How RF&G Insurance Contributes To Youth, Sports, and Environment Through BGFA

Over the last decade,  RF&G Insurance Company Limited has been a stalwart supporter of the Belize Game Fish Association—beyond just their Platinum sponsorship. Youth, sports, and the environment: serendipitously, the BGFA intersects all three of RF&G Insurance Company's primary focus areas for social contributions, all for the love of fishing and camaraderie within our 100-plus-person-strong membership. 

After all, sportsmanship and sheer appreciation for our shared marine heritage have been passed down through the generations of members that now make up the Belize Game Fish Association. 

Despite the 13th Belikin Blue Water Classic marking the BGFA's largest tournament to date, RF&G’s uninterrupted and keen support stems from its alignment with our core cause at BGFA: marine conservation. During the 2010s, the association—with the support of our membership—tackled two key campaigns. 

A Shared Stance Behind Climate Change

The first: a strict catch-and-release policy is enforced for all billfish below 250 lbs caught in BGFA tournaments, instead of bringing any Sailfish, Spearfish, White Marlin, and Blue Marlin to the scale. Over a three-year transition period officially enacted pre-pandemic, we took a stance that these pelagic billfish are under so many external pressures including overfishing and rising global temperatures from climate change—our sportfishing in Belizean waters will not be another.   

Snook was one of the target species of gillnets, who saw a massive decline within the one generation. Now, as gillnets are banned from all territorial waters of Belize, the next generation can look forward to their resurgence.

“As an insurance company offering hurricane insurance in the Caribbean, RF&G is greatly concerned about the future impacts that climate change will have on our country,” says Andrew Roe, General Manager of RF&G Insurance Company and current BGFA Vice President of Conservation. “More severe and more frequent storms that are being driven by a changing climate means that RF&G can also anticipate paying out more money in insurance claims in the years to come.” 

That includes encouraging our very own BGFA membership towards preparedness, to weather any storm.   

“Storm and hurricane preparedness is one priority, but we [at RF&G] also feel we are obligated to play an active role in being a part of the solution to climate change. This is why we support organizations like the BGFA that focus on climate resiliency.”

Beyond just tournaments, BGFA members began extending the same catch-and-release policy to all billfish caught even recreationally, too. “We [at RF&G] can admire how the BGFA is constantly pushing its members and the wider fishing community in Belize to adopt international best practices for sports fishing,” Roe continues. 

Belize Bans Gillnets As A Win For All 

Secondly, the Belize Game Fish Association—a proud member of the Coalition for Sustainable Fisheries—played an active role in lobbying for the successful ban on the use and possession of gill nets in the marine waters of Belize in November 2020. In one swift motion, the Government of Belize secured the future of thousands of stakeholders that depend on a healthy marine environment. 

“Those stakeholders who depend on a healthy marine environment are very important to RF&G since many are our clients; fishermen, resort owners, tour guides, and a host of others whose income is derived from the sea. Without a healthy ocean, those people aren’t able to earn a living.” 

Re-defining winning.

Indeed, the trickle-down effect of marine conservation benefits more than just Belizean fishers. And as a family-owned and operated company, community involvement spans more than just sportfishing for RF&G, besides a few staff members also doubling as active BGFA members. 

“Our staff also contribute their time to initiatives like coastal clean-ups and shoreline reforestation. Not only can we play a part in solving this existential problem [of climate change] but also educate our fellow Belizeans on its importance. We strongly encourage others to take action to also be part of the solution.”

Whether that’s through BGFA membership or joining RF&G on a conservation project, the choice is yours.