The catch reconstruction in Belize suggests that 19 of 20 species analysed are currently unsustainable. These species are being fished too hard and/or are depleted from a history of overfishing. These results agree with previous, independent studies of fish catches and with surveys of fishes in the ocean. These results were presented to fishers during workshops held with more than 150 fishers from across Belize in June and December 2023. Fishers largely agreed with these findings, and in December many said that fishing had worsened significantly in just the previous six months.
Below is a “Kobe Plot” showing the status of most of the 20 species analysed, including conch, lobster, groupers, snappers and pelagic species. The plot's horizontal axis represents the current abundance of each species relative to healthy stock abundance, while the vertical axis represents the amount of fishing relative to sustainable fishing. The plot is made up of four quadrants: green is for healthy, sustainable stocks, while stocks in the red zone have abundance that is too low and fishing levels that are too high.
Seventeen of the 20 are in the red zone, and 19 need fisheries management adjustments to prevent further decline and become sustainable. Analysis of conch and lobster since 1950 (conch) and 1932 (lobster) shows that fishing effort over time has increased beyond sustainable levels, leading to overfishing and depletion of spawning stock biomass. Science-based management adjustments can reverse this situation, rebuilding the stocks and putting both fisheries back in the healthy and sustainable green zone.
FMSY, or Fishing Mortality at Maximum Sustainable Yield, is the rate of fishing that allows fish populations to produce their maximum sustainable yield. Think of FMSY as the highest rate at which fish can be removed from the population without causing long-term depletion. When we fish at FMSY, we are taking out enough fish to optimize our catch while allowing the remaining fish to reproduce and maintain a stable population. It's like finding the perfect balance where we're getting the most out of our fishing efforts without jeopardising the fish stock's future productivity.
BMSY, or Biomass at Maximum Sustainable Yield, refers to the size of the fish population that can produce this maximum sustainable yield. This biomass level is the ideal state where the population is robust enough to produce the maximum number of fish we can sustainably harvest year after year. If the fish population is at BMSY, it means there are enough mature fish to reproduce at optimal levels, ensuring the population remains healthy and productive.
In practice, if we fish at FMSY, we aim to keep the fish population around BMSY. This balance is crucial because if the fish population drops below BMSY, it can lead to overfishing, where the population cannot reproduce quickly enough to replace the fish being caught. Conversely, if the population is well above BMSY, we might be missing out on the potential maximum sustainable yield, which could support more fishing without harming the population. By managing fisheries to fish at FMSY and maintain biomass at BMSY, we achieve a sustainable fishing practice that maximises long-term yield while ensuring the health and stability of fish populations. This approach supports the ecosystem, the fishing industry, and the communities that rely on fish as a resource.
The collapse of Belize’s fisheries would have far-reaching and potentially irreversible impacts on the local economy, fishers’ livelihoods, the ecology of the Mesoamerican Reef, and Belize’s reputation as a global leader in marine conservation.
Approximately 13,000 people in Belize directly benefit economically from the fishing industry; conch and lobster are important sources of export revenue.
Belizeans rely on marine resources; finfish like groupers and snappers are an important local food source and have cultural significance.
Tourism in Belize depends relies on heathy fisheries for internationally renowned sport fishing and supply of local fish to restaurants.
Belize is at a critical moment: the country is working to expand its Blue Economy, while also developing a Belize Sustainable Ocean Plan and a marine and coastal Project Finance for Permanence initiative. These efforts, along with the passage of the 2020 Fisheries Resources Act, provide a unique opportunity for the country to ensure healthy, resilient, and sustainable fisheries.
Practical fishery management adjustments can reverse current trends and transition Belizean fishers to sustainability. By adjusting management based on the currently available scientific information and input from fishers, fisheries can be rebuilt improving livelihoods and food security for Belizeans.
Belize has the necessary foundations in place to support Fishery Management Plans. Conch and lobster in particular can recover quickly under the right management.
These adjustments should be designed such that more conch, lobster and finfish live long enough to reproduce before being caught and also protect the large “megaspawners” that produce exponentially more eggs than smaller adults.
Building upon and strengthening Belize’s system of Marine Protected Areas in line with international commitments (30x30) are a vital component of improving fisheries management. This includes strengthening protections for deep water areas.
Caribbean spiny lobsters are conspicuous residents in a variety of coastal ecosystems and support important fisheries throughout the region. In Belize, healthy mangrove, seagrass and coral reef habitats are critical for lobsters to complete their entire lifecycle. The exploitation of lobsters has occurred for approximately 100 years beginning with the use of bully nets in 1915 and the successful introduction of traps in 1921 with local scarcity of lobsters observed by 1925.
