Belize To Implement On-the-water Monitoring System By 2026

The launch of this initiative coincides with Belize’s mission to implement an electronic monitoring program that its distant water industrial fishing fleet by 2026. This program is intended to enhance Belize’s monitoring, control, and surveillance framework and improve the effectiveness of its human observation program. Robinson explained. 

 

Robert Robinson, Deputy Director, Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit

 “IUU is illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and that really covers the full gamut of illegal activities because there are some activities that are not necessarily, that are not necessarily regulated and this also falls under the scope of IUU fishing. So, if something is regulated and unregulated, If a fisherman would intentionally contravene that regulation, that is illegal fishing. If you catch something and you don’t report it, that would constitute unreported fishing. And if there is no regulation concerning particular fishery and they engage in it, then that would constitute unregulated fishing. So two years ago, the Belize High Seas Fisheries Unit undertook an exercise to determine how it could enhance its monitoring, control and surveillance framework. And we already have in place a vessel monitoring system that tracks the vessels, wherever they are in the world via satellite-based means. We have a human observer program, which covers a large percentage of the fleet. And we have a discharge inspection program, which allows us to know what the vessels are discharged after, um, their fishing expedition. And together with that, you also submit catch reports, which is basically the fisherman’s love book to declare his catches. No we found that by true introduction of electronic monitoring, it would really close a loophole that exists within our MCS framework. And we will have almost real time monitoring of our vessels while they’re engaged in fishing operations. And we will be able to take immediate action. For any noncompliance events that we detect through the electronic monitoring means.”