Environment

The island of Ambergris Caye has experienced significant development over the years with minimal input from the science and engineering community, particularly concerning coastal infrastructure. The negative impacts of climate change can be seen in the continuous erosion that is taking a toll on the beaches of Belize’s prime tourism destination.  A recent visit by a group of scientists indicated that many of the efforts to protect the shoreline are instead causing more harm and aggravating the erosion issue. As a result, local stakeholders discussed nature-based solutions, including Mayor Gualberto ‘Wally’ Nuñez, intending to look at the entire shoreline and address the problems for the benefit of the island community.

The Belize Fisheries Department, Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation takes this opportunity to inform the fishing community and the general public that selected provisions of Statutory Instrument 128 of 2021, including amendments to the Spiny lobster regulations will be implemented in a phased approach. This strategy has become necessary given the outcomes of recent engagements with several fishing communities across the country.

A preliminary report released on June 6, 2022 by the Healthy Reefs Initiative (HRI)  finds that reef health across the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) has again slipped – reaching the same  “Poor” rating that was reported in 2006—the first year the Reef Health Report Card was issued. Data were collected by 77 surveyors from 36 organizations from June to December 2021. 

The 2022 Turtle Nesting Season is underway, with nests already registered on the beaches of North Ambergris Caye. While the island has long been a hot spot for turtle nesting, the increase in human activity has threatened the health of a successful nesting season in recent years. According to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the local authorities in charge of monitoring and recording the nesting season on Ambergris Caye, the main areas are from Punta Azul to Robles Beach and the Rocky Point area.

After seven days of fun activities, this year’s Hol Chan Marine Reserve Reef Fest ended with a fair at the Boca del Rio beach on Sunday, March 22nd. The fair featured different informational booths, live music, games, giveaways, a kayak race, and a Lionfish hunt competition.

The 2022 Hol Chan Marine Reserve Reef Fest started on Monday, May 16th, hosting an online trivia session on their Facebook and Instagram accounts. Questions were posted on each social media account, challenging their followers with environmental questions. The start of the reef fest also saw the announcement of their TikTok jingle competition winners.

On Wednesday, May 11th, concerned stakeholders and residents of San Pedro Town attended a meeting held in the conference room of the San Pedro Town Council to discuss ideas on how to tackle the issue of sargassum. The increase in the influx of the brown seaweed has become alarming, threatening the tourism industry, and promoting the National Sargassum Task Force to ask destinations like San Pedro to submit a plan of action. The meeting discussed several ideas and included a presentation on how experts are dealing with the situation in Mexico.

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) announced on Monday, May 9th, that it is seeking to hire temporary beach cleaners to keep these areas free of sargassum. Any person interested can visit the Human Resources department at the SPTC during regular working hours, Monday to Friday, 8AM to 5PM. SPTC will also be holding a Sargassum Community Meeting on Wednesday, May 11th, at 5PM in the SPTC Conference Room. Business owners, boat owners, property owners, and residents of San Pedro are invited.