo Santoya, Chunox Village - Fisher of the Year 2023
"Well, I think it is very important for us to know about sustainable fishing, because I think it's the future that we are trying to take care. Doing the sustainability. It's very it's a very interesting vision for for me and I think it's supposed to be for all the fishers."
Maria Allen, Caye Caulker
"For a woman it is very challenging. This is a man's world. But being a woman and having my dad, being a founder of the cooperative, he kind of made it possible for me. I grew up on Caye Caulker all my life, and one of the things I really loved was the sea and going out fishing. So I don't know how to express how to say, you know. But it's very challenging being in a man's world. That's the only thing I could say. My husband came in the fishing industry because of me. He was once a construction worker and he moved to Caye Caulker with me and he went into it to do the fishing. I have my two kids. They do it with me also. I'm proud of myself. I'm proud of them. And thanks to them, I'm here today."
Reporter
"How difficult is it to choose these fishers?"
Raina Lewis, Assistant country Director Marine-WCS
"Well, especially for this, I have to say it was very difficult because we have a lot of persons nominated who are playing various roles within the sector. You have persons, you know, who are leaders of their association, members of cooperatives, you know, working within the corporative itself, as well as organizing fishers, you know, also venturing, for example, into deep sea fishing which isn't something that, you know, and most fishers would get get involved in. Those also involved in helping to draft regulations such as that for the Stone Crab Fishery."
"So these persons are well represented within their fishing community. They are active, they're working, you know. So the selection was very difficult. But we try to look for people who would represent the sector well."
The fishers received first prize of 3,000 dollars, second prize of 2,000 dollars, and a third prize of a thousand dollars along with a gift basket, and of course an icebox.
