AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Chat Area Fishing License Question

I will be in Belize for 3 weeks starting at the end of this month. During my visit, I would like to do a little fishing in the local rivers and off the islands. I don't intend to do any major sport fishing, just want to catch a few to eat. I've been trying to find the answer to this question: Do I need to purchase a license and if so, do I need to buy 3 1-week permits for the 3 weeks I'll be in Belize (fishing on and off)? Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

Tammy,

The best place to get this information is from your fishing guides. Contact them and they will tell you what is necessary for the sort of fishing you are planning.

And, if you don't like what one guide tells you, ask another.
Here is a letter describing some of the confusion with this poorly designed and written law.
http://www.amandala.com.bz/index.php?id=9555

I believe some of the issues raised in that letter have been addressed, but there still seems to be ample confusion.

I've fished with guides and the Captain was checked by the police and Park Rangers, but we were never ask about a license. I've also fished at the south end of the island and several docks North and South (those that did not post "No Fishing") and have never been checked.

Just lucky, I don't think so. Hint, most of the grocery stores sell frozen sardines for a couple of BZ. It is stinky when it defrost, it works and all the locals use it!!!!!!

Good luck and tight lines!!!!!

I don't think there is any question that a tourist fishing is legally supposed to have a license. The real question is how effectively is it being enforced?

I thought the Sport Fishing License (the one for tourists) was for those fishing only Permit, Tarpoon, and Bonefish. No?

If that is the case, you are on to something for those expats wanting to start a business in Belize and live happily in paradise. They could make signs in fish language to be attached just above the hook saying, "permit, tarpon and bonefish do not take this bait as it is only for snapper", therefore keeping the fisherman legal.

HA!

There lies some of the confusion. When you read that it states that a license is required for "sport fishing". It also refers to a new regulation that requires the "three main species", tarpon, permit and bonefish to be catch and release.
Most believe that is written to require a license for those "sport fishing" just as a license is required for commercial fishing and when doing so, if a permit, tarpon or bonefish is caught, they must be released.

And, with the maximum penalty being six months in jail, just think what would happen to tourism if they had caught McAfee fishing without a license and thru him in jail for six months.
Or Azbob and Captain Jeff.

PS: unfortunatly I don't think this discussion has answered the original question. If someone could contact Billie Leslie, President of the San Pedro Tour Guides Assoc., maybe he could answer the question or better yet, direct those interested to the information if it is published anywhere. That is published anywhere in a fashion that could be understood.