Gillnets Still Being Used In Belize by Guatemalan Fishermen

Despite the 2020 ban on gillnets in Belize, illegal fishing continues to be a significant issue. Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, Coast Guard Commandant, told News 5 that the Southern Waters, particularly around Sarstoon, Barranco, and Hunting Caye, remain a hotspot for illegal gillnet use.

“That is still an area of concern for us,” Bennett stated. He also revealed that, so far this year, over 3,000 feet of gillnets have been confiscated—surpassing the total amount seized “in the entire 2024 period.”

The legislation, passed in 2020, made it illegal to use or possess gillnets in Belize’s territorial seas, Exclusive Economic Zone, and internal waters.

Bennett stated that enforcement remains a challenge. “We know that there are illegal fishers operating in that area; therefore, we patrol that area more often.”

He added, “It just takes a lot of patrolling effort to deter and interdict those illegal fishing in that area.”

Bennett explained that while no Guatemalan vessels were spotted in the area, the gillnets are believed to belong to Guatemalan fishermen. He said, “No one was in the areas, so we can’t confirm,” but that the nets were found “very close to Guatemala, so we believe it is Guatemalan.”