Guatemalan Gillnet Found Near Sapodilla Cayes

In a development that comes on the very day the International Court of Justice (ICJ) concluded its oral hearings on the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute, the Belize Territorial Volunteers (BTV) made a disturbing discovery while en route to the Sapodilla Cayes this morning.  The BTV had organized the trip to the southern cayes to raise awareness among Belizeans about this culturally and strategically significant part of Belize’s national heritage, especially as the Sapodilla Cayes form part of the maritime areas currently under consideration at the ICJ. Midway through the journey, however, the group spotted a suspicious plastic bottle bobbing in the water. On closer inspection, BTV personnel realized it was serving as a buoy for what turned out to be a nearly 400-foot-long Guatemalan gillnet illegally set in Belizean waters. The team immediately retrieved and destroyed the net.  The illegal gear was found roughly four miles west of Hunting Caye, a sensitive area that hosts both a Belize Coast Guard operating base and a ranger station.  According to unconfirmed reports reaching the BTV, enforcement patrols in the area may have been scaled back this week to avoid escalating tensions with Guatemalan fishers while the ICJ hearings were still underway. If accurate, the reduced presence may have created a window of opportunity for illicit fishing activities.  The ICJ hearings now move into deliberation, and a final judgment is expected at a later date.