In a significant victory for marine conservation, Belizean authorities and volunteers have intercepted and destroyed illegal fishing equipment in the country’s southern waters. On Tuesday morning, the Belize Territorial Volunteers discovered a massive Guatemalan gillnet, nearly 400 feet long, illegally placed within Belizean waters near the Sapodilla Cayes. The net, posing a severe threat to marine life, was promptly removed and destroyed. Simultaneously, over three miles of illegal longline gear were seized just five miles from Barranco. The Belize Coast Guard, led by Rear Admiral Elton Bennett, has attributed these successes to increased patrols and intelligence-driven operations along the southern maritime border. Bennett revealed that this year alone, over 45 feet of bill net and 4,000 to 5,000 feet of gillnet have been confiscated, marking a significant reduction in illegal fishing activities compared to the previous year. The Coast Guard has also detained several individuals from Guatemala and Honduras involved in these illegal operations. This latest bust underscores the ongoing challenges and the critical need for constant vigilance to protect Belize’s marine resources.