B.F.F. Claps Back at B.C.F.A.

Dale Fairweather

The Belize Federation of Fishers has been very vocal regarding several developments in the fishing industry.  When the B.F.F. first called out the Gillnet Task Force for not carrying out its responsibilities, another group, the Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association, came out swinging saying that the B.F.F. should not be making such assertions because it does not represent the country’s fisherfolk. Today, Nigel Martinez and seasoned fisherman Dale Fairweather lashed out at the B.C.F.A.

Dale Fairweather, Fisherman

“When it comes to the cooperatives association would like to ask them when last they had a meeting with fishermen. They say they are the voice of the fishermen but they have not any meeting with fisherman for years.”

Hipolito Novelo

“They say that they now represent the entire fishing industry in Belize. Mr. Sidney said “We are the only recognized and legal body that represents the now existing three cooperatives.”

Dale Fairweather

“Well I mean, recognized by whom? Ask them the question: who are they recognized by?”

Nigel Martinez

Nigel Martinez, Director, Belize Federation of Fishers

“The B.F.F. is recognized locally, regionally and internationally. We are the voice for the commercial fishers as Mr. Fairweather has mentioned. So there is no if, but or maybe. There is no competition between us and the B.C.F.A. If you look at our track record, you would see over the last six years, the B.F.F. has been building capacity and has been educating the fishers in reference to issues that has been happening within the fisheries industry.”

Dale Fairweather

“I would like to say that they mentioned that they represent three cooperatives. One of them is not even existing; Rio Grande in P.G. has been destroyed long time. There is no Rio Grande Cooperative. So that is a misleading misrepresentation and I know that the Northern Cooperative has never been a part of the B.C.F.A.  I have been a member of the national for over thirty years, and I always go to B.C.F.A. meeting and northern has never been a part.”