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Belize History, Ambergris Caye History
Prior to the 1920's, lobsters were considered "trash fish," more likely to be swept off the dock than harvested. The
waters were "infested" with them, and got caught in the fishermen's nets. A few years later, the spiny lobsters were
being herded like cattle onto the beaches, the clear waters turned red with the herd. By the 1950's, the "trash fish"
were the base of the islands economy.

The lobster export business is highly dependent upon freezer
storage. The lack of competitors to sell to hindered the price
for years. Most freezing equipment was based on the
mainland, and the attempt to get good equipment onto the
island of Ambergris Caye was fought for years. A Captain
Foote came to the island buying lobster for one cent a pound,
later freezer boats and canning began to buy lobsters and
prices crept up slowly. At one point after WW2, a man with a
Catalina seaplane would fly down to the island, fill it with a
few thousand pounds of lobster and fly away to Florida.
Taking the lobster on concession! He still owes local
fishermen for his last load.

The arrival of the freezer vessel Betty Jean marked the introduction of the island to the market. No money was
paid to the islanders until the lobsters were sold, and once a shipment of 4,000 pounds was never paid for.

20-30 foot boats carried the men to the lobster grounds, which began to encompass Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef,
and the Blue Hole as the closer grounds became fished out. This required longer trips, and the method of catch
became skindiving to catch lobsters in the deeper waters. Skindiving is now the hallmark method of the San
Pedrano lobster fisherman.

An attempt to eliminate the middleman was behind the rise of the co-operatives in the 1950's and 1960's. Hard
bargaining and the last minute help of an American freezer company saved the day when the two major buyers
attempted to bust the co-operative in 1960. One company, Del Caribe, announced they would pay a penny a
pound. The fishermen, stuck with a huge opening day harvest, thus with their backs to the wall, had to boycott
both buyers. Butcher Scott held the lobsters in his cold storage long enough for the negotiations to occur. By late
1960, the co-operative was able to sell the 4,000 pounds held in storage. They did better and better each year.

Fishing really started to take off on the island – and the boat were not all that different from the ones used today.
The biggest differences? Today, ice is used and then they used a “live well”. Water circulated through the center of
the boat to keep the catch alive. The boats were out to sea for up to 15 days. AND there was no motor.

Fishing, mainly for snapper, mullet and bonefish, continued. Small scale at first. The pre-Lenten season was the
most active with dried fish being sold as far as Honduras. Much was done using nets, some using fish traps. You
can still see a few on the back side of the island today.

Attempts to organize a co-operative in San Pedro began in late 1961. Every fisherman was contacted, but many
were skeptical. Twenty men finally agreed to join, and letters were filed to begin the process of legality.

In the early 1960s, to unite and get a better price, the Caye Caulker fishing co-op was founded and then a year
later, one in San Pedro. In March 1963, the San Pedro co-operative was registered under the name Caribeña
Producers Co-operative Society Limited. Some had to use their homes and property as collateral.

The Caribbean Queen Company agreed to purchase and export the lobsters under the co-operative's quota. The co-
op received lobsters from the members on the beach in front of the village. After learning from this initial
arrangement, the co-operative attempted to get a freezer plant on the island. When this fell through, and for other
reasons, the co-operative decided to stop selling to Caribbean and begin to deal with a company headed by
Apolonio Alamilla.

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