Just a few weeks ago, we showed you a special feature on the spawning aggregations of the Nassau Grouper, which is a critically endangered species.
As the marine biologists we spoke to noted, the prized fish is dwindling in numbers even at well known aggregation sites like Gladden Spit and the Silk Cayes.
And, a part of that is because of illegal fishing practices. The closed season for the Nassau Grouper is between 1st December and 31st March - but the meaty fish is always in demand. And they're easiest to catch during at this time of year, when Nassau groupers congregate en masse at the spawn banks throughout the country.
That's when, outlaw fishers harvest them, and team with unscrupulous consumers to keep the market going - even in the closed season.
That's what a joint police and fisheries operation cracked down on today in Dangriga Town. This morning at the Fisheries Department, we found out how much they caught:
Hampton Gamboa, Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor
"Here we have a joint operation conducted in Dangriga with the Police Department and Fisheries personnel resulting in the finding of these two iceboxes."
"We have there 21 whole Nassau groupers and they average between 12 to 15 pounds, so basically we're looking at somewhere upwards of 400 hundred and odd pounds in addition to the filets."
Reporter
"What is the estimated value?"
Hampton Gamboa
"Street value? Ok, I know the fish filet they go on an average, that type of species fish filet might be anywhere between 15 to 20 dollars a pound, and the whole Nassau grouper, I believe they for for eight to ten dollars per pound. So, you could probably do the calculation and get the information from that."
"For the possession of it, there's two parts to the charge for this. There's a possession and then there's also a penalty for the possession. It's a thousand dollars for Nassau grouper and in addition to that, it doesn't give you a range, it gives you a specific amount of 30 dollars for each. So, for each piece of filet, it is 30 dollars each, and, in addition, for each whole Nassau grouper, it is also a 30 dollars."
Jules Vasquez
"We know about the famous spawning aggregations, these beautiful cascades of fish. Explain to me how tempting it is for fishermen at these times, when the fish is relatively abundant in these large aggregations."
Hampton Gamboa
"Hence the reason why I guess, we came up on this, because you do have some fishermen who are willing to take the risk and the chance to go out there and harvest these things illegally. During this time of the year, the sea is really rough and normally between December January and February, you're looking at northerlies with is 20 - 30 knot gusts, so obviously we do have some fishers who haven't thought of the fact of the conservation of these specie."
Jules Vasquez
"It has also to do also with the consumer."
Hampton Gamboa
"Correct, so therefore you're right in saying that, hence the reason why were appealing to the public and the consumers or purchasers, especially our resorts and all establishments that sell marine products to be mindful of what we're doing own our efforts. We're appealing to them to comply with us because if they are not buying, then also the fishers won't go out and fish."
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