Ahead of the October 22 installation deadline set by Belize’s Fisheries Department, the Caye Caulker Fishers Association is formally opposing the mandatory requirement for vessel tracking devices on all stone crab fishing boats, calling for the policy to be paused until members can be consulted on the new rule.
Association President Ian Forte says that fishermen have overwhelmingly rejected the measure, and the group has already submitted an official letter to the Fisheries Department requesting a formal meeting to discuss concerns about the policy. In an interview, Forte outlined the association’s core objections: “We wrote the Fisheries Department a letter and told them that we would like for them to put it on hold, come consult with us, tell us what’s happening.”
One major point of contention is the broad scope of the tracking requirement, which covers all vessels regardless of their primary use. Many fishing boat owners also use their vessels for private recreational activities and tourism charters, Forte explained, and the mandate would require 24/7 tracking of these personal trips. For many boat owners, this feels like an overreach into private activity. “If I have a boat and I am using my boat for recreational use or tourism or whatever, all of that will be tracked. When I think about this and hear about this, this is my private vessel, bought and paid for with my own money,” Forte said.
Forte also argued that the new mandate shifts regulatory responsibility away from the Fisheries Department, when the agency should instead be increasing its on-water enforcement to address a far more pressing issue for local fishermen: unaddressed sea piracy that has cost fishermen thousands of dollars in lost income and equipment.
“I feel the Fisheries is trying to put part of their work on us. We need to have the Fisheries out there. We need to have them patrolling. They need to be doing their enforcement part and a show of presence. This is going to deter a lot of things,” Forte said.
The Fisheries Department has given stone crab fishermen until October 22 to have the tracking devices fully installed and operational. Those that fail to meet the deadline will face immediate revocation of their special fishing licenses, effectively barring them from continuing their work.