Three fishermen caught with undersized conch – one takes the fall and fined over $17,000

Published by BBNTEAM at October 5, 2022

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Posted: Wednesday, October 5, 2022. 9:10 pm CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: One of three fishermen caught with over 140 pieces of illegal conchs yesterday has pleaded guilty to the charge thereby sparing his colleagues.

The trio, 34-year-old, Alexander Luberth Harris, 48-year-old, Juan Carlos Olivares-Palacio, and 25-year-old, Rene Cristales Galvez, appeared in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court this morning, each answering to a charge of possession of undersized conch.

In court, Harris wasted no time in pleading guilty to the charge, prompting prosecutors to withdraw the charge against the other two accused.

Harris was fined $10,000 plus a $5.00 cost of court, as the Magistrate took into consideration that this was his first offense for the possession of undersized conchs. He was additionally fined $50 for each of the 141 pieces of conch that was under three ounces, which added up to $7,050, for a total fine of $17,050.00.

The men were caught on Tuesday, October 4, with the illegal fishery on a vessel named “Mahajan” which was found East of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll.

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