The Belize Coast Guard is reporting tonight that they picked up 2 groups of fishermen at sea for breaking the fisheries regulations. One group included Belizean offenders, and the other were all Mexicans, who will also face charges of illegal entry into Belize.
At around 2:30 a.m. yesterday, a Coast Guard Maritime law enforcement team intercepted a fishing vessel, which was operating in the Corozal bay area. After the lawmen boarded the fishing boat, they found 2 Belizean fishermen from Sarteneja Village. A search of the vessel revealed that they were fishing without a license for their gillnet, which was found aboard the vessel.
As a result, these men will be charged with the offenses of operating without a valid license for a gillnet, violation of the curfew law, and not wearing a mask whilst out in a public place. They are currently in the custody of Corozal police, where they await those charges.
Then, at around 3:30 a.m. this morning, another Coast Guard team, which operates in the Bacalar Chico area, intercepted a vessel. The persons on board were conducting illegal fishing in the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve. On initial contact, the persons onboard tried to evade the Coast Guard team, and while fleeing, they threw their products, gears, and equipment overboard. The Coast Guard team eventually caught them, and after boarding the fishing vessel, the lawmen realized that they were 3 Mexican nationals from the village of Xcalac, which is located in Quintana Roo, on Mexico's Caribbean coast.
They were detained and issued with personal protective equipment. Proper quarantine measures were initiated, and they have been transported to a quarantine facility in Corozal. They will be charged for immigration offenses, fisheries offenses, and the violations to the State of Emergency regulations.
Email
Print