According to C.E.O. Cho an application by the developer has been halted because of environmental clearance not being granted. The Department of Environment, however, is reviewing that application. Isani Cayetano “My understanding is that the Land Utilization Authority, certain flags were raised and I understand that the owners of those developments proceeded with subdivision […]
There has been at least two fish kill in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Back in May, hundreds of dead fish including permit and bonefish surfaced on the Boca Del Rio Beach. And about a week ago, dead fish surfaced on the lagoon in San Pedro Town, including snappers and barracudas. Local authorities on the island […]
June is fisherfolk month and a number of activities are being held across the country to engage fishers on the state of the industry. Today, the Second Annual Women in Fisheries Forum was held in Belize City, under the theme “Working Towards Zero Hunger with Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries.” The purpose of the forum is to […]
Prime Minister on Saturday received a special award from Oceana in Belize and the Belize Coalition to Save our Natural Heritage at the Belize Biltmore Plaza. The sculpture of a wave shaped from the root of the mahogany, the national tree of Belize, commemorates a significant milestone for conservationists: Last year the Barrow administration, with […]
Two Guatemalans were detained inside the Chiquibul Forest some four kilometres from the western border on Wednesday. Rangers attached to Friends of Conservation and Development came upon a group of five men, later discovered to be poachers. Three of the men managed to escape, but the rangers successfully captured twenty-nine-year-old Edras Geovani Cantoral Garcia, originally […]
The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) was awarded the National Energy Globe Award for its Community Researchers’ Programme and has qualified to compete in World Energy Globe Award. The programme, which started in 2012, has empowered twenty-five young community members to acquire skills in marine and terrestrial research, while it encourages sustainable awareness, […]
“World Environment Day” was observed today under the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution.’ Since 1974, the United Nations marked June fifth as World Environment Day to promote worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment. In light of this year’s theme, the UN called for people to reject single-use plastic items and warned about […]
A final decision is pending but after nine years, Belize’s Barrier Reef could no longer be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Danger. A preliminary decision by the World Heritage Committee issued last week states that a series of remedial actions taken and implemented Ministries of Fisheries, Forestry, Environment, Sustainable Development and Natural […]
Two weeks ago we told you about the proposed development on Cayo Rosario in San Pedro. It is a small caye that falls within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve that was sold to a private investor. That investor has already submitted a proposal for a massive development that will see over-water cabanas erected in the […]
The Wildlife Conservation Society, Fisheries Department and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism launched “Fisherfolk Month” today in Belize City. All month long, WCS and its partners will host a number of activities and discussions to highlight the important role that fisherfolk play in Belize. The fishing industry, back in 2016, was said to earn in […]
The National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Belize was officially launched in San Ignacio on Thursday. Two decades ago, Belize was one of many countries that signed on to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, committing to the proper management and sustainable use of natural resources. This commitment involved the development of national […]
The 2018 hurricane season officially opened today with twelve to fourteen named storms to be expected. Six to seven of them will form into hurricanes, while two are expected to become category three or higher. The season runs from June first to November thirtieth. Chief Meteorological Officer Catherine Cumberbatch tells us more. Catherine Cumberbatch, […]
On Wednesday you heard the National Met Service say that the climate outlook for the next few months will see below normal temperatures and below normal rainfall. In putting together the forecast, the Met Service also looks at the probability of drought in the country – which we have experienced in the past. In this […]
June first marks the opening of the Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Season. An early forecast was issued in April and the most recent forecast issued this month shows that the season will be normal to slightly above normal. There will be between twelve to fourteen systems forming. Now, this is not an unusual prediction, but as […]
And to be prepared, it means the public needs timely and accurate information. According to Cumberbatch, that is what the Belize Weather Bureau will provide. We asked her how prepared the Met Office is for the 2018 hurricane season. She says that with upgrades in equipment, including the use of the Doppler radar and automatic […]
The National Meteorological Service, through its Climatology and Climate Services unit, hosted more than fifty representatives across a number of sectors at the annual climate outlook forum. The organization produces seasonal climate outlooks which are used to address climate related risks at national and local levels. At today’s forum, the seasonal outlook for the rainy […]
The Ministry of National Security has deployed Belize Defence Force soldiers to areas in southern Belize to investigate reports of Guatemalans cutting down forest areas for illegal farming. According to a release issued by the ministry, villagers in Otoxha reported that they came across several areas within Belize that appeared to have been cleared by […]
Belize’s Barrier Reef remains a place of great interest to visitors, whether those come to relax or seeking answers to some of the great mysteries under the ocean waters. Now, it is being featured as one of the world’s fifty best dive travel destinations by the venerable National Geographic Magazine. As part of their year-long […]
The World Heritage Committee has signaled good news in respect to potentially removing the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System from the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in danger at its next meeting. First listed in 2009, it has taken several years to implement programs designed to help the reef recover from various assaults on […]
Belize’s world-famous Barrier Reef Reserve System could be headed off the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. This is after the World Heritage Committee found that the series of remedial actions implemented by the Ministries of Fisheries, Forestry, Environment, Sustainable Development and Natural Resources along with the Belize UNESCO office and the World Wildlife […]
Two Guatemalan nationals were today arraigned in the Punta Gorda Magistrate’s Court for fisheries and immigration offences. The duo, Dalian Cruz and David Medina, was caught illegally fishing using a gillnet inside the Port Honduras Marine Reserve after nine o’clock on Monday night near South Snake Caye, a conservation zone within the reserve. The men […]
Over the weekend, on May nineteenth at noon, persons from communities and organizations across the country joined hands on beaches, across bridges, in conference rooms and along seawalls and other public areas to celebrate in OCEANA’s 2018 Hands Across the Sand. In its eighth year, the celebration was extra special because Belize recently made the […]
When last we left the situation of the Collet Canal, specifically the tributary that empties into the Caribbean Sea, the Belize City Council was beginning the process of draining out the massively heavy silt that has built up for many years in the area. But work just as quickly stopped. Today, the council’s finance director […]
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its partner agencies want to recognize fisherfollks who are doing good work in the fishing industry. Two outstanding fishers will be awarded along with a “Fisher of the Year.” This is the fourth year the award is being given out and again, the organizers want you to help nominate […]
On Tuesday, we told you about a developing story in San Pedro where residents and tour operators are against the Cayo Rosario development. The ten-acre mangrove caye falls within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, but it was sold to a developer who has proposed a massive resort off the island. The resort first proposed ninety […]
