Coast Guard Meets With Fishing Cooperatives

The Belize Coast Guard held a meeting on June 3 with representatives of Belize’s fishing cooperatives as part of efforts to strengthen cooperation and communication with the fishing community. The meeting was led by the Commandant of the Belize Coast Guard and members of the senior leadership team, and focused on issues affecting the fisheries sector, including ways to improve collaboration and address challenges faced by fishermen. Fishing remains an important part of Belize’s economy, supporting the livelihoods of many families across the country. Fisherfolk are also considered key partners at sea, especially in efforts to monitor and protect Belize’s marine environment. Rear Admiral Gregory Soberanis says the engagement also reaffirmed a shared commitment to combating illegal fishing, protecting marine resources, and ensuring the safety of those who depend on the sea for their livelihood. In an interview with Love News, Soberanis spoke about the meeting and the importance of continued cooperation with the fishing community.

Gregory Soberanis, Commandant, Belize Coast Guard: “The fishing sector or the fishery sector is an important sector for the country of Belize. And one of the key mandates and missions for the Coast Guard is illegal fishing. How do we counter illegal fishing? And because our fisher folks are out there day and night we believe that their input is important to how we address this issue. Alright, so we’ve met with them, we’ve had these prudent discussions, fruitful discussions with them to ensure that they feel safe and secure while operating in our seas. It is important for us as an organization to have this partnership with the fisherfolk community because like I said what they provide to the economy of Belize and to the to the to the everyday Belizean is vital, is critical and is essential. We’re quite aware as the Belize Coast Guard that you do have the the criminal element who operate at sea. These fishermen are targeted by the criminal element or what we call local piracy and as such we have a responsibility as the Coast Guard to ensure that we go after these, the criminal element who operate at sea and ensure that working along with our partners, whether it’s the police department, the fisheries department, to ensure that our waters remain safe and that those who commit criminal acts at sea, similar on land to how they conduct criminal acts on land that they are brought to justice through our legal system.”

The Coast Guard says it will continue working closely with fishermen to strengthen maritime security and support a safe and sustainable fishing industry in Belize.