Tonight 8 Belize City fishermen are facing charges of possession of conch during the closed season. The bust was made around 11 last night near the Turneffe atolls- only 45 minutes before the official opening of the conch season. The men were caught with almost a thousand conch that were bagged off in sacks. That wasn't the only the only bust. Just hours before that there was another near Columbus Caye. Hampton Gamboa, the Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor told us more:
Hampton Gamboa - Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor "What happen is they were two bust that occurred yesterday. One happen after 1pm, in the Columbus Caye area just east of Columbus Caye along the reef. Officers on a patrol from the south coming towards the city, came across two fisherman in a dorey and then they observed these guys throwing two bags overboard from each of the dorey. Upon the officers retrieving these bags, they found it to be containing unprocessed conch. Which when they brought it in to the department here amounts to 362 conchs yesterday in the afternoon. Then last night, operation at Turneffe Atoll resulted in the arrest of 8 individual who we have here right now. All for possession of conchs during the close season. These individuals had conchs in their possession ranging from 206-53 conchs per person. That operation was conducted by one of our marine reserve, Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve. By law for the possession of conchs is anyway between 100-500 maximum. And then you are fined an addition 20-30 per individual conch. So that's the range that the magistrate has to work with as it relates to the fisheries laws and regulations."
The conch season opened today and will close on June 30, 2016.
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Tonight 8 Belize City fishermen are facing charges of possession of conch during the closed season. The bust was made around 11 last night near the Turneffe atolls- only 45 minutes before the official opening of the conch season. The men were caught with almost a thousand conch that were bagged off in sacks. That wasn't the only the only bust. Just hours before that there was another near Columbus Caye. Hampton Gamboa, the Conservation Compliance Unit Supervisor told us more:
"What happen is they were two bust that occurred yesterday. One happen after 1pm, in the Columbus Caye area just east of Columbus Caye along the reef. Officers on a patrol from the south coming towards the city, came across two fisherman in a dorey and then they observed these guys throwing two bags overboard from each of the dorey. Upon the officers retrieving these bags, they found it to be containing unprocessed conch. Which when they brought it in to the department here amounts to 362 conchs yesterday in the afternoon. Then last night, operation at Turneffe Atoll resulted in the arrest of 8 individual who we have here right now. All for possession of conchs during the close season. These individuals had conchs in their possession ranging from 206-53 conchs per person. That operation was conducted by one of our marine reserve, Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve. By law for the possession of conchs is anyway between 100-500 maximum. And then you are fined an addition 20-30 per individual conch. So that's the range that the magistrate has to work with as it relates to the fisheries laws and regulations."