Fishermen caught for illegal net fishing
Two men face charges of illegal fishing after they were caught net fishing off the pier at the Port Authority in Belize City. Fisheries personnel confiscated twenty-eight yellow fin jacks, two catfish, and a snapper as well as the men’s nets and boat. News Five spoke with Fisheries Inspector Troy Garcia about the incident and what will happen to the fishermen.
Troy Garcia, Fisheries Inspector
“We went on a routine patrol this morning, patrolling basically the river mouths for net fishermen and the officers came across this boat occupied by the two defendants: Mr. Ewart Jones and Derek Waight. They had net set within the Port Authority area which is illegal under the fisheries regulation.
The catch will be taken and stored until after the case which will be held tomorrow. The men will be formally charged tomorrow as I have a case present today. From there the Magistrate will decide what will be done with the catch.
Well it has just been more or less tackled, we have had reports of it going on and on but we have just made an effort to really tackle this problem.”
Garcia says this is Jones and Waight’s first offence. According to fisheries regulations, a net cannot be placed within half a mile of any inhabited area. This morning’s operation was under the supervision of Natalie Thomas of the Fisheries Department.
