Summary:
Leadership and industry in the sportfishing community in Guatemala have been very progressive when it comes to the protection of its billfish and the businesses that rely on a healthy fishery. To further these efforts, community leaders have incorporated a 501c3 not-for-profit organization in the United States to help assist in raising funds for various projects relating to the conservation of billfish. This new entity, the Billfish Conservation Project, Inc. (BCP), which is solely dedicated to billfish conservation in the Eastern Central Pacific, provides a new mechanism by which US citizens who enjoy the Guatemalan billfish fishery and wish to support efforts to help protect and enhance this fishery, can make US tax deductible donations.
Mission:
The Billfish Conservation Project, Inc.’s mission is to provide education relating to, and the protection and conservation of, the Billfish species (Istiophoridae).
Situation Overview:
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected fodd secutiry for hundreds of thousands of Guatemala’s most vunerable people. Right now, 1.2 million people are in currently in need of emergency food aid. The country is having a greater impact which is characterized by low public investment, lack of adequate health infrastructure and large gaps in access to basic systems. the Guatemalan government has closed schools and non-essential business, suspended public transport, and significantly reduced market hours. While these measures are important to stop the spread of the virus, many Guatemalans are day workers who will not get paid their meagre salaries if they cannot work. Despite disease control measures that include travel restrictions and border closures. In Guatemala action against hunger is distributing food as well as hygiene and disinfection kits. Sport and recreational fishing have been impacted directly due to closing of boarders and operations in Guatemala for more than 120 days and lost huge part of the fishing season of 2020.
Our response:
- Provide emergency food and essential hygiene supplies to all 135 families in our sportfishing industry
- Provide reusable mask to every family member of the sportfishing community
- Share health and hygiene information related to COVID-19 prevention.
How we helped:
- Donating that provided food and hygiene supplies to sportfishing families.
- Each bag for 26 days for 4 people costs $67 it includes facemasks, antibacterial soap, chlorine, disinfectant, alcohol hand sanitizer, corn flour, beans, vegetable oil, spaghetti, high protein meal, oatmeal, sugar, cereal, milk, rice and salt.
Thanks for your generosity and we look forward to your continued support.
