Omar Arceo, also known as the ‘Doctor of the Flats,’ has been honored with the prestigious Meritorious Service Award for his significant contributions to the San Pedro Town island community, Ambergris Caye, and conservation. His work has brought recognition to the community and inspired others to join the cause. He was one of 28 distinguished individuals recognized at this year’s Tribute to Belizean Patriots ceremony, which took place on September 12th near the newly constructed Haulover Bridge in Belize City.
The special occasion, recognizing the invaluable contributions of Belizeans to the nation, was presided over by Belize’s Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam. Of the 28 recipients, 26 received the Meritorious Service Award, including Chico Ramos for contributing to Culture and Music, Leroy ‘The Grandmaster’ Young for his contributions to Arts and Culture, and Gilbert ‘Bertie’ Ellis, among others. The Order of Distinction was awarded to Francis Reneau, and the Order of Belize was awarded to former Governor General, His Excellency Sir Colville Young.
Arceo was incredibly proud to receive such a prestigious award. He is grateful for the recognition and emphasized that his passion lies in advocating for sustainable fishing practices and protecting habitats for protected marine species such as bonefish, permit, and tarpon, which are crucial to the fly-fishing industry. Arceo stressed the importance of environmental protection: “We need to protect the environment because, without it, there is no future. We must continue our conservation efforts to safeguard our livelihoods and communities.” Additionally, Arceo is a strong advocate for preserving mangrove forests, which not only filter toxins from the environment but also act as natural buffers against disasters and serve as nurseries for juvenile fish.
The proud San Pedrano enthusiastically shares his conservation and fly-fishing expertise with students every summer. This year, he was again busy traveling across the country, visiting coastal communities, and hosting fly-fishing summer camps. In addition to teaching the youth about the sport of fishing, he stressed the importance of environmental protection for the benefit of all. He concluded his routine conservation campaign and fishing practices in the Mexican Quintana Roo State by offering a refresher fly-fishing course to other fishing guides. Arceo is highly respected on Ambergris Caye and across many coastal municipalities in Belize. His years of experience have also taken him to other countries such as the United States, The Bahamas, and Cuba, where he has been a special presenter on conservation and the art of fly fishing.
Arceo joins his sister, Susana Eiley, who was bestowed with the Meritorious Service Award in 2022 for her dedication to developing her island community.
The San Pedro Sun joins the community in congratulating Arceo for this recognition. Thank you for all that you do!
