Belize’s Marine Expansion Plan Sparks Data and Inclusion Concerns

On November 4, 2021, Belize signed the Blue Bonds agreement with The Nature Conservancy to restructure debt and enhance marine conservation. The deal mandates that twenty-five percent of the country’s ocean space be protected, with roughly twenty percent already designated as Biodiversity Protection Zones. To meet the November 4, 2024, Milestone Four target, Belize must designate an additional five percent as Medium Protection Zones. However, concerns from fishers and experts regarding data reliability and inclusive planning highlight the need for transparency in fish stock assessments and balanced conservation efforts. Digital Editor, Hipolito Novelo, has the following report.

 

Hipolito Novelo, Reporting 

The government’s latest conservation proposal includes regions like Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Glovers Reef Atoll, and areas east of Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. However, some local fishermen and other stakeholders are concerned that they haven’t been properly consulted in these decisions. As Belize approaches a key deadline for its Blue Bonds commitment to protect thirty percent of its waters, tensions are rising. Fisherfolk express concern that the push to meet these conservation targets may overlook their livelihoods, highlighting the need for a more inclusive approach to marine protection. Career fisherman Dale Fairweather missed the Belize City consultation while out at sea. Fairweather believes consultations should be more than procedural steps and stresses the importance of firsthand knowledge to avoid misunderstandings.

 

Dale Fairweather, Fisherman

“To me, it was basically a consultation just to meet their obligation to the Blue Bond.  Well, I think that fishermen should attend all of these things so that they know what happened. I don’t think it’s a waste of time. I think it’s for the fishermen to attend because if they don’t attend, then they will be blind to what’s going on.  Under the Managed Access Program, you’re allowed to fish two areas.  So, if I don’t have a license for Lighthouse Reef,  I might get pushed out and can’t go fish the deep water around like those reef later on then down the strip They might bring in rules because right now they say there’s no rules  Say maybe here to down the road inside to put expand the inside rules all the way out to the boundary then I won’t be able to go and fish around like those reef, you know the blue water because  Did this law come into effect now? But right now they say there is none.  So basically, I don’t know, to me it’s like a double edged sword, you don’t know. Are you worried about that? Yes, I am worried because I’m investing in going into the deep, deep sea fishing.”

 

Nigel Martinez, Executive Director of the Belize Federation of Fishers (BFF), criticized the recent consultations as poorly organized and lacking essential information. According to Martinez, the Belize City meeting had minimal attendance and didn’t adequately represent those fisherfolks who are directly impacted by proposed marine zone expansions. He questioned the use of “public consultation,” suggesting it was misleading due to limited transparency, the absence of a detailed management plan, and insufficient participation from the fishing community.

 

Nigel Martinez, Executive Director, B.F.F.

“When you talk about public consultation, there was no public consultation there.  They did not even meet a threshold, you know, so that was alarming to me.  And that’s why I came to that conclusion that it was  poorly organized.  I would have wanted to see a management layout of the new expansion area.  Each zone should have a management plan. What are the new requirements for these expansions? How will these impact the area?  What is the fisheries management of that specific area? None of those were explained.  They came and they made a presentation and because the government have to meet milestone four based on the blue bond commitment,  they outright don’t care whether you agree or don’t agree.  At the end of the day, the SI is going to be implemented.”

 

Despite the Fisheries Department’s assurances that consultations are inclusive and involve diverse stakeholders, critics argue these sessions lack genuine engagement, suggesting that decisions may already be predetermined. Acting Fisheries Administrator Rigoberto Quintana points to efforts like community outreach in key coastal areas and good turnout in places like San Pedro and Caye Caulker but acknowledges limitations in reaching the full spectrum of impacted fisherfolk.

 

Rigoberto Quintana, Acting Fisheries Administrator

“ I must also say  that this process, we have the, at the highest level, we have the Fisheries Council,  that some of this work has been, the Council has been updated as this work was being done through the Coastal Zone and the Fisheries Department. And we have in that Fisheries Council, we have four representatives from fisherfolk organizations.  We have Northern Fishermen, National Fishermen, the Chairman of Chunox Fishermen’s Association and we have the chairman of Hopkins Fishermen’s Association in the Fisheries Council.  With this expansion based on the meeting yesterday, I can speak to yesterday and today that they are in support. The area will be open to those fishing activities that fishers are carrying out, and we’re not restricting fishers or any other activities that happen in the general rivers area. I expect that, this meeting with stakeholders will be successful because, fishers right now the sentiment is that once will not be restricted, we can continue to have access to the traditional fishing activities, then we will support this process.  And the blue bonds is a legal agreement that the government of Belize signs off. Those conservation commitments by Belize is binding to the nation.”

 

As Belize advances its plans to expand Biodiversity Protection Zones (BPZs), local fishers and experts question whether these initiatives rely on robust data and inclusive planning. Critics are concerned that baseline data transparency issues and limited stakeholder input might overshadow the needs of fishers and accurate assessments of marine health. Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.