Belize Increases Size of Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve!

The Belize government expanded the size of the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve by seven times its original size!   The reserve is now 1,300 square kilometers (500 square miles), which is about the size of Los Angeles, California or Phoenix, Arizona!

Reef Conservation International’s home base is on Tom Owens Caye which is located in the Sapodilla Caye Marine Reserve and we could not be more thrilled by this news.

The Belize government has recognized the ecological importance of this reef complex area of the Belize Barrier Reef which has been threatened by illegal fishing not only from Belize but by Guatemala and Honduras.   Hence, this expansion will help to discourage illegal fishing and ReefCI will of course continue our work in protecting it from invasive species below the water.