Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association

17/01/2025

Notice to Shark Fishers

The renewal of Special Shark Licenses is scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2025, at the Belize Fisheries Department Office on Princess Margaret Drive.

30/08/2024

Temporary navigation warning for 1st September 2024.

Notice to mariners:

05/06/2024

Send in your Nominations for fisher of the year 2024-2025!

NOMINATION GUIDELINES FOR BELIZE FISHER OF THE YEAR 2024-2025!

Submissions MUST include:

1. Your name and contact information

2. The fisher’s name and your relationship to him/her

3. Number of years the nominee has been fishing.

4. Whether he/she belongs to a cooperative and/or association; and the name of the Cooperative or Association AND

5. A copy of the nominee’s fisher-folk license.

6. In no less than 250 words or a video of no more than 2 minutes, briefly describe why you think the nominee should be the Fisher of the Year 2024-2025. You must include that person’s involvement in fisheries management, contribution to sustainable fishing practices, and how he or she has shown the ability to cope with or adapt to uncertainty, challenges, and adversity in this sector while remaining an active fisher.

Nomination forms are available, by request, from the Belize Fisheries Department on Princess Margaret Drive, by emailing [email protected]; or Wildlife Conservation Society, by emailing [email protected].

Nominate your favourite fisher for the Outstanding Fisher of the Year Award 2024! Deadline for submission is June 21, 2024.

25/07/2023

Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association Belize City, Belize
Tel: 501-620-8064
Email: [email protected]/ [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
July 20, 2023

The Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association (BFCA) response to a Press Release issued by the Belize Federation of Fishers (BFF) on July 12, 2023, and also in an article published in the Amandala Newspaper with Headline dated July 14, 2023, with the views of the BFF titled Fisheries Industry in Crisis.

The BFCA represents the Northern Fishermen Cooperative, National Fishermen Cooperative, Rio Grande Fishermen Cooperative and Placencia Fishermen Cooperative. The four (4) fishing cooperatives have membership throughout the country from Sarteneja to Toledo. Therefore, it is accurate to say that BFCA represents the majority of fisherfolks via their respective fishing cooperatives. The BFCA is also a voting member of the Caribbean Network of Fishers Organization (CNFO), which is comprised of seventeen
(17) Caribbean countries. The BFCA is the Voice of the Belizean Commercial Fishers and a defender of the industry.

For the past ten years, the Belize conch fishery has closed its fishing season six to eight weeks earlier than the legal date which is the 31st of June of each year. The 2022 to 2023 conch fishing season was closed on the 14th May 2023. The reason is that the annual conch quota established by Belize in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) of Flora and Fauna was realized before 3i5t June 2023. Furthermore, the Belize Fisheries Department undertakes an annual Queen conch stock assessment which is the basis of establishing the annual quota.

During the pandemic, the fishing industry was one of, or the only industry that was stable and providing foreign exchange earnings and food security for the country of Belize. Actually, it reached the highest record in generating US$36 million in export earnings. This is an indicator of a stable and well managed fishery.

The BFCA is disappointed with the reckless, baseless and irresponsible views that the BFF has expressed both in their Press Release and in the article in the Amandala Newspaper. These statements give a negative reflection of our fishing industry that could have a negative effect both locally and internationally. Belize is an exporter of marine products to many countries. The results of the statement of BFF can affect our industry and the future livelihood of more than 3,300 fishers and their families.

In closing, the BFCA condemns the Press Release issued by the BFF and fully supports the press release recently issued by the Belize Fisheries Department, Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation. Also, the BFCA supports the Press Release issued by the Belize Fund for a Sustainable Future.

END

09/05/2023

Mrs. Barbara Bradley was born on the 1st October and was the General Manager/Executive Secretary of National Fishermen Cooperative Society Ltd, located in Belize City, Belize. Mrs. Bradley started working at the cooperative at age 21 and has offered her top-notch services to the fishing industry since then.

She reminisced about the countless opportunities the society has provided, one being the education grant given to children of the members of the cooperative. The education grant gives full scholarship from High School to Sixth Form and some recipients eventually seek employment outside of the sector and find other job opportunities including being a lawyer, doctor, and banker. In 2020, the scholarship grant program came to an end.

To have a successful cooperative she reminded us that one must remember that the most important people are the fisherfolk and their loyalty to the cooperative. Over the past 50 years of existence, the society has been solvent and members receive a good return.

Mrs. Bradley is full of experience, loyalty, and honesty. We honour and celebrate you.

May your soul rest in perfect peace 🙏

06/02/2022

The Belize Fishermen Cooperative Association sadly announces the loss of one of its founding leaders Mr. Allan Bevans Green.

Sunrise: 5 Feb 1946
Sunset: 4 Feb 2022

08/12/2021

The 51 yr old association continue to defend fishers rights. We take this time to wish each and everyone of its members and the general public compliments of the season.

05/08/2021

project LeadershipX3 communications.

Leadership in fisherfolk organisations tends to be held by mature women and men. Taking on leadership roles may be related to years and experience in the fishing industry.

What is the situation like for you as a leader in the industry?

19/05/2021

BFCA hosted on Mada Fyah. Fishers are heavily impacted by the gillnet ban in Belize.

In this episode, André uses Digna's time back-a-bush to get some poetry with Khaila Gentle (https://kgentlewrites.com/) whose debut poetry collection 'Crossr...

14/05/2021

The Belize Fisheries Department extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Lowell “Japs” Godfrey­ - a well known and loved pioneer of the seaweed mariculture industry in Belize.

His passion for his work will always be remembered and his dedication to sharing his knowledge and skills with many will always be cherished.

His legacy will remain with all those he inspired by creating a viable alternative livelihood opportunity and in his contribution to a sustainable fishing industry.

May he Rest in Peace and Rise in Glory. 🙏🏼🕊

📷: Henry Brown

30/04/2021

Register for free virtual training.

Sessions are only open to women and young fisherfolk up to 40 years old. From the following countries - Antigua and Barbuda, Belize and Saint Lucia:

Register here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/136fqIqw9FqYvQpmUSfw0W8-JC1Ipl3p9c9pGQzJj6i0/edit

13/04/2021

Ms. Eldina Emelia Tun of Chunnox Village wants to send a message to the Minister of Blue Economy to give them an opportunity for the fishermen and women to fish with gillnet again.