Fisheries Department introduces new legislation

The Fisheries Department has announced the signing of new fisheries legislation. The signing took place today at the Belize City offices of the Fisheries Department by Minister Rene Montero. The legislation offers additional protection for marine reserves and a number of fish species. News Five sat down with Fisheries Administrator, Beverly Wade, to find out more about the new laws.

Beverly Wade, Fisheries Administrator
“He has now signed into law, zonation regulations for those marine reserves whose zonation schemes have not been legislated. What basically happened is that that legal framework to now put in a specific management regime into those particular areas has now been put into place. As you all know, marine reserves are multiple use areas, but without a zonation plan then you can’t have the full effect of what multiple use is. He has signed into force zonation plans for Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, the Salt Water Caye Marine Reserve and the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve. He has also signed into law an extension of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve to include the Cangrejo Caye areas, which is an important spiny lobster nursery area for us and also it is an important area for sports fishing. I don’t know of any other country in the region that has now signed into law protection of Parrot Fish and other grazers, other herbivores which play an important role in reef health. Those species are now totally protected. The minister also signed into law legislation to institute a sea cucumber fishery. That’s exciting for us because it’s a new fishery. It’s a specie that has not been exploited traditionally in Belize and it is a fishery that we look at as presenting an option for alternatives for fisher folk in Belize.”

Wade says the sea cucumber is expected to be financially beneficial for the fishing industry.