Final Report for Public Consultations BL-1042
Final Report for Public Consultations among Key Stakeholders in Fisheries Sector in Belize for BL-L1042 Promoting Sustainable Growth in the
December 17, 2025
Regulations protect fish stocks for our use
Know which species groups can be taken when and how
1
Permit-Required
1
Protected
1
Catch-Release
Colour Coding
All commercial vessesl are required to have colour coding for their respective fishing areas
02
Catch Log
All Captains are required to submit catch log data
03
Lobster (Panulirus Argus)
No person should fish, buy or sell any soft shell (moulting) lobster or female with eggs (berried). It is illegal to remove from any female lobster any eggs or spawn or the setae or fibre to which any eggs or spawn are or have been attached. No person or establishment shall be in possession fillet or diced lobster tail during closed season.
Minimum carapace length is 3-inches
Minimum tail weight is 4-ounces
Minimum carapace length is 3-inches
Minimum tail weight is 4-ounces
Closed season: 1st March to 30th June
NASSAU GROUPER (Epinephelus striatus)
No person shall take, buy, sell or be in possession of any Nassau Grouper which is less than 20-inches or greater than 30-inches in total length.
Closed season: 1st December to 31st March
CONCH (Strombus gigas)
Minimum shell length is 7-inches
Minimum market clean weight is 3-ounces
Minimum fillet weight is 2.75-ounces
Closed season: 1st July to to 30th September or when catch QUOTA is met
Quota
Grazers
It is illegal for any person to take, buy, sell or be in possession of any grazers: any fish of the Scaridae Family, including genus Scarus and Sparisoma and any fish of the Acanthuridae Family, commonly known as Parrot Fish and Tangs.
protected
Boneish • Tarpon • Permit Fish
It is illegal for any person to be in possession of any Bonefish (Albula vulpes), Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), or permit Fish (Trachinotus falcatus). These species are protected and are for CATCH-and-RELEASE only (sport fishing).
Permit-only
HICATEE (Dermatemys mawii)
No person shall sell or purchase hicatee. No person shall be in possession of more than three (3) turtles or transport in any vehicle more than five (5) turtles. Fishing for female hicatee is prohibited if length is greater than 17.2-inches (43cm) or smaller than 15.2-inches (38cm).
Closed season: 1st May to 31st May
Whale Shark · Nurse Shark
No person shall take or kill any of the shark species Rhincodon typus commonly known as whale sharks, or nurse sharks (Ginglymostoma cirratum).
Protected
Coral
It is illegal for any person to take, buy, sell or be in possession of any type of coral. An exception is made in the case of Black Coral (order: Antipatharia) which may only be bought, sold or exported with a license from the Fisheries Administrator.
Permit-only
WHELKS (West Indian Top Shell)
No person shall fish whelks without a special license issued by the Fisheries Administrator. ALL whelks shall be landed with meat.
Minimum diameter is 2.4-inches (62mm)
Minimum diameter is 2.4-inches (62mm)
Closed season: 1st January to 30th September
Permit-only
Marine Turtles
ALL species of turtles are protected. No person should interfere with any turtle nest. It is illegal for any person to be in possession of any marine turtle or its products. No person shall buy, sell or be in possession of any artiles made of turtle shell.
Protected
SHARKS
Shark Fishing can only be done with a special license issued by the Fisheries Administrator.
Shark species requiring a CITES permit for exportation are: large hammerhead species (Sphyrna lewini, S. mokarran, S. zygaena), silky sharks (Carcharinus falciformis), and thresher sharks (Alopias spp).
All sharks shall be landed with the fins attached. No person shall engage in shark finning. No person shall take, buy, sell, posses, or export shark meat or fins during the closed season.
Closed season: 1st May to 31st October
Permit-only
Fish Fillet
All fish laded as fillet shall have a skin patch of at least 2-inches by 1-inch (2"x1").
Florida Stone Crab:
Fishing and export of Florida Stone Crab can only be done with A SPECIAL LICENSE issued by the Fisheries Administrator.
- No person shall fish for stone crabs using a trap without authorization from the Fisheries administrator.
- No person shall take a stone crab using a plastic trap unless it has an escape gap of at least 2 3/8 inches and a biodegradable panel.
- No person shall fish, sell, display, offer for sale, buy, or possess any stone crab during the closed season.
- A licensed person can set traps from September 15th but cannot harvest any crab during that time. No person shall retain or handle stone crab claws with a propodus length of less than 3 inches or the carapace/body of a stone crab.
- Any person catching a stone crab must release it back into the sea immediately after removing the claw.
- No person shall use any device that can puncture, crush, or injure a stone crab's body.
- No person shall fish for stone crabs unless equipped with a ruler or caliper on-board the vessel.
Closed season: 1st July to 30th September
Permit-Only
Fisheries regulation violations incur fines and or incarceration. Illegal fishing threatens our shared Marine Resources.
Stay up to date with fisheries management notices
Updated Forms for Scientific Research and Filming
Application Forms and Guidelines for Scientific Research have been updated and are now available for download.
August 28, 2025
REPORT ILLEGAL FISHING ACTIVITIES
224-4552
or223-2187
Fishing Gear
Marine Reserves. Internal Waters. Fresh Water Bodies.Restrictions on gear LIMIT over-fishing and by-catch waste. This helps to ensure shared benefits for licensed fishers.
Fresh Water Bodies
The following are prohibited
Internal Waters
The following are prohibited
Marine Reserves
The following are prohibited
Apply for a gill net license
Gill nets, where not prohibited, require a license from the Fisheries Administrator