Shots Fired During Chase Between Belizean Authorities and Guatemalan Fishers Near Southern Border

A chase yesterday between Belizean authorities and Guatemalan fishers led to shots being fired near Belize’s southern border with Guatemala. Around eleven o’clock in the morning, Belize Coast Guard (BCG) seamen were conducting an operation in Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve as part of its territorial integrity patrols. The group encountered several gill nets and began removing the illegal fishing gear when they spotted a vessel of illegal Guatemalan fishers. The seamen then joined members of the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) and pursued the vessel. However, the Guatemalan fishers were able to flee into Guatemalan waters, where they fired several shots in the air. Commandant of the BCG, Rear Admiral Elton Bennett spoke on the incident and explained that the BCG remains committed to protecting the country’s sovereignty and sea space. 

RADM Elton Bennett, Belize Coast Guard Commandant: “We departed from Hunting Caye. The patrol went towards Corona Reef where they sighted a series of gill nets. They started to recover those nets, eight in total, measuring about 600 feet in length. Whilst we were doing that, there was a vessel that appeared to have come from a Guatemalan direction and we pursued that vessel. We also had the vessel from TIDE. We arrived on the scene and we placed two Coast Guard personnel onboard that vessel because they were extensive and they were vessels in the area so we decided to split forces to accomplish as much as we could have accomplished. That vessel from TIDE was pursuing that Guatemalan fishing vessel. That vessel went over into Guatemalan waters and they stopped short inside Guatemala. The Belizean vessel that is operated by TIDE and had members of the Belize Coast Guard did not go into Guatemalan sea spaces. They stopped short and they remained at that location. It was at that point when the vessel belonging to the Guatemalan fishermen reportedly fired some shots in the air. The Belizean vessel did not pursue that Guatemalan vessel inside Guatemalan waters for obvious reasons. The shots were not fired directly at our patrol. They did not come under contact. Therefore the joint patrol did not see it necessary to pursue that vessel or to return fire considering the sensitivity of the nature of the operation. So they remained at that location. Very confident that we were in a position to defend ourselves. So they remained at that location and they continue to recover these gillnets. That vessel returned back to Hunting Caye and the other Coast Guard vessel continued to patrol in that area and went towards the direction of Sarstoon Forward Operating Base where they had a link-up  organized with the guys from the Belize Defence Force.” 

The incident highlights the issue of Guatemalan fishers illegally entering Belize and using harmful fishing methods to loot the country’s marine resources. Acting Director of TIDE Leonardo Chavaria noted that the occurrences usually increase this time of the year. 

Leonardo Chavarria, Acting Director, TIDE: “It was more like an intimidation tactic, which is not uncommon from these fisher folks whenever their illegal gears are discovered and extracted from Belizean waters. Well, the truth is that we are tasked with ensuring that we enforce the fisheries regulations. So it doesn’t really hamper our work, although we know that at some point it can become dangerous but it doesn’t stop our enforcement team from conducting routine patrols at all FSA sites. As you may know, during this season, starting in December running out through to June is what we call the fish spawning aggregation season or SPAGS. And this is the time that these illegal activities seem to escalate because this is the time when the fishes or the fish are reproducing. So you have them aggregated in mass numbers. And then these fishers tend to try to capitalize on these periods. So then it also means that our teams need to ramp up the enforcement initiatives and that is exactly what we are doing and that is why we are seeing these types of activities. It is not uncommon. It has happened before and we have had several encounters, especially during this time.”

The team was able to remove 8 gillnets from the area, which is located a kilometer away from the Guatemalan border.