The waters off Belize are home to the blacktip shark, bull shark, lemon shark, nurse shark, reef shark, occasional hammerheads, and migratory whale sharks, thus the nation lays claim to having plenty of these powerful creatures offshore. But a recent study conducted by Miami’s Florida International University (FIU) sounded this alarm: “Even in protected areas, endangered sharks may still be vulnerable,” scientists announced.

Within what’s supposed to be a protected marine area in and around Glover’s Reef (a critical environment given World Heritage Site designation), laws surrounding no-take zones off the Belize coastline have been ignored, as sports enthusiasts target sharks leading to a dramatic diminution in populations.

Friends of sharks spur renewed concern

Having determined that shark numbers declined dramatically between 2009 and 2019 – and that the trajectory continues – members of Belize’s National Shark Working Group met with FIU scientists to draft an action plan. This team represents a powerful mix of experts: government officials, shark fishermen, and concerned organizations. They wrote definitive new legislation that not only prohibits shark fishing within a two-mile radius of Glover’s Reef but Lighthouse Reef and Turneffe Atolls as well.

This is not the first time Belize’s shark population has diminished. In 2013, Amandala reported on Belize’s role in enacting historic trade protections for sharks and rays. In 2016, The San Pedro Sun declared the still-deteriorating population of sharks to be “Unsustainable.” Yet reef shark numbers continued to drop until researchers reported that they didn’t spot a single one in 2018.

Pressure increases to address this crisis now

Has there been a disconnect between scientists and aquatic sports enthusiasts? Will 2022 finally be a year of action rather than words? If the FIU team, in concert with University of Miami shark and ray researchers have a say, it will. Acknowledging that reef sharks “don’t know where boundaries of protected areas begin and end,” it will be up to Belize authorities to reinforce sanctions currently ignored as well as adding new and tougher regulations.

Has this latest wake-up call from the FIU study been all bad? Not necessarily. Nurse shark populations are thriving. Contributing to this population’s viability is the fact that nurse sharks tend to remain within the confines of protected areas while reef sharks can wander off, thus the challenge will be to catch lawbreakers in both environments.

Science. Law. And supportive partnerships

At the end of 2021, The Nature Conservancy saluted Belize for “Transforming the Caribbean,” this initiative focused on shark population increases will add to the nation’s reputation for taking critical steps to protecting offshore resources for future generations.

There’s no question that shark fishing activities can be maintained within the letter of the law if sanctions are stiff enough and offenders are held accountable for illegal actions, thus the support of the Belize tourism industry is vital to the education of travelers coming to Belize to engage in fishing activities.

At Chabil Mar, management and staff support and applaud the latest efforts undertaken by this powerful consortium of resources eager to encourage reef shark population increases in the immediate future. It’s a magnificent goal and one that deserves the respect of visitors and residents alike!