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NTUCB says gov't can’t afford to ignore coalition

On Wednesday, Elsa Paz, San Pedro's U.D.P. mayor announced that she is joining the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage, the fast growing group that is calling for a ban on offshore drilling for oil. Paz resonated quite clearly that she intended to canvass Manuel Heredia, area representative for San Pedro and Minister of Tourism, to give his support to the coalition. That decision pitted Paz against her own government. Coming on the heels of that bombshell in which the San Pedro town council along with its residents are calling for a ban on offshore drilling, was the announcement that the National Trade Union Congress of Belize was also joining the coalition. According to NTUCB's president, Dylan Renau, the coalition's voice is one which the government can no longer afford to ignore and suggested that GOB should not try to test their strength.

Jose Sanchez

Can the government afford to not listen to the NTUCB?

Dylan Reneau, President, NTUCB

"Government cannot afford to not to listen to us, two and a half years has passed; we have been monitoring what they have been doing, what they said they would have done. And we are of the opinion they have not been as genuine as they came into office. And certainly we are here to use the quote unquote, our power to try and steer them in the right direction. I don't think that government can afford that; honestly they can't afford to fight against the NTUCB right now. The NTUCB has decided to join the coalition. There are certain particular areas that we want to work on. One of them is Labor legislation as it pertains to the oil industry. We have an oil Industry in the country already with B.N.E and looking at our labor laws, certainly they don't do justice to that industry. We also have the issue of the strengthening of legislation that deals with oil industry. We believe that the legislation is not strong enough so we want lend our hand to the coalition to strengthen that legislation because obviously we are under assault. Obviously, we are blessed with oil, so I think it's a matter of trying to set all the cards in place to ensure that we have equity and fairness with the oil industry."

Jose Sanchez

Now, with the call of the coalition, some say ban, some say moratorium, specifically what do you want as N.T.U.C.B with that?"

Dylan Reneau

"Well, ourissue right now, is ban because we're not ready for it, especially for offshore drilling. As we get all the parts in place then maybe if we can do it safely and for the benefit of the country of Belize then we would consider indulging in some of it; but for right now, its ban because we are not ready for it and it will be a catastrophe waiting to happen."

Jose Sanchez

In terms of numbers, how strong is the NTUCB?

Dylan Reneau

"Well certainly, I will just point you back to 2005 and you know what happened then, so we have been quiet, we been grouping, we've been retooling and re-strengthening. So if the government doesn't believe we're strong enough then they will have to test us and see what we can bring to the table."

Channel 5

Hands Across the Sand in solidarity with ban on oil concessions

While the NTUCB, B.T.I.A., COLA, and other coalition members prepare for discussions with government, they are also continuing their outreach and education campaign with the public. This weekend lobster festivals will be celebrated in Placencia and Caye Caulker. But in addition to the festivities, the Coalition to Save Our Natural Heritage is also planning a show of unity called Hands Across the Sand. OCEANA's Vice President for Belize and coalition member, Audrey Shepherd explained how the activity will show support for the cause.

Audrey Matura Shepherd, VP, OCEANA Belize

"This weekend, there is a program called Hands Across the Sand. It's an international program we are organizing in Belize. San Pedro is doing their own, Caye Caulker and Placencia. And what that means, at twelve midday, no matter where you are in the world, twelve o’clock your time you are to stand on your beach and for fifteen minutes join hands as a symbol that you are against offshore drilling. So we're inviting everybody who is going to the Lobster fest in Caye Caulker to join us there and we're also inviting people. San Pedro they are organizing their own and Placencia. It's just symbolism. If it's only ten people, we don't mind. People need to stand up and let the government and world know that our barrier reef, our marine resources will not be drilled in."

Jose Sanchez

"The coalition seems to have all the key players that can bring about change. Do you think we will see the foot marches associated with some of the groups?"

