Fisherman who caught undersized conch in marine reserve fined almost $20,000

By Aaron Humes: Wilder Jesael Linarez, 32, a fisherman and resident of Chunox Village, Corozal District, pleaded guilty to possession of undersized conchs.

Fisheries authorities say that on March 20, within Glovers Reef Marine Reserve, he and two others from Orange Walk and Placencia were found in possession of 243 unprocessed conch which did not exceed seven and a half ounces in weight.

Linarez was fined $7,000 plus $5.00 cost of court due by December 20, in default 1 year imprisonment, and $50 penalty per conch which comes up to $12,150 which he was ordered to pay by February 28, 2025, in default of payment, distress. Linarez thus owes a total of $19,155 altogether.

On Wednesday, March 20, at about 11:30 a.m., Fisheries officers were doing routine patrol north of Glovers Reef Marine Reserve when they came across a blue skiff and its three occupants.

The three men were acting very suspiciously and the officers searched the immediate area where approximately 15 feet away from their skiff they saw a blue object behind a patch in the water. It was a bag containing 243 undersized unprocessed conchs.

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