Boats Blessed as Lobster Season Nears

Fishers gathered at the Belize City waterfront Monday morning as Father Scott Giuliani moved from boat to boat, blessing vessels and the people who sail them in celebration of Caribbean Fisherfolk Day.

The blessing comes just ahead of the lobster season, which opens on July 1 and runs through February 28, 2027, supporting hundreds of fishers and contributing significantly to Belize’s seafood industry.

The Fisheries Department is reminding fishers that only lobsters measuring at least three inches along the shell and weighing at least four ounces at the tail may be taken. Soft-shell lobsters and egg-bearing females are protected, and no person or establishment is permitted to possess filleted or diced lobster tail. The public is asked to report any illegal fishing activity to the department.

This year’s Fisherfolk Month theme, “Celebrating and Empowering Fishers’ Contribution to Food Safety and Security”, is a reminder of how much Belizeans depend on the men and women who go to sea every day to put food on the table.

The Belize Fisheries Department and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS Belize) hosted the annual boat blessing ceremony, which took place at both the National Fishermen Cooperative and the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, before the team took to the water to bless vessels docked along the Belize City waterfront.