A closed season for fishing for shellfish will be in effect from March to June, from Belize to Panama.
The ban aims to protect the species from overfishing in the period of increased reproduction and is effective from the coasts of Belize all the way to Panama.
Central America exports 550,000 tonnes of seafood a year, which represents about $1,900 million.
The main export markets are Central America, Europe and recently Asia.
Mario González Recinos, director of the Central Bureau of Fisheries (OSPESCA) noted that at the last meeting of agriculture, ministers agreed "to prohibit simultaneously from Belize to Panama, shark finning at sea, meaning that these captured marine mammals must be moved to land, and from there the process of commercialization can begin.
Ospesca is the fishing division of the Central American Intgration System. According to their data, over 100.000 households depend on fishing for their daily income. 25% of these are small fishermen.
Governments of the region signed two regional aid covenants with The Billfish Foundation and OSPESCA to benefit the fishing sector.
The website of El Nuevo Diario reports: "The first signed approval of cooperation is for $ 1.5 million designated to protect Marlins in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, to do more sustainable commercial fishing and to incentive sporting fishing to be carried out in a more responsible manner."
español
2175