Turneffe Treasure Secured for Future Generations

Thousands of acres of mangroves at Turneffe Atoll will now remain in Belizean hands for generations to come. The Ministry of Blue Economy and the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association signed an agreement today to permanently protect some of the country’s most valuable marine resources. The partnership also includes a two-million-dollar investment in a marine research center for the University of Belize. News Five was at the signing.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“This is legacy building where the government has partners with TASA and the Turneffe Atoll Trust to be able to find a way to protect these seventeen thousand acres of mangrove forest in Turneffe to protect it in perpetuity. So when we got into government, this was already signed by the previous government. But in their haste there were certain legal issues we needed to correct. But at the same time thanks to Dr. Haze they made a deposit on the land, 2.2 million dollars and since has been moved from the original trust fund to anther trust being managed and owned by Belizeans, in the discussions it has bee agreed that instead of them getting a check or refund, to use that money to help the University of Belize to set up a marine research facility in the area. So, it is a win-win.”

 

Valdemar Andrade, Executive Director, TASA

“Currently in the market, the world market, you are looking at biodiversity credit, blue carbon credit, you are looking at how can you beyond what it produces economically for the government, the fishers, the tourism stakeholders, and us in terms of recreational value, it can also create a market value in terms of blue carbon credits and biodiversity credits into the future.”

 

 

 

The conservation and research initiatives under the agreement takes effect immediately.

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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