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The Fisheries Department is leading the way to meet Blue Bond Commitments by early September. It requires them to expand the percentage of protected marine areas - and they've been consulting with fisherfolk.
The Belize City Meeting was held today at the Northern Fishermen Cooperative where Fisheries Administrator Rigoberto Quintana explain the need for the countrywide consultations:
Rigoberto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator
"We have to meet some conservation commitments, some targets and then by November this year, we have to, achieve a total of 25% of ocean protection. Currently, we are at 20.3%."
Reporter:
"How do you rope in those 3,500 or so fishers that we have to actually hear from them and get input."
Rigoberto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator
"That is the same reason we are going to those, fishing communities up north, going Dangriga, south in Punta Gorda. Actually today there was fishers from the north, but they preferred to engage directly with us tomorrow."
Reporter:
"How much do you take into consideration their input? Or in essence, are they just being notified of what's to come, that it's a done deal?"
Rigoberto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator
"No, I think, as you saw in discussions today, we're trying to get feedback from these fishers and see if these, identified proposed areas would work for them, or if they have any other, major issues with them."
"And these areas being, declared now, we call it medium biodiversity protection, meaning that there are general use areas and fishers would not be affected, once those areas are declared."
Reporter:
"But are you saying then that fishermen in Belize are just okay with what's happening?"
Rigoberto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator
"With this expansion?based on the meeting yesterday, I can speak to yesterday and today that they are in support"
