SEA At Work Protecting Our Waters
On February 11th Southern Environmental Association (SEA: formerly Friends of
Nature/TASTE) Special Enforcement Team arrested four Honduran fishermen from
Puerto Cortez actively night fishing at the closed Nassau Grouper site in Gladden
Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve.
This routine patrol led by Team Coordinator
Shayne Pech spotted the vessel at the spawning aggregation site. After a brief
chase the Special Enforcement Team was able to board the vessel and encountered
the four Honduran nationals. None of the occupants of the vessel had Belizean
fishing license nor was the vessel licensed in Belize. It was apparent by the
amount of fish on board the vessel that they had been fishing for a number of
hours. They were in possession of a quantity of Nassau Grouper, Rock Hind and
Yellow Fin Grouper.
The four persons and their boat were escorted to Placencia
Village where they were charged and their product inventoried. The product included:
19 Nassau Grouper, 27 Yellow Fin Grouper, 32 Rock Hind, 23 Dog Snapper, 26 Mutton
Snapper and assorted other fishes.
From December 1st to March 31st it is illegal
to take, buy or sell Nassau grouper except from two sites in Belize.
These fishermen
were apprehended not only in possession of Nassau grouper but they were encountered
directly over the known spawning site at GSSCMR. Once their catch was inventoried
the three men were charged with a variety of offences under fisheries law, port
law and immigration law.
The Port Authority charges amounted to $12,900.00,
immigration charges amounted to $4,000.00 and the Fisheries charges amounted
to $ 2,380.00. Two of the men were able to pay their fines while two were remanded
to jail.
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