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The Will Bauer Flats - it's a legendary spot for visitors who come to Belize for fly fishing. But, it wasn't known much outside of that until February of this year. That's when local guides and fishers on the Placencia Peninsula learned that a development called Angelfish Caye - about an hour off the coast of Placencia - planned to do dredging in the area.
Since then, the locals have mobilized resistance and the political directorate got the message quickly. But recently when a suspension of dredging operations was lifted - that sent the guides and the fishers into "Def Con 5". They say they now have to stop this development at all costs.
Jomarie Lanza accompanied them to the Flats yesterday and here's what she saw:
Upon docking their boats, Belize flags aloft, at the Will Bauer Flats yesterday afternoon, this crowd of conservationists and concerned locals were met by a confrontational security guard stationed out at the flats by developer Angelfish Caye LLC.
I apologize we are law abiding citizens we are not touching anything sir,...
(Argument ensues....)
Following the exchange, as they both promised to keep the peace, and in an act of patriotism they planted their flags and stood at attention to sing the national anthem. Yes, 13 miles out at sea.
This act of unity and patriotic defiance by fly fishers, conservationists and tour guides was triggered by this May 05th letter, from the developer, William Logan to the Inspector of Mines. It confirms a decision to quietly lift the suspension of dredging out at the flats, despite the fishers' outcry that they were not consulted on the dredging or the lifting of the suspension.
Eworth Garbutt, Ag. President, BFFA
"I think we weren't consulted because it's a norm. That's the norm, that's what happened people think it will blow over like a little breeze but this one they made a mistake. You see why happened is as things get tougher out here you hear about natural justice, naturally when the environment doesn't get its justice the grassroots people have to step in. We don't want to get all the way to natural justice because that's when it's survival mode. We are still in Belize where it is pristine enough and we are trying to stop that from happening."
"For these fishers and guides, the question still lingers as to who gave the greenlight in the first place for the project to commence without their approval."
"Why did it get approved from day one? This is not a knee jerk approach. We are proactive. we wrote letters, we did petitions, we did all of that, so I want to ask the question which is why did it first get approval? The suspension only happened with the pressure, pressure from the people, the people's power, the people's court, the people's voice and action. That's why it was suspended."
The Will Bauer Flats is a source of livelihood for many fishers in the South:
Lincoln Westby, Fly Fish Guide
"Something like this is a business they don't understand. You don't tear down a business to build a business this is a business this place has been bringing income to this country for 51 years every American that comes here to fish and fish in this area will fish on this flat. How much does one guest pay to fish for a day? 500-600 US that's a lot of money. So when you look over 51 years there are millions of dollars that has been made on this flat without doing any destruction. So why destroy it now?"
Aware of its value to Belize's tourism product, the Minister of Tourism says it's a sensitive area and should be left alone.
Anthony Mahler, Minister of Tourism
"I don't support it. I have flagged that from when I got the information early on and I raised it in Cabinet yesterday and I don't support any dredging in that area. nNw we have to look at the entire country and again we had that discussion about how do we balance development and conservation and preservation. To me that area is so sensitive that it should be left alone."
Garbutt say's that they will stop at nothing until a stop order is made against the dredging.
Eworth Garbutt, Ag. President, BFFA
"We want to go back to life as normal because we won't stop till this stops. One out of the other will happen either they stop to make us stop or if not both of it will continue. They have to stop to make us stop. We are not stopping until a stop order is there."
Cabinet's position as of this week's meeting is that it plans to suspend dredging permits once again. Garbutt and his crew say it's not enough. We'll keep following the dispute.
