Protected Permit Fish Found Skinned Near San Pedro
A disturbing discovery off the coast of San Pedro is raising concern about the protection of Belize’s prized marine life. The Belize Flats Fishery Association is sounding the alarm after the skinned remains of a permit fish, one of the country’s protected species, were found near a fish trap. Now, the group is calling for a full investigation, warning that this kind of poaching threatens not just a single species, but an entire industry. The permit is a cornerstone of Belize’s catch-and-release sport fishing sector, which brings in millions and supports livelihoods across coastal communities. Tonight, industry leaders say protecting these waters isn’t optional, it’s essential for the future of Belize’s economy and marine ecosystem.
On the Phone: Eworth Garbutt, President, Belize Flats Fishery Association
“It’s detrimental to see that our very bread and butter that we depend on now is getting extracted because lack of enforcement is one of the main cause of things like this. And also educational outreach, we have tried to advocate a little bit more, but we’re working on signage as we speak. We’re out in San Pedro. We have a group out there right now. We have a meeting, tentative this Thursday with Coastal Zone and putting up signs at different location for the very reason because we have seen it increase that people are catching tarpon, bonefish, and a lot of it is not just commercial. It’s not commercial guys in particular. You even have the recreation guides. We need education and an outreach. But it’s, it’s an ongoing issue and it’s really, really prevalent. And this, this sport fishing I bring in, if I’m not mistaken, the last, they have, they have done when it comes to the financial studies, et cetera. And it was three years, four years ago, and I think it’s over two hundred million a year. It’s protected under the catch and release only. And catch and release, we even have good standard whereby good fish, whereby you don’t try to keep it out of the water, period. And if you do so, not more than three seconds, take a picture, put it back in.”
The BFFA is calling on Belizeans to report any instances of catching, killing, selling, or possessing protected species.
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