Bonefish & Tarpon Journal - Spring 2021

Parker and his father, José. Photo: John Wolstenholme

BTT Welcomes Parker Ucan Bertram as Youth Ambassador

BY MIRANDA WOLFE

Nine-year-old Parker Mateo Ucan Bertram is not only BTT’s youngest Youth Ambassador, but the first from Mexico. His sincere passion for fishing and marine conservation is evident in his application for the program. “Conservation is important to me because we live in nature,” he wrote. “We have to take care of our natural resources so we have a place to fish, swim and enjoy.”

Parker was taught to fish before he can remember by his father, BTT Conservation Captain and renowned guide, José Ucan, but he possesses a talent on the flats that no one could teach. According to his mother, Lily Bertram, who co-owns La Pescadora Lodge in Punta Allen with her husband, José, “He has been hand-lining since he was a toddler, and a friend gave him his first fly rod when he was four.”

After landing his first bonefish that same year, Parker went on to catch both his first tarpon and first permit on fly before his ninth birthday—as well as his first grand slam! With his angling skills and passion for conservation, it’s no wonder that Belize-Mexico Program Coordinator Dr. Addiel Perez nominated him to become a BTT Youth Ambassador.

While he normally fishes on the town dock in his hometown of Punta Allen, in front of his parents’ lodge or in Ascension Bay, Parker says he’ll cast a line “wherever I am that has water!” His favorite species to catch are barracuda, cubera snapper and, of course, bonefish. In a recent interview with BTT, Parker was excited to share about his favorite fishing trip to Las Salinas, Cuba, where he caught a whopping six bonefish in just two hours. He also was quick to add that it was not the most he’s ever caught in one day, admitting “I dunno” when asked how many fish he landed on his best day on the water. There were too many to count!

Despite a fishing record that rivals that of a much older angler, Parker is only a fourth-grade student at the primary school in Punta Allen. His favorite subject is “formación ética y civic,” (ethics and civics). When he’s not on the water or in school, Parker enjoys spending time cooking and baking, fly-tying, playing soccer and hunting for scorpions.

When he’s not on the water or in school, Parker enjoys spending time cooking and baking, fly-tying, playing soccer and hunting for scorpions.

Parker has had the opportunity to grow up in an incredibly unique ecosystem. Punta Allen lies in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Quintana Roo. The Mayan name “Sian Ka’an” translates roughly to “birthplace of the sky,” perfectly illustrating the beauty of the region. Punta Allen, the largest town in the reserve, sits on the shores of Ascension Bay, one of the two massive bays that define Sian Ka’an. The bay’s various ecosystems provide shelter for marine wildlife and vegetation, resulting in a picturesque area to fish on pristine flats.

Parker with an Ascension Bay bonefish.

Photo: John Wolstenholme

Growing up on the crystal-clear waters of Ascension Bay not only established Parker as a strong angler but also as a dedicated conservationist. When on the flats, he is sure to only drink from reusable water bottles and pack his lunch in a lunchbox instead of a plastic bag. In an effort to keep the waters of Ascension Bay as beautiful as they always have been, Parker, his mother and little brother, Romeo, often head to the beaches to clean up any trash left behind by visitors or washed ashore during storms. During their most recent clean-up, the boys and their mother collected and properly disposed of “flip flops, toothbrushes, bottles, bottle caps (“so many bottle caps”), combs, disposable utensils…” The list goes on. A young man wise beyond his years, Parker told BTT, “It’s important to pick up trash and make sure our trash doesn’t end up in the water. It makes me sad to see all the trash washed up. As a global community, we need to stop throwing our trash into the ocean.”

As a BTT Youth Ambassador, Parker looks forward to inspiring fellow anglers to join him in protecting our oceans and beaches. He is also eager to teach his peers about proper fishing practices in order to ensure a healthy future for the fish in Ascension Bay and beyond.

Miranda Wolfe is Bonefish & Tarpon Trust's Marketing & Communications Intern and the Editorial Assistant for Bonefish & Tarpon Journal. She studied environmental sustainability, French language and Literature at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.