BELIZE OCEAN PLAN: Deep Waters Target for 30% Marine Protection Pledge...

Belize is proposing three new offshore marine protected areas to reach its 30% ocean protection goal under a 2021 debt-for-nature agreement that restructured $553 million of the country's sovereign debt. The plan avoids restricting nearshore fishing grounds—already over 50% protected for coral and seagrass—by targeting underrepresented deepwater ecosystems instead. Local fishers support the move since it leaves their traditional fishing zones open, but marine scientists warn the approach won't address Belize's most pressing problem: recovering depleted commercial fish stocks that depend on nearshore habitats.