Oceana at 17: “There Is More to Do”

Oceana in Belize marked 17 years in the country and used the day to look back at three wins; it says it helped secure the sea.

The first came in 2017, with an indefinite moratorium on offshore oil in Belize’s waters. A ban on destructive gillnets followed in 2020. Then in 2023, a new law said any decision to lift the oil moratorium has to go to a national referendum first.

Oceana says the credit goes to the Belizeans who spoke up.

“These are more than policy victories. They reflect the voices of Belizeans who stood up for our sea, the livelihoods it sustains, and the right of our people to help shape our country’s future.”

Oceana Belize thanked its wavemakers, coastal communities and partners. This year, the Wavemakers formed a heart with a wave running through it, which Oceana called “a symbol of our shared love for Belize and the power of our collective voice”.

There’s still work to do, according to the organisation. It plans to keep speaking out on unsustainable coastal development and the risks of offshore oil and wants people to have a real say in decisions about the sea.

“When we stand together, our voices make waves that last.”