Marty, the report itself is reasonable and pretty comprehensive. As a sport fisherman (whatever that is) myself, I welcome the findings and recommendations although I would like to see the inshore protected areas extended to the whole coastline of Belize (why not?) The recommendations for fish handling, unhooking and general care of fish are very much in line with common practice for catch and release in the UK, and are also to be welcomed.
However I cannot resist a wry smile that Ecoworks who wrote the report, lecturing the reader on the dangers of dredging in shallow water sites and cutting mangroves, for juvenile fish conservation, is the very same organisation who tried to justify in their Environmental Impact Assessment at a public consultation last year in Punta Gorda, dredging a shallow beach in Southern Belize, unworkable sewerage arrangements at the same site, and drastic water extraction from a nearby lake, to name but one of several in my view environmentally disastrous developments,they have proposed on behalf of clients.
I look forward to their next public planning consultation with great anticipation to enquire which of their several hats they are wearing today!
This is an excellent example (but not the first) of he who pays the piper calls the tune.