Ocean lovers unite in 2014 Annual General Meeting of Wavemakers
Press Release Date: November 11, 2014
Location: Belize City, Belize
Contact:
The challenges confronting Belize’s marine environments include illegal, destructive and over-fishing, the threat of offshore oil, and climate change. But with the support and hard work of dedicated Belizean activists, known as Wavemakers, Oceana in Belize continues to empower and inspire others to do their part to help protect our country’s precious marine resources.
On Saturday, November 8th, Belizean Wavemakers gathered at Oceana in Belize’s country office in the City of Belmopan to participate in the membership’s 2014 annual general meeting. Oceana in Belize Vice President Janelle Chanona reported on the latest developments in our ongoing campaigns to ban offshore oil, increase protection for juvenile fish and remove gillnets from the list of legal fishing gear. Additionally, National Grassroots Coordinator Amelita Knowles provided Wavemakers with a list of upcoming activities and events, including the Ride for Belize, Ride with Oceana bicycle ride from Corozal to Punta Gorda scheduled for November 27th to November 30th.
Former Wavemakers of the Year Victor Alamina and talk show host Evan “Mose” Hyde also addressed the gathering and encouraged Wavemakers to continue to embrace the responsibility of being proactive stewards of Belize’s precious marine resources. As Hyde put it, “We must always be willing to speak and act on behalf of what cannot do so for itself.” Alamina shared, “Belizeans are gregarious but we need to harness that energy into being leaders. Our resources deserve no less.”
With the support of more than half a million Wavemakers around the world, Oceana has already protected more than a million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and other sea creatures. But there is still more to be done and we need your help to protect and restore the ocean. For more information on how you can do your part as a Wavemaker, please contact National Grassroots Coordinator, Amelita Knowles at 822-2792 or 610-4874.
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