Fisheries Amendment to Protect Belize’s Reef Systems

The Government of Belize has amended the Fisheries Regulations to increase protection of the Barrier Reef and other patches of reef. A change was made to the regulated distance fisher folks can place their traps from a reef system. At first, the regulation stated that fisher folks were prohibited from placing their fishing gears within one hundred yards of a reef system. That distance has been amended to three hundred yards. Today, the Fisheries Department issued a press release informing fisher folks that effective November sixteenth, the department will be removing any gear found in contravention of the new regulations. The release noted that fishermen are advised to remove their gears before the grace period comes to an end.