New surveillance program will help government enforce fishing regulations

New York (July 22, 2014)鈥�Seeking to gain a high-tech edge over illegal fishers, the Government of Belize will use 鈥渆yes in the sky鈥� to enforce fishing regulations in the biodiverse Glover鈥檚 Reef Marine Reserve and other reef systems in what is the first use of conservation drones to monitor marine protected areas.

With technical assistance from the 菊花视频, the Belize Fisheries Department initiated a new monitoring program using unmanned aerial vehicles (i.e. conservation drones) to curtail unsustainable levels of illegal fishing. Besides coastal development, unregulated and unreported fishing are some of the largest threats to Belize鈥檚 fishing industry.

鈥淏elize has been a leader in the establishment of marine protected areas, including the world-famous Glover鈥檚 Reef Marine Reserve, but fishing regulations are difficult to enforce on the open sea,鈥� said Julio Maaz, Communities Fisheries Coordinator for WCS鈥檚 Marine Program in Belize. 鈥淒rones offer a means of improving the rate of detection of illegal activities at a fraction of the cost required for patrol vessels.鈥�

Conservation drones also are being used for wildlife monitoring and for support in the enforcement of terrestrial protected areas. The unmanned aerial vehicles can fly autonomously for over an hour at a time with a range of more than 50 kilometers, and are capable of taking high-resolution photographs and video.

Program participants from WCS, the Belize Fisheries Department, and Conservation Drones.org fully implemented the drone program in early June, following testing that began last July. The drones will enable government officials to remotely locate fishing vessels illegally operating in marine protected areas or in areas with seasonal closures. Once located, patrol vessels can conduct seagoing searches more efficiently.

Drones will also allow government officials to monitor for illegal activities in coastal areas, which are often hidden from view by mangrove forests. Fishers have been known to hide illegal conch catches in these coastal forests.

WCS has also provided key technical support for the government鈥檚 revision of the National Fisheries Act, expected to be passed later this year. The act includes numerous improvements for the country鈥檚 legal framework for fisheries management, including rights-based reform and an adherence to ecosystem-based standards.

鈥淭his exciting new enforcement tool will help the government and local communities protect their most valuable assets鈥攖he fisheries and coral reefs of Belize鈥檚 coastal waters,鈥� said Dr. Caleb McClennen, Executive Director of WCS Marine Conservation. 鈥淭he world鈥檚 oceans are in dire need of low cost innovations for improving the cost efficiency and effectiveness of enforcement efforts. This represents an exciting pilot program for Belize, the wider Caribbean, and nearshore marine parks and fisheries around the world.鈥�

CONTACT:
JOHN DELANEY: (1-718-220-3275; jdelaney@wcs.org)
MAX PULSINELLI: (1-718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org)

菊花视频 (WCS)
MISSION: WCS saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, conservation action, education, and inspiring people to value nature. VISION: WCS envisions a world where wildlife thrives in healthy lands and seas, valued by societies that embrace and benefit from the diversity and integrity of life on earth. To achieve our mission, WCS, based at the Bronx Zoo, harnesses the power of its Global Conservation Program in more than 60 nations and in all the world鈥檚 oceans and its five wildlife parks in New York City, visited by 4 million people annually. WCS combines its expertise in the field, zoos, and aquarium to achieve its conservation mission. Visit: ; ; Follow: @thewcs.

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