World Wildlife Fund

In an effort to promote sustainable fishing and stronger stewardship of Belize’s rich marine environment, the Government of Belize and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) joined forces with the Development Finance Corporation of Belize (DFC), and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to establish a pilot program to support licensed artisanal fishers through loans tailored to their needs.

A consultation seeking to know the pulse of San Pedro regarding mangrove restoration engaged a group of islanders on Wednesday, October 25th, at the Sagebrush Church. The session is part of the National Mangrove Restoration Action Plan. This project aims to develop a five-year national action plan to enhance the protection and preservation of these essential coastal trees. The meeting was very interactive, with participants sharing the challenges mangrove ecosystems face in San Pedro and the need for enforcement and penalties against those illegally clearing this vegetation. It was clear that a permit must be obtained from the Belize Forest Department before any mangrove trimming or alteration occurs. All those in attendance noted that almost no one involved in coastal tourism developments follows such requirements per the law.

At a workshop held in Belize City, a five-year project called Coastline and People was presented. The project focuses on using nature-based solutions to fight climate change and other threats to the Belizean coastline. The University of South Florida (USF) spearheaded the project in partnership with the non-governmental organization Fragments of Hope and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

On Friday, March 10th, a group of non-governmental organizations, tourism partners, and members from the business community came together to host a fair celebrating Reef Week 2023. The event is celebrated in different areas of the country each year. This year’s reef fair was held in San Pedro Town, featuring educational booths, games, activities, music, food, and drinks.

Senior Reporter with The San Pedro Sun Dion Vansen and Editor Tamara Sniffin recently received a “Smart Coasts” journalism award from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF Mesoamerica) for highlighting the need to enforce environmental laws in Belize. Their collaboration on an article published in 2021 titled “Stakeholders attending virtual Smart Coast Project workshop say enforcement is critical for any environmental plan to succeed” led to the recognition of first prize in Belize.

In March 2023, local non-governmental organizations, tourism partners and allies from the business community will host a series of fun, educational and civic-minded events to celebrate the many ways the Belize Barrier Reef contributes to the national economy and to the Belizean identity.

At a press conference in Belize City on Thursday, November 17th, Oceana Belize announced the commencement of a countrywide signature collection drive to trigger a national referendum regarding oil exploration in Belizean waters. Vice-President Janelle Chanona said the decision was made following a conversation with Prime Minister Honourable Dr. John Briceño in September. She claims it confirmed the current administration’s intention to proceed with seismic testing in Belizean waters with prior approval from the public. However, GOB clarifies that it has not entered into any agreements for seismic studies nor for oil exploration in offshore areas.

Earth Hour is Saturday, March 26 from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. In Belize, WWF (World Wildlife Fund) has built a website that citizens may visit during the hour where they can learn about different environmental education tools and write a pledge to be carried out during the year.