There’s no doubt that fishing around Belize is superb, with a wide range of species and habitats to explore. It’s always interesting to hear what’s happening on the ground to protect these pristine environments so we were keen to share a recent update from Craig Hayes at Turneffe Flats Lodge on the work in hand to look at permanently protecting Belize’s flats fishery.
Craig set up Turneffe Flats Lodge in 1981 and has been a passionate advocate of the protection of marine habitats ever since and we are delighted to receive the news that his work has culminated in the signing of the landmark Turneffe Flats Trust Agreement.
Negotiated over the past eight years, the agreement permanently secures the environmental protection of Turneffe Atoll and its flats fishing habitats. Specifically, the agreement does the following:
1) Perpetually protects more than 17,000 acres – approximately 2/3 of the atoll – from ever being developed.
2) Protects 99% of Turneffe’s seabed – including all flats fishing areas – by prohibiting dredging, overwater development, jet skis, mangrove clearing and any other unsustainable development.
3) Provides BZ$2.2 million (from Turneffe Flats) to the University of Belize for a world-class marine research institute at Turneffe, possibly in conjunction with Scripps in San Diego.
4) Clears the way for a major Blue Carbon Project at Turneffe potentially generating major revenues for marine reserve management.
During a brief ceremony, Belize Prime Minister, John Briceno, said, “This is not just a regular official signing ceremony but this is legacy building where the government has partnered with TASA and the Turneffe Atoll Trust to be able to find a way how we can protect these seventeen thousand acres of mangrove forest in Turneffe and so when we got into government this was already signed by the previous government but in their haste there were certain legal issues that we needed to correct. And I want to really thank Dr. Craig Hayes for not giving up and to be able to sit down with us and find how we can make changes and improve on it but never lose sight of what it’s all about. It’s about conservation. They made a deposit on the land, I think it’s about $2.2 million and since it has been removed from the original trust fund to another trust that is being managed and owned by Belizeans in the discussions then they came up with the idea of instead of getting cheque or a refund to use that money to be able to use that money to help the University of Belize to set up a marine research facility in the area. So, it’s a win, win and It’s really, really exciting.”
Turneffe Flats Resort features regularly on Aardvark McLeod itineraries to Belize and it is fantastic to know that the future of the superb saltwater marine environment is secure for generations to come.
For more details on fishing in Belize please do not hesitate to contact Peter McLeod or Alex Jardine or call our office on +44(0)1980 847389.
