Notably there was no representative for the fishing community at the event.
A few weeks ago we told you about the 22 fishers from across the country that came together to present their fishers' audit, documenting a number of findings and challenges they have been facing. When we asked the Minister of Blue Economy about it today he told us that he does not consider their exercise an official audit. He explained why.
Andre Perez - Minister of the Blue Economy
"You know that is something we have noted, and we have noted, but that is what they call—it is not official because our audit, our fisheries department has an extensive amount of information, a wealth of information, data that we have, so we go by that. So it can be questionable, but we welcome it. But it is not something that is official, so let us not take a position that is actually the national position. That is someone who did it independently and we read it and respect it and we look at it, we dissect it, we compare it, yes we can, but what we rely on is our data that we [have] from the Belize Fisheries Department and in collaboration with the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute. This is the official authority that gives the information official."
President of the San Pedro Fishers Association Jorge Aldana told us, quote,"Fishers are the obstacle of the blue bond, We are seen as obstacles and not partners. If and when we are treated as partners, then we would have been properly represented."