The fishery remained limited and sporadic through the 1930s and 40s with inconsistent exports but landings expanded rapidly following WW II with the interest of American buyers. Beginning in the early 1960s, as northern lobster populations were depleting, the fishery expanded to grounds south and to offshore atolls driven by improved transport and storage, the development of fishing cooperatives, larger scale processing facilities and consistent markets. Export revenues doubled between 2003 and 2018 with current annual landings being in excess of 800 tonnes.
Observations of many lobsters caught at very small sizes, high levels of fishing mortality and low reproductive potential are all signs of a resource that is overfished. The decades long-held minimum size regulation for carapace length (76 mm, 3.0 in.), the most easily measured indicator of size/age for lobsters, and a corresponding tail weight (113.4 g, 4 oz) has not facilitated best harvest practices of only removing mature animals from the population. This has severely limited: (1) the opportunity for many lobsters to grow to maturity and engage in reproduction at least once; (2) growing time to provide optimal size, meat yield and profit per individual lobster and (3) survival of a significant proportion of very large individuals (i.e. mega-spawners) that provide the highest contributions to overall reproduction and the future of the fishery.
Please consult the Caribbean spiny lobster case study, prepared by Dr. Alexander Tewfik here.
The large herbivorous snail queen conch (Aliger/Eubatus/Strombus gigas) is endemic to the Central Western Atlantic region and has been utilized as food and shell products for thousands of years by indigenous peoples and colonizers. Over the past century, harvests of conch have developed into one of the most important and iconic fisheries within dozens of countries, including Belize, supporting livelihoods in local extraction, processing and export activities.
Following a temporary closure of the Belize conch fishery in the 1970s owing to overharvesting peaking at 562 MT in 1972, annual catch levels varied between 125 and 275 MT. Recent exports of queen conch meat from Belize doubled in volume (200 to 400 MT) and more than tripled in value between 2003 and 2018 making it the second most important fishery after spiny lobster.
Several unique aspects of conch shell growth and complex reproductive ecology requiring minimum adult densities has made the application of widely used fish stock assessment techniques difficult. These factors coupled with the relative ease of exploitation across shallow habitats has made the management of queen conch difficult across the Caribbean. Due to its economic importance and declining populations, queen conch was listed by the IUCN and on Appendix II of CITES as commercially threatened.
The conch fishery in Belize is currently managed using minimum size limits (Shell length = 178 mm or market clean meat mass = 85 g) that have not been updated since 1978, a ban on the use of surface supplied air or scuba, a seasonal closure from July through September, and an annual quota generated from data on visual surveys conducted by the Fisheries Department. Unfortunately, the size limits used are both inappropriate and unsustainable given the high numbers of immature individuals that may be legally harvested and goes against fundamental principles of fisheries management. Numerous studies across the range of the species have demonstrated that conch fisheries should be managed on the basis of a minimum shell lip thickness, which is the easiest and most reliable indicator of sexual maturity and thus can prevent harvest of juveniles.
Please consult the Queen conch case study, prepared by Dr. Alexander Tewfik here.
The Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) is a large species of reef fish, ranking among top predators, found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. It can grow up to a maximum of 122 cm (4 feet) in length, weigh up to 25 kilograms (55 lbs) and live approximately 30 years. Historically, it was known as one of the most widespread and abundant grouper species in the Caribbean region and one of the most commercially important food fish within the tropical Western Atlantic including Belize. However, its population declined significantly during the last century due to overfishing and habitat loss. Nassau grouper are currently listed as a critically endangered species by the IUCN.
Historically very high abundances, followed by drastic declines in Nassau grouper are well illustrated at the multi-species site of Caye Glory (a.k.a. Emily) along the main Belize barrier reef. The fishery around Caye Glory alone played a significant role in Belize´s economy with salted fish being exported to neighbouring countries for decades. In 1966, at a time when the fishery had already been in operation for over 40 years, it was reported that over 300 boats fished the aggregation during spawning season, and over 90 metric tonnes (200,000 lbs) were caught annually.
As concerns grew around the Caribbean about the populations of Nassau groupers, Belize became a pioneer for the protection of the species. By 2009, Belize had protected areas of reef around 13 spawning aggregations and implemented a Nassau grouper closed season (1st December-31st March) that covers the majority of the species´ known spawning period [1, 20]. In addition, Nassau grouper needed be landed whole when in season and measure more than 20 inches (50.8 cm) and less than 30 inches (76.2 cm) where Nassau grouper reach maturity at approximately 19 inches (48 cm), with the upper limit protecting the largest, most fecund mega-spawners.
Belize´s efforts to understand the extent of Nassau grouper aggregations and warn of significant declines at the beginning of the 21st century, as well implementing important steps to protect Nassau grouper in 2009 from overfishing through various policies were significant, but late. Lessons can be learned for other species from the management of Nassau grouper. Expanding regulations to other finfish species, particularly others groupers and snappers would be an important step for ecosystem health and sustainable fisheries.
Please consult the Nassau grouper study, prepared by Dr. Alexander Tewfik here.
