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In April, we told you about the bogus award that the Tourism Board had given to three individuals for “getting the catch & release legislation passed for the protection of bonefish, permit, and tarpon in Belize.” Don’t get us wrong, the three recipients deserved recognition – they’d worked on draft legislation for 12 years – but government was just sitting on the legislation – and the news tonight, is that, it still is! At a press conference last week we spoke to CEO in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Gabino Canto asking him when the long delayed catch and release legislation would be passed and what really is the hold-up.

Gabino Canto, CEO – MAF
“Yes we did pass the SI for the sport fishing regulation early this year. What happened is that the SI had some flaws in it and so we reviewed it and we are re-submitting it again because there were some concerns expressed by a few people in the BTIA, the tourism industry.”

Jules Vasquez,
“Now a part of the problem as I understand it from an outsider perspective is the administrative issue with it, who will administrate it. Who will issue the licenses, who will get the revenue from the licenses, and what will that revenue be used to do.”

Gabino Canto,
“The current situation is that sports fishing comes under Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute and it is not under Fisheries Department so we will keep it that way because the monitoring compliance and so on, the regulations will be done by Fisheries Department. The issuing of the licenses will be done by Coastal Zone Management Institute.”

Jules Vasquez,
“Shouldn’t the revenue from the issuance of licenses go into enforcement? In fact it is going into the Coastal Zone to it seems to prop up an institution that lacks self-sufficiency.”

Gabino Canto,
“Not necessarily. What happen is the Coastal Zone Management Institute, the authority is under them, we will continue with that, but the revenue will be given to Fisheries Dept. for them to be able to monitor. It is not Coastal Zone Management, Coastal Zone Management will get some of it, maybe 30%, 70% goes to Fisheries.”

Jules Vasquez,
“But my question then is when will it be passed?”

Gabino Canto,
“We are hoping that within the next two weeks it will be over.”

And while Canto said it would be two weeks – that was last week – and best sources suggest that the legislation isn’t ready. Similarly, Director of Tourism Tracy Tagear told us in April that it would be tabled at the next house sitting; two house meetings have been held since then and nothing has been tabled. And if you’re wondering what is all the fuss about catch and release, it primarily covers sports and fly fishing done by tourists. The legislation is viewed as a major advance in marine conservation. It would make it so that bonefish, permit and tarpon cannot be possessed by any person or establishment in Belize, except in the act of catch and release.