Coastal Awareness Week 2019 got underway today as the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute made its media rounds across Belize City. The weeklong activities will include a trivia competition for primary schools, as well as the annual “Run for the Coast” on Saturday. The purpose for commemorating Coastal Awareness Week is to sensitize the […]
More than two hundred people gathered in San Ignacio over the weekend to talk about birds in Belize. This is the second time the birding community has come together for the Belize Birding Festival. It is an event where bird lovers and those working with birds meet to talk about advancing the work and business […]
The rains are here but the effects of the drought that devastated crops over several weeks are still being felt. The prolonged drought caused losses in the millions for farmers across the country. The government is committed to financially assist farmers, providing alleviation so that they can bounce back. Farmers will be afforded low-interest loans […]
There is no need to panic at this point says the National Emergency Management Organization. Out of precaution, NEMO issued an advisory earlier today informing that it is monitoring the potential for development of a broad low pressure area near Belize. The system, should it form over the weekend, is expected to move westward toward […]
According to the NEMO advisory, should the prediction change for the worse, all factors considered, Belize can be facing a significant threat by Tuesday. Nonetheless, Chief Met Officer Cumberbatch reiterated that nothing has formed thus far. Catherine Cumberbatch, Chief Meteorologist “No system has formed so far. There is no tropical depression, there is no […]
Phase two of the Biodiversity Finance Initiative known as BIOFIN was launched today. In 2016, the Government launched the first phase which consisted of four assessments such as a policy and institutional review, and the financial needs assessment. The second phase aims to provide direction and implementation of identified finance solutions contained within the Biodiversity […]
The state of the New River has been showing some signs of recovery with some help from the rains, but tests are still being conducted to determine the quality of the water. Over the past months, businesses, residents and students were impacted by the adverse condition of the river. Researchers from the U.S. have been […]
The National Emergency Management Organization has issued an early precautionary notice after ongoing computer models are predicting that a tropical system could develop within the region. According to the release, the system may develop somewhere near to Honduras/Nicaragua by the weekend or early next week. This afternoon we called the National Met Service and were […]
On Wednesday night, we told you about the two-day Reef Restoration Network’s second biennial meeting being held in Belize. It closed off today. The purpose of the meeting is for Mexico, Belize, Honduras and Guatemala to exchange information about the advances and challenges they have in restoring the reef. News Five’s Reporter Andrea Polanco tells […]
The financial losses to farmers up north don’t look good after months of a drought gripped the farming community. In Little Belize, a small Mennonite community in the Orange Walk District, crops of soybeans and vegetables as well as livestock, were severely impacted by the lack of rain. Acres of produce and hundreds of heads […]
Today the Meso-American Reef Network held its second biennial meeting. Belize, Guatemala, Mexico and Honduras gathered in Belize City to talk about the challenges of the Meso-American Reef and how they are responding to those issues. As we’ve reported, one of the issues is the Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease that is present in Belize […]
Turning to a grave issue endangering the eco-system… Coral reefs world-wide are under pressure from a number of threats—climate change, pollution, coastal development, invasive species and even diseases. But about five years ago, a disease appeared off the coast of Florida that has been killing out large swathes of its coral reef. The disease, called […]
As you heard, the coral reef monitoring team is working with regional partners to learn more about the stony coral tissue loss disease. But that is just one problem that the corals in Belize are facing. Another threat that we’ve reported on is the issue of coral bleaching. In recent years, Belize has reported high […]
And on the topic of coral reef health, the Fragments of Hope has been working in several sites for many more years to re-seed devastated reef with resilient and diverse corals farmed in man-made nurseries. Their work has helped to prevent the loss of valuable marine ecosystems and is recognized as one of the region’s […]
The Belize Network of N.G.O.s wants the government to address illegal, unreported and regulated fishing activities as a matter of national priority. Government is particularly being urged to enact the Fisheries Resources Bill by introducing the piece of legislation at the next house meeting. The Bill has been on the drawing board for years. […]
The Belize Network of N.G.O.s is calling for the passage of a fisheries bill to put in place mechanisms to protect the industry and fisher folks. We asked the Fisheries Administrator Beverly Wade what has been the hold up. She says there are a number of issues that have caused the delay for the new […]
So, why are conservationists and their partners clamouring for the bill to be passed? Well, they say that when passed and enacted, it means that there will be stronger enforcement of fisheries regulations and increased promotion of sustainable fisheries management, among other pieces of legislation. Today, Fisheries Administrator Beverly Wade shared more about some of […]
The Fisheries Department says that they are ready for the new conch season. If you’ll recall the season was closed off two months early because the quota for the queen conch fishery was met by May first. The closure has come and gone, as the season re-opened on October first. Beverly Wade, the Fisheries Administrator, […]
OCEANA’s heroes in marine conservation work were named over the weekend. They are persons who have made an impact in working to safeguard and conserve the ocean through sustainable practices. First, News Five’s Andrea Polanco, who has distinguished herself in the region for journalistic reporting on environmental issues, was recognized by OCEANA. Andrea was named […]
Life at La Inmaculada R.C. Primary School in Orange Walk Town is slowly returning to normal. The school administration had to adjust its class hours as they struggled to deal with the foul smell that emanated from the highly polluted New River in recent weeks. Teachers and students began falling ill and swift action from […]
Agricultural health and food safety in the Caribbean were the focus of discussions today at the series of CARICOM meetings taking place at the Biltmore in Belize City. Today’s session was the thirteenth meeting of the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency, CAHFSA. The work of that agency entails […]
The spread of Sargassum has affected numerous countries in the region where tourism is a primary industry. In the margins of the ongoing CARICOM meetings, we got an update on how the beaches of the Caribbean are being impacted by the seaweed that is washing up on the beaches. C.R.F.M’s Executive Director, Milton Haughton, told […]
There is another fish kill being reported in the New River, but this time, the reports are coming out of Libertad Village in the Corozal District where concerns grow over the pollution in the water. A video shows hundreds of small fish floating around in the river while some struggled to stay alive. Officials of […]
And on the matter of the New River pollution…In the Corozal Bay, there are growing concerns about that pollution seeping further north. Because the tributary empties out into the Corozal Bay, residents and businesses are worried that it will affect their health and livelihoods. Minister of Environment Omar Figueroa says those concerns are valid but […]
On Tuesday, the Minister of Environment Omar Figueroa told the media that they have identified the funds to be used to conduct tests in the New River. Figueroa says that for the first time serious analysis will be done to get to the bottom of the problem. The assessments, according to Figueroa, will go towards […]
