Sustainable Harvesting is The Future of Lobster Fests

Last night, we brought you part one of a two-part report on lobster fests in Caye Caulker and San Pedro. We showed you the economic impact of these festivities on the two tourist destinations. Tonight, in part two of our report, News Five’s Paul Lopez takes a closer look at the sustainable fishing practices that are important to ensure the longevity of Belize’s lobster stock and the beloved lobster fest celebrations. Here is that report.

 

Paul Lopez, Reporting

The 2024 lobster season is upon us and there will be an increase in demand for lobster. Hundreds of pounds of lobsters are sold by restauranters during the lobster fest weekends.

 

Jennie Staines, Chef, Elvi’s Kitchen

“Thank God that every year I have participated in lobster fest I have had tails on the booth until late at night and one year I sold two hundred and fifty pounds of lobster.”

 

 

 

Elsa Guzman, Owner, Happy Lobster

“We usually get at least a hundred pounds to see if we will sell all of that. If we sell all of that we have fishermen who will be waiting for our call.”

 

 

 

 

Ruby Jimenez, Chef, Elba’s Little Kitchen

“We started off with maybe thirty pounds to start of the first day and it depends because the lobster fishermen are ready. They bring it fresh; it goes from the fishermen to the grill to your belly.”

 

 

 

 

All that crustacean is sourced directly from the sea by fisherfolks who see their largest earnings during lobster season. For fisherfolks, preparation begins months ahead of the opening of the season. Jody Leslie has been a commercial fisherman for the past fifteen years. He uses shades to catch lobsters. Shades are an alternative to traditional traps. Lobsters use the shades as a dwelling place. When the season opens, Leslie dives down and makes his catch from the shades.

 

 

 

Jody Leslie, Commercial Fisherman

“There is a high increase during lobster fest but the good thing is that the season just opened up so there is plenty of lobster readily available during these first few weeks of the opening season which is lobster fest as well.”

 

 

 

On the other hand, Porfilio Guzman, a fisherman for the past five decades, utilizes a combination of shades and traditional lobster traps. His practice has evolved with the times.

 

Porfilio Guzman, Fisherman

“It changed a lot because here in Caye Caulker we use to use lone lobster traps, but now we have another strategy to catch lobster we call it shade, lobster shade. Most of the younger generation, instead of going to traps they go to shades. It is a bit easier to work than the traps. It values about the same price of a lobster trap. But its advantage is that with the lobster traps after the season is closed you got to take them out of the water, put them to dry then you got to rebuild them and then you put them back. That is with the traps. With the shade, you cannot take them out, they stay there.”

 

According to Guzman, a good shade can last anywhere between two to three years on the seafloor. There are regulations in place that guide fisherfolks like Leslie and Guzman. The minimum carapace or shell length that can be caught is three inches and the minimum tail weight is four ounces. Leslie uses a hook to pull lobsters from his shades which requires some eyeballing expertise.  He also takes with him a measuring tool known as a caliper. He then takes his catch direct to restaurants.

 

 

Jody Leslie

“It has been fluctuating every year. Last year it started at thirty-five Belize a pound per lobster tail. Usually two three lobster tails to make a pound. But, every year is a little different. I am not sure what it is going to start at this year. We have been having some conversations within us fishermen, everybody try to keep at one same price.”

 

 

And, if fisherfolks start their sales at thirty to thirty-five dollars a pound, then it is no wonder why a lobster tail dish can cost as much as sixty-five dollars. To ensure that lobsters are available for generations to come, fisherfolks must abide by the catch regulations in place. Restaurants also play a role when they refuse to purchase undersized lobster, though temptation may arise when lobsters become scarce.

 

 

 

Jennie Staines

“I think most people here in San Pedro are very aware that we need to take care of our industry. We have to make sure if we buy lobster tail that they weigh four ounces, make sure they are not soft shell, make sure that the persons brining lobster are licensed fishermen. That is one, we cannot be buying from fisherfolks that are not licensed to fish.”

 

 

Elsa Guzman

“I have been in my restaurant twenty-six years, food industry more than thirty years. Believe me, I just look at the lobster and I know the size so I don’t have to put it in the scale for sure.”

 

 

Ruby Jiminez

“If you don’t follow rules I don’t buy your lobster and that is how the game is played. It is very important because we want to have lobster fest for years and years and years. We don’t want for it to turn out that we don’t have more lobster to fish and more lobsters to serve people.”

 

Reporting for News Five, I am Paul Lopez.