An Additional 5% of Belize’s Ocean Space Protected

Under the Belize Blue Bond for Ocean Conservation, the Government of Belize is required to designate up to thirty percent of its ocean as biodiversity protection zones. So far, twenty percent has been protected. The agreement mandates that twenty-five percent must be secured within three years of signing. Today, the Briceño Administration proposed expanding protected ocean space by five percent, designating it as medium-protection biodiversity zones. However, the opposition raised concerns, stating that fisherfolks fear this move could threaten their livelihoods.

 

Moses “Shyne” Barrow, Leader of the Opposition

“One of the concerns I would like to bring to you is form the fishermen. They feel that all of this conservation is hurting them. So, the more and more you conserve, the less they are able to earn a living, and it is a legitimate concern that is addressed by my colleagues, the standard bearer from the different constituencies that have an abundance of fishermen.”

 

Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development

“Belize has an international commitments but we also have commitments domestically to support our people and this expansion of five percent is the medium biodiversity protection which is to say rather than protection it is conservation, because it affords true the medium biodiversity designation for fisherfolks to be able to fish in those areas and do other types of extraction, compared to the high biodiversity protection which is no take and has no extraction.”

 

Tracy Panton, Area Representative, Albert Division

“In the Albert constituency we have fisherfolks in the conch shell bay community and they have been completely locked out in the consultations process. So, I would like to urge the minister responsible to kindly take a look at that when it relates to looking at expanding areas for conservation because indeed the fisherfolk in Albert are concerned about how this continues to impact their livelihood.”