CZMA Implementing Statutory Instrument 115 of 2009 State of the Coastal Zone Summit June 8 th 2012
Background S.I. 114 On September 26 th, 2009, S.I.s 114 and 115 were passed into law. S.I. 114 of the Fisheries Act, Chapter210, cites the three main fish species designated for protection including other common sport fish species. The three protected fish species are : Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), Permit (Trachinotus falcatus) and Bonefish (Albula vulpes). These fish species are intended for Catch and Release fishing only.
Catch & Release Catch and release is a practice within recreational/ sport fishing intended as a technique of conservation. After capture, the fish are unhooked and returned to the water before experiencing serious exhaustion or injury
Background - S.I. 115 S.I. 115 of the Coastal Zone Management Authority Act, Chapter 329 states that Every person desirous of engaging in sport fishing within Belizean waters shall apply for a sport fishing license. The CZMA is thus responsible for the distribution of licenses and the collection of fees from the sale of these licenses. Fee schedule as follows: $20/day or $50/week $100/ year
Summary of S.I. 115: Sport fishing for the purpose of leisure of competition only, and not for the commercial purpose of selling, exporting, or otherwise. Implementation of this definition has led to the differentiation between: Sport fishing, Leisure fishing Subsistence fishing Implementation is now targeting professional Belizean anglers, and all visitors desirous of engaging in Sport fishing activities in Belize
Beginning Work Work began by creating a distribution, collection and an enforcement plan. All stages based on two main principles: Effectiveness pay for a license get the license Efficiency user friendly easy tracking of licenses/funds To this end, the website was created for easy payment and access to get the licenses www.coastalzonebelize.org
Website
Sport Fishing License
Where are we now? Have hired a Sport fishing Coordinator New distributors for the licenses are being targeted in strategic tourist areas of the country. The revised CZMA website is working everyday and night with purchases and emailing licenses. This will also create a digital database of all transactions and allow for generating of reports from this database.
Printable Database
Future Sport fishing Programs Catch and release certification/ Best Practices - Working with the Belize Tourism Board, certification programs done with yearly tour guide licensing, to teach catch and release procedures and best practices. - Becoming a Sport Fishing Specialist Guide can only help your fishing business, by showing your guests that you are serious about what you do and a real contributing member for the benefit of the Sport Fishing Industry. Yearly seminars on new technology, research findings, mapping, etc. - This will include guest speakers from international sport fishing areas, training in new catching techniques, scientific data gathering of specific habitat areas for the protected species.
Programs - Seminars will also look at business models used around the world in Sport fishing. - Mapping of main habitat areas for the different sport fishing species may ultimately lead to those areas coming under some form of protection done by Green Reef Research on the stress effects of catch and release on the protected species - Getting anglers and guides together to conduct research through their daily fishing activities to allow for more scientific data on fish activity over time after catch and release.
Programs Environmental education on sport fish habitat preservation and stock assessment procedures. - Habitat destruction through marine environment development should look at the protection for these protected species - Young fisherman s mentoring program. Guides will mentor to the youths who would like to learn more about sport fishing. Programs like this one will also help in the conservation efforts of the protected fish species.
Programs Sport fish population census - Working along with the Belize Fisheries Dept, stock assessments of the protected sport fish species through local stakeholder involvement in stock information gathering. - The information gathered from this census will allow for better management of the stock by allowing the authorities to make informed decisions about new management tools to keep a healthy population of these species.
Programs Promotion/ International Recognition Joining the International Game Fish Association: Belize has already proven itself as a leader in the international sport fishing industry. By being a part of this new industry, the contributions by the Tour guide associations in protecting and enforcing the new laws of Catch and Release can only continue to keep Belize and its stakeholders in the forefront of this important industry to the Belizeans economy.
Advertising Revenue from sport fishing licenses will also go toward advertising the need for having a license. Eg. Installing billboards at all entry points of Belize, Posters at all hotels and tour operators that provide the service. Creating a calendar of fishing tournaments - Sponsoring our own fishing tournament to help in advertising, and actively promote the purchasing of licenses.
Enforcement Working with the Fisheries Dept. and the Belize Coast Guard to implement enforcement strategies to ensure compliance. New security features on licenses will deter users from replicating licenses Weekly lists of license holders and their license numbers will be sent to the enforcement agencies to aid in enforcement Future plans include the addition of a bar code on all licenses that will be easily scanned by enforcement agencies while on patrol Random check days specifically for sport fishing compliance Working with resorts, tour operators, BTB to help in self policing
Conclusion The success of this sport fishing program is centered around three pillars that CZMA has shown to work: 1. Stakeholder Involvement 2. Efficiency/ Innovation in Implementation 3. Enforcement Utilizing these three elements, the distribution of licenses and collection of license fees will harmonize as efficiently as possible utilizing current technology. By adapting to changes in the market through stakeholder communication and involvement, streamlining the implementation and enforcement of the program will produce more than just the desired objectives of the present and prepare us for the future.