Audrey Matura Shepherd

"That will happen if the government doesn't listen to us. That is definitely not one of the things that is out. This is our public awareness part of campaign and we're making sure we do it. But we also know that we've written to the Prime Minister, we've written to the Minister of Natural Resources, the Minister of Tourism and the Minister of Fisheries because we need to go to the table and speak to them because we're prepared to be diplomatic as well while we continue our public awareness campaign. We have at least gotten an acknowledgement from the Prime Minister about our request and he has asked us to meet with the Minister of Natural Resources. We are in the process of negotiating which date is convenient for both of us. in the meantime, we are also preparing our presentation on the different issues so that they know the immediate issues and our proposed solutions because it's not as though we are only criticizing. We have proposed solutions but they will only know that if they sit at the table with us and speak to us about everything that we see from the people's perspective."

San Pedro will also be joining the Hands Across the Sand activity on Saturday.

Channel 5

I noted on the site that they are doing one in Placencia, Hopkins/Stann Creek and Caye Caulker as well. Where is the meeting place in San Pedro tomorrow?

BP Deep Horizon oil spill threatens the safety of whale sharks

The latest hope for a clean-up of the British petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was announced today. A humongous oil skimming vessel is heading to the gulf to attempt to absorb the contaminated water on either side of its bow. After being separated from the water, the oil is expected to be transferred to another vessel. The water would subsequently be channeled back into the sea. It is a complex operation for a ship which has never been tested. In the meantime the spill which has cost hundreds of millions of dollars so far to clean up, continues to taint more beaches and marine ecosystems. There is now evidence that whale sharks, a species which roam along the coast of Belize, may be the next victim of the spill. News Five's Jose Sanchez reports.

Jose Sanchez, Reporting

Even from satellite photos from space, the spread of the B.P. Deep Water Horizon spill is visible across the Gulf of Mexico. What is now also evident is that the existence of the whale shark, the largest fish species, is now under threat. Researchers in the gulf say that the oil has contaminated areas that the sharks would visit.

Via Phone: Eric Hoffmayer, Asst Research Scientist, University of Southern Mississippi

"Basically we have one research crew where we encountered a hundred animals last week."

Jose Sanchez

"And the animals, where are they heading into the spill?"

Via Phone: Eric Hoffmayer

"We don't know we only have four tags. This was sort of the first stab at getting a few animals tagged. Right now one animal has been reported pretty much on a daily basis but he's hanging around the area where we encountered it. It hasn't moved toward the spill. But we did get an unconfirmed report that they saw three whale sharks within four miles of the well head."

Eric Hoffmayer has been following the species in the gulf.

Eric Hoffmayer

"These animals are in this region to feed. And in the area where the oil spill is, is an essential feeding area for them. It's an essential habitat. And right now we don't know how they are responding to this oil."

In Belize, Whale sharks are visible near Gladden's Spit. Diving with the massive fish has become a staple of the tourism industry for the Placencia Peninsula.

Melanie McField

"They're sensitive and they’re also economically important. Gladden Spit alone is worth more than eight million Belize a year in tourism benefits to the local community. So that's what a recent study by Conservation International found. Those were benefits that were accruing by benefiting the whale sharks-well, for Gladden Spit overall but the main attraction is those whale sharks. There are a few other places in the world that have booming ecotourism from divers that wanna get in the water with these large creatures that are very important to the ecosystem, they're filter feeders, they're not like top predators. So, they're different than most sharks, that's also making them more vulnerable right now because the way they feed, they open that big mouth suck in a lot of water and then they're gills will get trapped, clogged with oil."

"Yes there is migration routes but there is very little known about them. Rachel Gram, with Wildlife conservation Society, has tagged a number of sharks in Belize and they've looked at them and they've gone up past Mexico, into the gulf of Mexico, they've gone down to Honduras. I wasn't able to download her tracks, just to double check where all they've been lately; but I know that they're known to be wide ranging species. So they move around. We don't know the differences some of the young, maybe like the ones we had here are only juveniles. SO where the large ones, those may spend their juvenile years, their teenage years rolling around this area and then they may go somewhere else when they're adults. There's a lot that is unknown about them."

