Gillnet Ban

A Country-wide Gillnet Ban For Belize

For nearly two decades Belizean Fishermen and marine conservationists had called for a national ban of gillnets - an indiscriminate and destructive fishing method. Despite several attempts over the years, a ban remained elusive. In 2017, Turneffe Atoll Trust, in conjunction with with the Belize Federation of Fishers (BFF) and other conservation organizations organized and funded the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries to again pursue a permanent ban.

These efforts culminated in a countrywide gillnet ban in December 2019. Crucially, the ban was paired with a “Binding Agreement” ensuring that the ban could not be easily overturned by future administrations.

An important corollary to the ban was the a law prohibiting foreign nationals from Guatemala and Honduras from obtaining fishing licenses in Belize. This was a major major issue as Nationals from Guatemala and Honduras had obtained Belizean fishing licenses and had become the principle gillnet fishers in Belize.

During the two years proceeding the ban, there was considerable debate about the pros and cons of a gillnets. While the Belize Fisheries Department vigorously opposed the ban, Belize’s commercial fishermen strongly supported the it - particularly the Belize Federation of Fishers. Public support for the ban was also strong.

To bring clarity to the discussion, Turneffe Atoll Trust, along and the Yellow Dog Community and Conservation Foundation, commissioned Dr. Valentino Shal to produce an objective cost-benefit analysis of gillnet fishing in Belize. Net Loss or Net Gain provides a thorough, objective analysis of both sides of this issue ultimately concluding that the positive impacts of a ban far outweigh the negative effects.


Net Loss or Net Gain

Dr. Valentino Shal

Another relevant paper by Julio Benavides PhD, was also funded by Turneffe Atoll Trust.

The Negative Impacts of Gillnet Fishing on Marine Ecosystems: a Scientific Review

Julio Benavides PhD


Foreign Gillnetters Involvement

For years, it had been widely recognized that most gillnetting in Belize was being done by Guatemalan and Honduran fishermen, either traveling to Belizean waters at night or setting up camps on remote island for portions of the year. Although neither they, nor their families, lived in Belize, many has been granted Residency and issued commercial fishing licenses. A major focus of these foreign fishermen was the illegal and unsustainable harvest of sharks, driven by the international shark fin market. In addition to sharks, they harvested large quantities of finfish from Belize to be sold in Guatemala and Honduras.

Turneffe Atoll Trust organized a fact-finding mission to verify and document the extent of this exploitation. The mission uncovered barrels of permit and fields of drying fishing - all verified as originating from Belizean waters. Below are photos of Belizean fish being processed in Guatemala.

As part of the broader effort to protect Belize’s fisheries, legislation was passed prohibiting fishermen who did not live in Belize for at least 6 months per year from obtaining a commercial fishing license. This was seen as essential to the sustainability of Belize’s fishery. Regrettably, this legislation was overturned in 2021, reopening the door for exploitation of Belize’s fisheries to fishermen living in Guatemala and Honduras.

80 Gallon Barrel of Permit

Salted Shark

Field of Drying Fish from Belize

Compensation for Displaced Gillnet Fishers

Providing compensation for Belize’s displaced gillnet fishermen was a crucial component of the ban and raising funds for this purpose was a major part of the effort. Based on the Fisheries Department’s list of registered Gillnet Fishermen in 2018, which was obtained through a Freedom of Information Request, 46 gillnet fishermen were registered in Belize and determined to live full-time in Belize.

To support these fishermen, The Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries raised BZ$ 1 million dollars through a GoFundMe campaign and other measures. The overwhelming majority of these funds were donated from the fly fishing industry in Belize and the United States. To receive the portion of the support, each eligible gillnet fisherman was required to submit a transition plan outlining how he intended to utilize his funds to replace his gillnetting income. Plans ranging from purchasing gear for lobster fishing to an ice cream business.

Oceana raised an additional BZ$ 1 million dollars which was distributed to the same group of fishers over a period of several months as a “gillnet buy-back program”.

Binding Agreement

A critical aspect of the ban is the “Binding Agreement”, which is a legally enforceable agreement between the Government of Belize, the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries and Oceana. The Binding Agreement is designed to ensure permanence of the ban by making it very difficult to reverse. It establishes that the ban cannot be “reversed, repealed and/or amended, in any way or at all, save and except after the following”:

  1. An independent peer-reviewed economic analysis has concluded that reversal of the ban would provide a clear economic advantage for Belize.

  2. At least two national scientific entities produce peer-reviewed reports certifying that gillnets are non-destructive fishing gear that pose no harm to protected and sensitive habitats.

  3. National consultations are conducted in each municipality to verify strong public support for removal of the ban.

Health of Belize’s Finfish Fishery

Those familiar with the finfish fishery in Belize are increasingly concerned about its viability and sustainability. In response to these concerns, Turneffe Atoll Trust did a robust country-wide survey to ascertain the availability of finfish for restaurants, supermarkets and tourism facilities.

The findings were striking with 82% of respondents indicating that they can no longer find an adequate supply of fresh fish. Despite rising demand for fresh fish, the availability of local fresh fish has declined substantially.

As a result, most businesses surveyed are now purchasing imported or farmed fish to meet their needs. Once an exporter of finfish, Belize has become a net importer of fresh fish. This points to an urgent need for sustainable fisheries management, improved enforcement and transitioning to sustainable fishing practices.

Availability of Fresh Fish in Belize - July 2019

Turneffe Atoll Trust

gillnet ban Status 2022

In 2024, the Gillnet Ban remains solidly in place. However, its effectiveness has been significantly undermined. In 2021, the supporting legislation prohibiting foreign fishermen from fishing in Belizean waters was reversed by the incoming administration. This has allowed gillnet fishermen from Guatemala and Honduras to re-enter Belizean fisheries and resume their unsustainable activities. Further, enforcement is inconsistent, and lack of support from the Belize Fisheries Department remains a challenge.