By Belize Live News Staff: Get ready, fishers! Belize is set to open its sea cucumber fishing season on September 1st, 2024, running until January 31st, 2025. But this isn’t your average free-for-all. The Fisheries Department is putting sustainability front and center with a slew of regulations aimed at protecting these valuable marine creatures.
Only licensed commercial fishers will be allowed to cast their nets, and they’ll have to stick to specific fishing areas and size limits. The prized Donkey Dung variety (Holothuria mexicana) is the sole target, with a minimum catch size of 16 centimeters to safeguard the next generation of sea cucumbers.
In a move to keep tabs on the harvest, designated landing sites will be announced soon, and only a handful of approved exporters will be allowed to handle the catch. These include Rio Grande Fishermen Cooperative Society Limited, Rosendo Cassanova, Belize Ocean Catch Limited, and Zhang Imports.
Vessel owners and captains will have their work cut out for them, too. They’ll need to keep meticulous catch logs and report their hauls to the Fisheries Department after each trip. This data will be key in monitoring the harvest and ensuring everyone plays by the rules.
The bottom line? This fishing season is all about responsibility. The Fisheries Department is calling on all fishers to do their part to protect Belize’s sea cucumbers for years to come. Want to know more? Reach out to the Fisheries Department directly for all the details at 224-4552 or 223-2187.