Jose Sanchez

"But there is a possibility that they could have into the further area where the gulf spill is?"

Melanie McField

"I think it's a possibility that that has been shown by some of the tags that she had."

Via Phone: Eric Hoffmayer

"It's completely different up here than what goes on in Belize. They show up during the summer time to feed. And the two big feeding areas are in the mouth of river in the area of the spill which is a very bad situation. In the other possible feeding area, that's about fifty miles from the spill. So, in a couple days these animals could be well within oil."

Jose Sanchez

"Some of the whale sharks had come from the Belize or Honduras area, is that correct?"

Via Phone: Eric Hoffmayer

"Last year, two animals were photographed and within the Eco-Ocean database they showed that they originally photographed, one was from Utilla and one from Belize."

Jose Sanchez

"So essentially the oil spill is affecting areas outside of the U.S. including Belize?"

Via Phone: Eric Hoffmayer

"Yes. I mean the fact that these animals are so large and migrate between regions yes. We are going to see impacts from here that will have wide ranging effects outside U.S. waters."

Hoffmayer says that tagging whale sharks is the best way to monitor them in the region.

Eric Hoffmayer

"We have to start tagging these guys and look at their movements in relation to the oil to determine if indeed they are avoiding it or staying away. Or if they are actually going into it and succumb into the oil."

Melanie McField

"It's not just whale sharks; there are a lot of migratory ocean giants that move around. And they move the distance between Belize and the Gulf of Mexico it's nothing for a tuna, or a marlin, or a sailfish, or a whale shark."

Jose Sanchez

"And then we bring, that we're just starting to explore for oil in our own country; it makes you more concerned doesn't it?"

Melanie McField

"Yeah it is, that 's another concern but it means that things that we do here also have repercussions for species people in other places are depending on. It's all very linked, I mean that's the nature of the ocean. What you do in one place has very wide-ranging effects."

Reporting for News Five Jose Sanchez.

Whale Sharks Damaged in Gulf Oil Spill

A US newspaper article last week reported that Scientists discovered one of the largest aggregations of whale sharks ever sighted in the Northern Gulf of Mexico. But in this week's report in that same newspaper - the news went from encouraging to depressing - as three whale sharks were sighted swimming in heavy oil only four miles from the gushing Deepwater Horizon wellhead. Biologists predict that the oil is going to be sticking to these whale sharks gills and other parts of their bodies.

Now, these could be the same whale sharks that travel through the Gulf of Mexico in migratory routes to Belize and other Central American countries. Today Seven News caught up with Melanie McField who is the Director of the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative and according to her even though we are not directly being affected by the major oil spill in the Gulf, there might be some concerns for some of our wildlife here in Belize. :...

Melanie McField, Director - Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative
"There was an article on the internet today where there were showing actually some whale sharks that were headed towards the oil spill or maybe it was actually in the oil, I haven't seen the video but the point is those whale sharks that are in the gulf, the population seems to be move around, they spotted sharks in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida and I believe Alabama or Mississippi where it's the same sharks that we see here in Belize. It is affecting us even though it's not actually the oil is making its way down here and it is affecting some of the wildlife that we have in Belize."

Monica Bodden
"How are these sharks being affected, they are actually swimming in these areas. What does that mean?"

Melanie McField
"The whale sharks remember they feed on planktons so they are different that most sharks. They open their mouth and skim through plankton and they get trap in there gills and they eat it so the gills would be the part that really gets rake over and that's where you got you exchange of oxygen. They are probably be affected more by clogging of their gills and probably suffocation. The thing is we will never know how many died because sharks unlike other marine mammals when they die they sink. So they die at the bottom of the gulf and no one will ever know, we will never be able to count how many die."

Whale sharks are the largest fish on earth and feed by filtering plankton and tiny fish from the water through a sieve like mechanism in their mouths.....

Channel 7