Fisheries Make 400-Pound Nassau Grouper Bust

In another illegal activity, the Belize Fisheries Department and Police carried out a joint operation in Dangriga that led to a bust of over four hundred pounds of out-of-season Nassau Grouper.  The illegal products were found in ice boxes on a property in that southern municipality, but no one was found in the area. The Fisheries Department told the media this morning that they are looking for one person who may be able to help with their investigation.  If charges are to be levied, the person or persons responsible may be looking at close to four thousand dollars in fines and penalties.  Hampton Gamboa of the Fisheries Department tells us more.

Hampton Gamboa

Hampton Gamboa, Supervisor, Conservation/Compliance Unit, Belize Fisheries Department

“What we have here are whole Nassau Grouper and Fillet Nassau Grouper.  Here we have joint operations conducted in Dangriga with the Police Department and the Fisheries personnel which resulted in the findings of these two ice boxes. Inside those iceboxs were found these Nassau groupers and fish fillet.”

Reporter

“What do we have here in terms of pounds and the penalties that any responsible individual would face?”

Hampton Gamboa

“In a situation like this, for the possession of it, there is two part charge. There is possession charge and then there is a penalty. For the possession is a thousand dollars for Nassau Grouper and in addition to that, it doesn’t give you a range, it gives you a specific amount for thirty dollars each. So, for each piece of fillet it is thirty dollars each and in addition for each whole Nassau Grouper it is thirty dollars each.”