Belize is advancing efforts to protect its coastal zones with the release of the updated Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) regional guidelines for 2025–2030. Officially made public on May 27, the draft guidelines are now open for public review and aim to strike a balance between economic development and environmental protection, placing San Pedro Town and the wider Ambergris Caye region at the forefront of national planning.
The National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan is a comprehensive policy framework for the sustainable use, conservation, and management of Belize’s coastal resources. It prioritizes climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and community well-being across coastal areas.
San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye: A Region Under Pressure
Ambergris Caye, home to approximately 15,500 residents and the vibrant town of San Pedro, relies heavily on tourism and fishing, its two main economic drivers. However, this prosperity has come with environmental costs. The updated guidelines classify much of the region’s coral reefs as “high risk,” citing development, tourism, and marine traffic impacts. Additionally, unchecked infrastructure expansion and dredging threaten critical ecosystems like mangroves and seagrass beds.
The guidelines underscore San Pedro’s high vulnerability to climate change. Flood mapping data projects that in 2050, floodwaters from tropical cyclones could exceed 3.2 meters in height. Coastal erosion, particularly along the eastern shorelines, could result in shoreline retreat of up to 30 meters under extreme scenarios.
The draft ICZM guidelines propose a series of targeted actions to address these threats. These include enforcing zoning regulations and limiting expansion into sensitive ecosystems; promoting eco-friendly tourism and regulating recreational activities to reduce pressure on reefs and seagrass beds; and mandating the conservation and restoration of mangrove and seagrass areas. The guidelines also call for strict dredging and land reclamation controls, particularly on the island’s eastern side, and for strengthened coordination between local authorities and national agencies. One recommendation suggests considering the designation of Ambergris Caye as a separate district to enhance local governance. Additional proposals include supporting public-private partnerships to improve waste disposal, sewage, and water systems to reduce marine pollution, investing in green infrastructure, such as mangrove buffers, to mitigate flooding and erosion, and developing community-based disaster response plans. The guidelines also emphasize enforcing sustainable fishing practices, including seasonal closures and size regulations, and resolving cross-border fisheries disputes with Mexico. The draft was developed through extensive consultations with stakeholders in San Pedro, ensuring that local perspectives inform the proposed path forward.
Alignment with the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development
In May 2025, IDOM, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), published the Strategic Plan for Sustainable Development of Ambergris Caye. This plan complements the ICZM guidelines by addressing urban growth, climate vulnerabilities, and the island’s carrying capacity.
The Strategic Plan focuses on sustainable urban development and climate adaptation and outlines key infrastructure needs, potential financing mechanisms, land-use strategies, and stakeholder coordination. It also includes a carrying capacity model and a tourism impact assessment, both crucial to maintaining Ambergris Caye’s long-term viability as a tourism hub.
The ICZM guidelines are expected to align with and reinforce the recommendations outlined in this Strategic Plan, creating a cohesive strategy for the island’s future.
The draft ICZM guidelines include a four-year implementation and monitoring framework, with periodic reviews to address evolving challenges. The public is invited to provide feedback on the guidelines from May 27 to June 30, 2025, before the final version is adopted.
The draft ICZM guidelines can be reviewed at www.coastalzonebelize.org/coastal-planning-monitoring-program-unit/. Similar guidelines were made for Caye Caulker, Turneffe Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the Southern Coastal Areas, and the Northern Coastal Areas.
