Overview of Belize’s

Marine Protected Areas

Nadia Bood

MAR Reef Scientist

World Wildlife Fund

-Belize has 26.22% of national territory protected.

-36.46% terrestrial realm protected.

- 13.64% marine realm protected.

Source: BERDS

Marine Protected Areas:

- 18 total

- Include:

• Marine reserves• National parks• Natural monuments• Wildlife sanctuaries• SPAGs

Source: BERDS

Name MPA Type StatusCorozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary Inactive

Bacalar Chico* Marine Reserve and National Park Active

Hol Chan Marine Reserve Active

Caye Caulker Marine and Forest Reserve Active

Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary Active

South Water Caye* Marine Reserve Active

Laughing Bird* National Park Active

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve Active

Port Honduras Marine Reserve Active

Sapadillo Cayes* Marine Reserve Active

Half Moon Caye* Natural Monument Active

Blue Hole* Natural Monument Active

Glover's Reef* Marine Reserve Active

Dog Flea SPAG Active

Caye Bokel SPAG Active

Sandbore SPAG Inactive

South Point SPAG Inactive

Caye Glory SPAG Inactive>75%

MPA Name Management Type Management AgencyCorozal Bay Inactive None

Bacalar Chico* Government Fisheries & Forestry

Hol Chan Quasi-government Fisheries & HC Trust Fund

Caye Caulker Co-management Fisheries, Forestry & FAMRACC

Swallow Caye Co-management Forestry & Friends of S. Caye

South Water Caye* Government Fisheries

Laughing Bird* Co-management Forestry & Friends of Nature

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes Co-management Fisheries & Friends of Nature

Port Honduras Co-management Fisheries & TIDE

Sapadillo Cayes* Co-management Fisheries & TASTE

Half Moon Caye* Co-management Forestry & BAS

Blue Hole* Co-management Forestry & BAS

Glover's Reef* Government Fisheries

Dog Flea Co-management Fisheries & UB

Caye Bokel Co-management Fisheries & UB

Sandbore Inactive None

South Point Inactive None

Caye Glory Inactive None

MPA NameEstimated Current Annual Management Costs ($BZ/yr)

Corozal Bay No active management

Bacalar Chico 200,000

Hol Chan 600,000

Caye Cualker 200,000

Swallow Caye ?

South Water Caye 200,000

Laughing Bird 420,000

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes 580,000

Port Honduras 350,000

Sapadillo Cayes 200,000

Half Moon Caye 300,000

Blue Hole 150,000

Glover's Reef 200,000

Dog Flea ?

Caye Bokel ?

Sandbore No active management

Caye Glory No active management

MPA Name

Current Visitation (#/yr)

Domestic Foreign

Corozal Bay ? ?

Bacalar Chico ? 2,700

Hol Chan 4,493*** 51,332***

Caye Cualker 988 16,211**

Swallow Caye ? ?

South Water Caye ? ?

Laughing Bird 1,000* 9,000*

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes 2,500** 6,000

Port Honduras 500 1,000

Sapadillo Cayes 1,000* 2,336

Half Moon Caye 200 9,000*

Blue Hole 200 8,500

Glover's Reef  ? >4,281

Dog Flea ? ?

Caye Bokel ? ?

Sandbore ? ?

South Point ? ?

Caye Glory ? ?

MPA Name

Fee Level ($BZ/day)

Domestic Foreign

Corozal Bay None None

Bacalar Chico None 10 (30/wk)

Hol Chan None 20

Caye Cualker None 10

Swallow Caye None 10

South Water Caye None 10

Laughing Bird 10 20

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes None 20 (60 w shark zone)

Port Honduras None 10

Sapadillo Cayes None 20

Half Moon Caye 2.5 20

Blue Hole None 60

Glover's Reef None 10

Dog Flea None None

Caye Bokel None None

Sandbore None None

South Point None None

Caye Glory None None

MPA Name

Revenue Generated ($BZ/yr)

2003 2004 2005 2006

Corozal Bay  0 0  0  0 

Bacalar Chico  0 0  0  41,160*

Hol Chan 494,526 661,558 897,326  ?

Caye Cualker  0 0  0  162,110*

Swallow Caye     ?  ? 

South Water Caye 0  0  0  43,870

Laughing Bird  ? ?  ?  ? 

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes  ? ?  ?  ? 

Port Honduras  0 0  5,000 35,000

Sapadillo Cayes 0 0 0 46,710

Half Moon Caye  ? ?  ?  ? 

Blue Hole  ? ?  ?  ? 

Glover's Reef  0 0   0 >42,810

Dog Flea  0 0  0  0 

Caye Bokel  0 0 0 0 

Sandbore 0  0  0  0 

South Point 0 0  0  0 

Caye Glory 0  0  0 0 

MPA Name Main Funding Sources

Corozal Bay MBRS??

Bacalar Chico User Fees; GoB; PACT; TNC; MBRS

Hol Chan User Fees

Caye Cualker User Fees; GoB; PACT; MBRS

Swallow Caye User Fees; PACT; UNDP/GEF

South Water Caye User Fees; GoB; PACT; TNC; MBRS

Laughing Bird User Fees; PACT; WWF;TNC; OAK; UNDP/GEF

Gladden Split & Silk Cayes

User Fees; PACT; WWF;TNC; MBRS; OAK; UNDP/GEF

Port Honduras User Fees; TNC; MBRS; OAK; Summit; UNDP/GEF

Sapadillo Cayes User Fees; GoB; PACT (2005); TNC; MBRS; UNDP/GEF

Half Moon Caye User Fees; PACT; TNC; MBRS; OAK; Summit (past); UNDP/GEF

Blue Hole User Fees

Glover's Reef User Fees; GoB; WCS; MBRS

Dog Flea OAK

Caye Bokel OAK

Sandbore None

Caye Glory None

THANK YOU!