Bonefish & Tarpon Trust sent the following letter in opposition to the development of Angelfish Caye, also known as Will Bauer Flat, to Belize government authorities on July 22, 2024.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust (BTT) strongly supports the Belize Flats Fishery Association (BFFA) and its many Belizean allies in opposition to the proposed development at Angelfish Caye, also known as the Will Bauer Flat. We write to respectfully request that the Belizean government reconsider its approval of the project and withdraw its support. Our concern is rooted in the need to preserve the remaining critical habitat at Angelfish Caye, which is essential for sustaining the area’s healthy economy and biodiversity.
Bonefish & Tarpon Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the recreational flats fishery and associated habitats throughout the U.S. and Caribbean. BTT partners with fishing guides, tour operators, fishing lodges, and others in Belize to provide information and capacity that contributes to conservation, promotes sustainable tourism, and provides science for resource management decisions. To that end, our scientific research in the region indicates that development in Belize’s remaining and highly sensitive marine flats habitats, including Will Bauer, will harm important flats species and displace the use of these areas by fishing guides and their angling clients who travel from around the world to fish in Belize. Similarly, it will diminish other forms of tourism and recreational activities in the surrounding waters. In the case of Will Bauer, the extensive dredging required to create an island from a flat will cause catastrophic harm to the area and its associated economy.
Based on our understanding to date, we echo the concerns shared by the BFFA and others regarding the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. Specifically, there is deep concern that the process to date has lacked sufficient stakeholder involvement and, in particular, from the resource-reliant users such as tour operators and fishers. We also share the concerns expressed by others that the EIA’s biological assessments were inadequate in their consideration of ecologically and economically critical species, including the high-value “big 3” flats-industry species bonefish, tarpon, and permit.
We further understand that there is strong community opposition to the proposed development at Angelfish Caye from local fishing guides and tour operators who rely on this area for their livelihoods. The Angelfish Caye LLC Eco-Resort and Private Residential Development at Will Bauer Flat is inconsistent with South Water Caye Marine Reserve’s role as it is one of the seven protected areas that form the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO.
Thus, in the context of Belize’s Sustainable Ocean Plan, BTT urges the government to pause actions on the Angelfish Caye development and other high-impact marine coastal projects so that they can be evaluated in the context of Belize’s current sustainability, conservation, economic, and cultural goals. If reviewed under this broader context and timeframe, development projects can then better include robust science considerations and best-practices for stakeholder and community input. Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and comments.
