Almost $4500 for Fisherman Caught with Out-of-Season Lobster

Conservation and Compliance Supervisor at the Fisheries Department, Hampton Gamboa also gave an update on another case, which occurred on March twenty-ninth.  In that incident at sea, also in the Twin Caye area, four men were detained, their vessel seized and cargo recovered, which contained one hundred and thirty-two whole lobsters. As you know, the lobster season doesn’t open until June fifteenth so the men should not have been harvesting. Boat captain Derek Gorosica, Paola Colman, Kaliherb Blanco and Leon Joseph were initially charged, but Blanco took the rap and pleaded guilty to possession of out-of-season lobster. Today, Gamboa informed the media that Blanco was fined five hundred dollars for the guilty plea and a penalty of thirty dollars per lobster by the magistrate. In total Blanco has to pay four thousand four hundred and sixty dollars.

Hampton Gamboa

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

“They were charged for possession during the close season which fortunately for us, the magistrate had levied a fine of five hundred dollars, which the maximum fine that he can charge for the possession and then a penalty of thirty dollars for each one. So that did work out very well. In addition to that, the vessel was confiscated which we have in our possession. So that in terms of the court decision was great and we have been encouraged to ensure that once we make these arrests, we confiscate everything and let the court rule and so far the court has been doing a good job in that regard to assist us to try to deter these illegal activities.”