Brothers Jailed for Repeat Fisheries Offences

Marvin Patt

Two brothers are jailed after repeat fishing offences. Corozal fishermen from Chunox Village, twenty-five year old Ergil Patt and twenty-four year old Marvin Patt were sentenced to six and seven months respectively. The Patt brothers and another man were charged separately for illegal entry and illegal fishing inside the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument. The brothers were charged jointly for possession of a lobster bearing eggs and with spawn, as well as a possession of a lobster not meeting required size. The siblings pleaded guilty to the five offences when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith and were sentenced to six and seven months for each count. The sentences will run concurrently so they will spend only six and seven months in jail. The third man, twenty-seven year old Medardo Rivero was spared jail time as a first offender, but was fined twice to the tune of one thousand dollars for each offense. He was given until the end of the year to pay the fines and if he defaults, Rivero will be imprisoned for six months for each charge. As we said, the Patt brothers are repeat offenders with a long history of fisheries offences going back a few years and as recent as April of this year. Prosecutor Calman Hall was assisted by Ranger Manager of Half Moon Caye, Shane Young, of the Belize Audubon Society.