Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§18 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
Loans and financing |
Agriculture |
Relevant information
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To help achieve the objectives of the draft National Agricultural Policy, one of the priorities identified is to improve domestic and export credit policies to address the relatively high interest rates charged on loans and the difficulties exporters face in obtaining export credits, insurance, and guarantees. At end-2015, 10% of loans by domestic banks (BZ$203 million) and 6% of loans by credit unions (BZ$226 million) were to the agriculture sector. Concessional credit is available from several financial institutions including the Development Finance Corporation (DFC), Belize Enterprise for Sustainable Technology (BEST), Help for Progress, Belize Livestock Producers Association (BLPA), and the Small Farmers Bank/National Bank of Belize.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-Table-IV.5 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Fisheries, Forestry |
Relevant information
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Table 4.5 Agriculture, forestry and fisheries expenditure, fiscal years 2012/13-2015/16
2012/13 actual 2013/14
actual 2014/15
actual 2015/16
revised estimate
Programmes
Fisheries Resources Management and Development 2,354,917 2,494,675 2,568,058 2,453,329
Forestry Resource Management 1,899,446 1,989,269 2,123,150 2,525,553
(...)
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Keywords
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Fish
Forest
Natural resources
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§25 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
Other measures |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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Shrimp farming is the main aquaculture activity in Belize and had stabilized production at about 7,200 tonnes per year in 2014 (Table 4.7). However, vibriosis affected production in 2015 and only one shrimp farm remained in production, at a much reduced level. Total revenues fell from BZ$132 million in 2014 to BZ$20 million in 2015. BAHA (Belize Agricultural Health Authority), in coordination with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Agriculture and the Shrimp Growers Association, implemented measures to control the disease outbreak. These measures included improved Good Management Practices, introduction of genetically resistant brood stock and the implementation of biological control with the use of Tilapia fish. A task force (Advisory committee) has also been formed comprised of personnel from BAHA and the Shrimp Growers Association in an effort to develop guidelines for improved management practices, registry, bio-security, and movement control, among others, in an effort to control aquatic diseases.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§28 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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The principal legislation on fisheries is the Fisheries Act which was enacted in 1948 and last revised in 1989 (Chapter 210), its subsidiary legislation which was last revised in 2003 (Chapter 210S), and the High Seas Fishing Act, 2013. Under the Fisheries Act, commercial fishing requires a fisher to have a fisher folk licence, the fishing vessel must be licensed for seaworthiness, and a seafood permit or export licence is needed for trade. The Act also allows the Minister to establish marine reserves and regulations for the sector and provides for the inspection and enforcement of the Act and regulations. A new Fisheries Resources Bill has been prepared, which the authorities expect to be enacted in 2017. When enacted, the Bill will, according to the Ministry, help achieve the following objectives:
• Compliance with international laws;
• Establish principles of ecosystems management and a precautionary approach to resource management;
• Establish an advisory council;
• Provide a legal basis for co‐management agreements;
• Strengthen the marine reserves;
• Provide for managed access in areas both within and outside the marine reserves;
• Increase fines and penalties;
• Provide for fisheries management plans; and
• Create a transparent and accountable process for the implementation of regulations.
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Keywords
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§29 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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The High Seas Fishing Act 2013 provides the domestic legislative basis to comply with the FAO Agreement to Promote International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas. The Act provides the legislative basis for the High Seas Fishing Unit, inter alia, to issue regulations to determine participatory rights, allocate fishing quotas, issue fishing licenses, and set effort and gear restrictions.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§30 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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The Aquaculture Unit, in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development, is responsible for aquaculture and the Belize Fisheries Department (BFD) is responsible for developing policy and managing fishery resources. Within the BFD:
• the Policy Planning Unit is responsible for policy development and coordination, providing personnel and financial resources to complement government programmes;
• the Ecosystem Management Unit is responsible for protecting stocks through the nine marine reserves;
• the Capture Fisheries Unit monitors commercially important stocks; and
• the Conservation Compliance Unit is responsible for enforcing the fisheries regulations.
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Keywords
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Fish
Natural resources
Conservation
Eco
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§33 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
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Fisheries |
Relevant information
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Fishing policy in Belize is focused on maintaining a sustainable yield from fisheries resources while continuing to contribute to food production, foreign exchange earnings. Various effort and gear restrictions apply in Belize depending on the species caught, such as catch size restrictions and closed seasons for several species, including lobster, conch, Nassau grouper, sea cucumber, and hicatee. Bottom trawling has been banned since 2010 and restrictions apply to net mesh sizes and placement of nets as well as other equipment and all nets must be registered with the BFD. Total allowable catches (TACs) apply to some different species, for example: in 2015, the BFD carried out two surveys of sea cucumbers and, as a result, reduced the TAC from 400,000 lbs to 300,000 lbs for the 1 May to 31 June season; and the TAC for conch was set at 800,000 lbs for the 2015/16 season.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§34 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
Other environmental requirements |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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In 2011, the BFD established a programme of managed access that restricts access to designated areas to those with a licence to fish there. Eight areas have been designated as inshore fishing areas and one deeper water area has been marked out for expansion and diversification. Implementation of the programme began in 2016.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§35 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
Other environmental requirements |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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According to the authorities, recent results of field research on Queen Conch and Sea Cucumber stocks have helped Belize to develop and implement improved management strategies for these fisheries to ensure sound management and sustainable use. The full implementation of the Managed Access Programme to all fishing areas in Belize together with the implementation of an Adaptive Management Framework (AMF) – designed to address the need for assessment and management of data-limited fisheries such as the conch and lobster fisheries – and the expansion of marine protected areas to 21.7% of the territorial sea coupled with a planned expansion of replenishment area (no-take zones) from 3.15% to 10% will provide for better management of Belize's fishery resources and development of the sector.
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Secretariat TPR |
WT/TPR/S/353/REV.1 |
S-IV§37 |
Belize |
2017 |
Sectors |
General environmental reference |
Fisheries |
Relevant information
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Total funding for fisheries management in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development is about BZ$2.5 million per year while visitation fees for marine reserves provide about BZ$0.5 million in revenue.
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Keywords
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Environment
Sustainable
Fish
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