Conch poaching in Marine Park

[JFS]

The other day I found a mass amount of conch that were poached in the marine park. I would estimate around 100 conch over a 150 foot area just at the beginning of where Palancar Caves is and in the shallows ( which is closer to Columbia Shallow). There was a ban on conch harvesting that lasted about 10 years and ended in 2019 so now with increased demand in restaurants, we are seeing this in the marine park now. Here is link to my video Conch Poaching Palancar

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

No surprise here.

 

[34109411]

poor local will tell you they have the right to take them because they are starving. For them it s an income and or they feed there family.

The same apply in san pedro and caye caulker belize.

When population a struggling they need to survive.

Give them job, good salaries, education they will stop, otherwise it will go on.

Simple has that.

 

[scrane]

It's a Cash crop. Hungry or not, some people will steal.

 

[gopbroek]

poor local will tell you they have the right to take them because they are starving. For them it s an income and or they feed there family.

The same apply in san pedro and caye caulker belize.

When population a struggling they need to survive.

Give them job, good salaries, education they will stop, otherwise it will go on.

Simple has that.

BS excuse. It poaching for profit.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

poor local will tell you they have the right to take them because they are starving.

Uh-Huh. Of course they would while loading the conchs into their Contender. Just like I have the right to catch and keep 6 inch hogfish and undersize lobster.

 

[The Chairman]

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[ggunn]

BS excuse. It poaching for profit.

Poaching for profit
or
Poaching to feed their families

The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

[The Chairman]

The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

While they might not be, the reefs are what bring a significant amount of tourism and money to the island. Anything that hurts that hurts the total economy and thus the poachers as well.

 

[ggunn]

While they might not be, the reefs are what bring a significant amount of tourism and money to the island. Anything that hurts that hurts the total economy and thus the poachers as well.

Of course, but human beings are not renowned for taking the wider and long view.