Toledo celebrates new marine reserve
It may be considered the forgotten district but this week a portion of Toledo was finally recognized as worthy of protection. The Port Honduras area four to five miles off Punta Gorda Town is rich in marine and plant life. It provides a livelihood for hundreds of local fishermen. But illegal fishing by Honduran and Guatemalan fisherman has stepped up and manatees are being killed with increasing frequency. Those who are concerned about the situation finally got one of the things they have been lobbing for, official marine reserve status. News Five was in Punta Gorda Monday for the dedication ceremonies.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
With over a hundred small islands, the Port Honduras area of Punta Gorda has also been a favorite place for birdwatchers and sightseers. Unfortunately, Port Honduras has also been attracting some very unwelcome visitors. Poachers from neighboring Guatemala and Honduras have been seen in the pristine water illegally fishing and brutally killing manatees.
Leigh Usher, Mayor, Punta Gorda
“Whenever our crayfish season or conch season or whatever the case may be close here, they are still enjoying the benefits of our fishing, lobster or whatever because they sell it right through the year. Where the crayfish come from? It comes from right here in our waters.”
One organization that has been lobbying for several years to protect the area and its marine life is the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment, TIDE. They felt it was critical that Port Honduras become a protected area like those in other parts of Belize.
Wil Maheia, Executive Director, TIDE
“We know that it is a fact that whenever there is a marine reserve that people come to the area, that people visit the area. It is a major attraction and we will be able to better protect the resources here.”
According to Dan Silva, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, it was not until a year and a half ago that government seriously discussed the issue. Several factors had to be considered.
Dan Silva, Minister of Fisheries
“There were a lot of concerns here with the citizens here that fishermen were going to be stopped from fishing and so what we did was had an extensive consultation. We made trips out to the cayes, we spoke to the fishermen, we had meetings out here in Toledo with the people of this area.”
Following the consultations, on Tuesday January 25th, Silva signed the statutory instrument declaring Port Honduras a marine reserve. Six days later the reserve was officially launched. Despite the heat of the day, the people of the Toledo District came out in numbers to support the declaration. A plaque symbolizing the occasion was handed over to Leigh Usher, Mayor of Punta Gorda Town.
Wil Maheia
“We are overwhelmed, we feel great here in Toledo. As you can see the crowd, the hundreds of people who have supported this thing. It is something we have been waiting for years, for over six years with the participation of all the communities Belizeans are the ones that are going to benefit and I think it is a great day for Toledo and for all Belizeans.”
Mark Espat, Minister of Tourism
“The Ministry of Tourism and the tourist board is very pleased to be a part of this historic occasion because we believe that there can be conservation but in a way that is meaningful and that helps the Belizean people to attain a better quality of life.”
The marine reserve is divided into three zones. Ninety percent will remain open for commercial and sport fishing, eight percent will be closed and used only for scientific monitoring, research and educational activities. The remaining two percent of the reserve is designed to offer total protection for ecologically fragile areas. Silva says there are plans to increase patrols in the area.
Dan Silva
“We do have a new fisheries person in charge here, Mister Norales. We have brought in a new boat and now hopefully working along with TIDE and this new Marine Reserve area, we should have better patrols and we will also be sending people from Belize City. Think you know the news, last week we caught about six boats from Guatemala and Honduras in this area so we plan to increase patrols and hopefully we stop the slaughtering of manatees. The population at large will have to help us to identify who are the people who are causing the killing of the manatees.”
The Port Honduras reserve will be managed by a committee comprised of representatives from TIDE, BTIA, UCB, Chamber of Commerce, fishing cooperatives, fishermen, the Fisheries Department and community leaders of the Toledo district.
