The first Belize Flats Fishing Summit
Like most places where we fish the flats, the Belize flats fishery has challenges that must be addressed to ensure a healthy future for the flats fishery. The encouraging thing is that, like many other locations, the guides and lodges are organizing to address these challenges. This growing energy was recently reflected in the first Belize Flats Fishing Summit, which was held at the Radisson in Belize City, November 12, 2014, and hosted by Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Yellowdog Fly Fishing Adventures.
The Summit brought together more than 40 guides and lodge owners from throughout coastal Belize, from Punta Gorda in the south to San Pedro in the north, and points in between. The guides came together to discuss the challenges they are facing in their home waters, and to find a common theme moving forward toward better national management of the flats resources.
The most amazing thing from my perspective was the quick agreement from participants on the top threats to the fishery: gillnets, lack of enforcement of existing laws, and habitat loss. Guides from throughout Belize related their experiences combating these threats and the real impacts they’d seen these activities have on the fishery. I think many were surprised to find that others shared their experiences, which helped the group to quickly reach a plan for moving forward.
The result of the Summit was that the guides and lodge owners began the process of creating a national-level association to represent their concerns with the government of Belize. Some of the attendees are currently working on formulating specific goals, objectives, and a strategy for the new association that will address threats to the fishery and propose solutions.
BTT will continue to work with guides and lodges to conduct the scientific research needed to support flats fishery conservation and provide advice as requested. I know that Jim Klug of Yellowdog and I were both impressed with the forward-thinking of the guide community, and have high hopes for the future of the Belize flats fishery.
