The Dominican Republic, along with Belize and six other Central American countries, has signed an agreement banning shark finning: The eight member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) have adopted a common binding regulation outlawing shark finning. Unlike finning bans in many countries, the Regulation applies not only to domestic and foreign vessels [...]
Tag Archives: belize
Security to be stepped up to protect Belize’s forests from trans-boundary poaching; territorial dispute with Guatemala complicates conservation efforts
The government of Belize has agreed to deploy more patrols to combat cross-border poaching in the country’s forest reserves: The Cabinet and the National Security Council have both approved recommendations in an official paper submitted by the Ministry of Natural Resources in conjunction with Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), calling for more security presence—larger [...]
Conservationists in Belize seek national referendum on offshore oil drilling
Conservation activists in Belize have petitioned the government to call a referendum on the issue of offshore drilling in Belize’s waters: representatives of the Belize Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage handed over to the Office of Governor General, Sir Colville Young, in Belmopan, boxes of petitions bearing more than 18,000 signatures, putting “in train” [...]
Manatee research in Belize
Sea to Shore Alliance, through research, education, and conservation, works to improve the health and productivity of coastal environments for the endangered species and human livelihoods that depend on them. Belize has the highest known population of endangered Antillean manatees in the world. In 1997, when Dr. James A. Powell began his work in this [...]
Mangrove reforestation in Belize
Via Repeating Islands comes news of the success so far of the Coral Reef Alliance‘s mangrove reforestation project in San Pedro, Belize: CORAL’s (Coral Reef Alliance) mangrove reforestation project in San Pedro, Belize is thriving. Recent monitoring reports reveal that ninety percent of the mangroves planted by the local community have survived—a true testament to [...]
Poachers pose a growing problem for conservation in Belize’s Bladen Nature Reserve
Cross-border poachers continue to infringe on the boundaries of Belize’s Bladen Nature Reserve: The Bladen Nature Reserve, comprising nearly 100,000 acres of prized natural forest in southern Belize, is described as “the crown jewel of Belize’s protected areas.” Its status is so high among the nation’s protected areas that by law, it is ascribed the [...]
Mangroves and Climate Preparedness in Belize
This video features efforts underway by WWF and partners to promote mangrove protection as a means of climate resilience building in Belize. See also this video: Mangroves in Belize. And, previously on Green Antilles, Mangrove habitat creation in Ambergris Caye, Beliz and Mangrove vulnerability and resilience in Belize.
Australia and CARICOM to cooperate on marine conservation
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of Australia recently announced a new programme of collboration on coral reef conservation: Australia and Caribbean Community nations today pledged to build on a growing partnership and to continue sharing experiences and expertise in addressing development challenges in the Caribbean. Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Grenada’s Foreign [...]
Research in Belize raises question: do coral reefs really benefit from marine reserve protection?
Research carried out in Belize suggests that although marine protected areas are good for some fish, they might not have any significant beneficial impact on coral health: Marine reserves help fish populations but do nothing to safeguard coral, a study has found. Scientists analysed surveys of 87 reefs both inside and outside Glover’s Reef Marine [...]
