turneffe atoll

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.

The resurgence of Belize's reef sharks, a significant conservation success story, is a result of the dedicated efforts of the MarAlliance team. With a history in shark research and fishing dating back to 1985, they have played a pivotal role in this transformation. Despite the bleak outlook for years, with iconic species like sawfish disappearing and great hammerhead sightings becoming rare, researchers have been documenting a remarkable recovery at key monitoring sites since 2022. Turneffe Atoll, for instance, saw a tenfold increase in Caribbean reef shark numbers since 2014.

A 28-year-old U.S. national and resident of Caye Caulker, Spencer Eisenberg, has been charged with Manslaughter by Negligence following the fatal boating incident of 70-year-old American tourist Jeffrey Le Beau. Le Beau was on vacation in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, and was participating in a scuba diving tour to Turneffe Atoll on Sunday, March 23, when he was struck and killed by a speeding boat.

On Wednesday, November 6th, the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) launched its mobile app during an event in Belize City. The app is designed to enhance visitors' sustainable tourism experience and offers a comprehensive and interactive guide that integrates essential information and features to enrich users' experiences at Turneffe. The app is available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play for Android devices.

Eight San Pedro residents were involved in a boating accident on Wednesday afternoon, February 28th, prompting the Belize Coast Guard (BCG) to conduct a search and rescue operation between the Turneffe Atoll and English Caye. The operation managed to locate everyone; however, one of the islanders did not survive the ordeal. The deceased was identified as Sylvio Camara, a former teacher from San Pedro.

On November 2nd, Category 1 Hurricane Lisa battered a section of the Belize Barrier Reef system by Turneffe Atoll as the storm moved towards mainland Belize. The damage caused to the fragile corals became a concern as it was unknown where the resources would come from to assess and restore the affected areas. That problem was soon resolved after a $175,000 payout under the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) Insurance Programme was issued to finance an immediate reef response.

Under the Ministry of the Blue Economy and the collaboration of local and international experts, Belize has been making significant efforts to protect marine species. One milestone that became a reality on June 25, 2021, was the establishment of a protected area of 1,500 square miles around Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Glover’s Reef, and Turneffe Atoll, where shark fishing is no longer allowed. The country’s efforts in shark conservation were discussed by shark expert Dr. Demian Chapman when he was a guest on the popular United States television show, The Ellen Show.

A press conference to announce a new and unique dive site in Belize was held on Monday, August 30th in Belize City. The dive destination will involve a shipwreck in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve area treating scuba divers to a new underwater world to explore while providing a natural and protected haven for marine life. The plan is to submerge a 375-foot ship called WitConcrete that once operated as a sugar cargo vessel. The ship, built after World War II, will soon be sunk at a dive site known as ‘the Oasis,’ a stone’s throw from nearby caye resorts.