In a recent patrol of the Port Honduras Marine Reserve, rangers from the Toledo Institute
for Development and Environment (TIDE) discovered a dead hawksbill turtle caught in an
illegal gillnet set on the coral reefs. The environmental NGO, which manages Sapodilla
Cayes and Port Honduras, regularly faces challenges from illegal fishers crossing the
border from Guatemala and harming Belize’s fragile marine ecosystem. After retrieving and
confiscating the gillnet, TIDE continues to investigate the incident, though no arrests have
been made so far. The organization remains vigilant, in protecting local wildlife and the
health of Belize’s reefs for future generations.