Conservation

A series of socialization sessions to discuss the development of a National Seagrass Policy is currently taking place across Belize. One of the stakeholder engagement sessions was held in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, on May 21st, where several suggestions were shared on how best to manage the country’s extensive seagrass meadows, which are critical for fisheries, coastal protection, and carbon sequestration. The new policy aims to curb damage caused by dredging, coastal construction, and pollution.

A coalition of several of Belize’s leading conservation and environmental organizations issued a joint release on May 18th calling on the Government of Belize to strengthen protections for the country’s coastal areas and marine ecosystems. One of the coalition’s strongest demands was for a halt to approvals for coastal developments, arguing that mangrove forests, fishing and nursery grounds, and portions of the Belize Barrier Reef System continue to face growing threats from what they described as unsustainable development practices.

Leilany Cruz of Isla Bonita Elementary School captured first place at the Hol Chan Reef Week 2026 Kids Trivia Competition held on Wednesday, May 20th, at the San Pedro Lion’s Den. After three rounds and two tie-breaker rounds, Adalee Novelo of New Horizon Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) School secured second place, while Justin Lara of San Pedro Roman Catholic (RC) School placed third. The event, hosted by Hol Chan Marine Reserve as part of its Reef Week activities, brought together 14 primary school students from San Pedro and Caye Caulker to test their knowledge of Belize’s marine environment.

The Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA) is taking a firm and unequivocal position regarding the increasing environmental concerns surrounding ongoing mining, dredging, coastal alteration, and mangrove degradation activities impacting the Placencia Lagoon and Ambergris Caye areas.

We the undersigned, on behalf of our respective organizations, write to formally and forcibly register our profound and collective frustration and disappointment regarding the management and protection of our sensitive marine and coastal ecosystems. Across Belize, citizens are witnessing the daily degradation of mangrove forests, seagrass beds, beaches, fishing flats and coral reefs, resulting in biodiversity loss and to the detriment of the tens of thousands of Belizeans who depend on these ecosystems. And yet repeated requests for meaningful dialogue and transparency regarding proposed developments, even just the status of required permits, are continually ignored. Effective marine and coastal conservation and climate resilience targets cannot be achieved without the active engagement of local leaders, conservationists, scientists, and frontline communities. Sustainable development cannot take place in an environment that is continuously degraded.

As part of its ongoing efforts to protect Belize’s marine ecosystem and maintain safe access to popular tourism sites, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve team in San Pedro replaced damaged mooring buoys and pick-up lines on May 8th. The repairs come after a local tour guide reported missing and damaged equipment at several key locations, including Chato’s, Shark Ray Alley, Mexico Rocks, and Hol Chan. Rangers responded quickly, replacing six mooring buoys, two pick-up lines, and one demarcation buoy to help prevent reef damage caused by improper anchoring.

Several coastal communities across Belize, including the Cayes, continue to battle the growing threat of erosion. To address the ongoing issue, the Government of Belize has launched a new initiative, “Enhancing the Resilience of Belize’s Coastal Communities to Climate Change Impacts,” with a US$4 million investment. The project, led by the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT), aims to strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities, ecosystems, and related infrastructure.

Eco Mar, a long-standing marine conservation organization, visited San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, from April 22nd to 24th, to promote its newly launched Eco Ambassador Program. Executive Director Linda Searle and Outreach Coordinator Bianca Chan met with local businesses during the visit, highlighting the certification initiative designed for tourism operators and coastal enterprises committed to sustainability.