HCMR
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
The protected area lies on a submarine extension of the Yucatan Platform, a drowned low-relief limestone platform that forms the reef lagoon, stretching from the Belize coastline to the reef crest and drop off. The Marine Reserve itself includes art of this platform, extending to the fore-reef, Boca Ciega, a collapsed sink hole and associated cave system within Zone C, being characteristic of this limestone landscape. It also includes the Hol Chan Channel, with a width of 23m and near vertical sides that drop to a depth of 10m.
With the new expansion of the reserve, it now consists of eight zones, an increase from the previous four zones making the reserve six times bigger.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve is under the jurisdiction of the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Forestry, Fisheries and Sustainable Development, with the establishment of a Board of Trustees in 1994 for the purpose of directing and managing the affairs of the Reserve’ (SI 170 of 1994). As a Marine Reserve, it is managed for a combination of regulated extractive and non-extractive uses.
With the new expansion of the reserve, it now consists of eight zones, an increase from the previous four zones making the reserve six times bigger.
Rules and Regulations
General Rules
General Rules for Snorkelers
General Rules for Recreational Commercial Vessels
Zone A (Hol Chan Channel)
Zone D (Shark Ray Alley)
Zone E (Bajos)
Zone H (Mexico Rocks, No-Take-Zone)
Zone F (Cayo Frances)
Zone G (General Use Mexico Rocks)
Programs
Management and Conservation
The preservation of areas of critical habitat for several endangered species such as the reef and turtle grass beds for turtles and the mangrove areas for manatees. To regulate the use of the area by tourists and fishermen to prevent its over exploitation.
Education and Outreach
Hol Chan provides ecology and conservation lessons to tertiary and primary schools each year, making an effort to educate all on topics such as Marine reserves, Coral reef ecology, Mangroves, Seagrass, Queen conch, Sea turtles and Manatees.
Research and Monitoring
Marine protected areas in Belize are established as fisheries management tools. They are zoned into no-take areas (areas of no fishing) and general use areas (areas with some extractive uses). Two economically important fisheries product that Reserves play a major role in protecting their populations are conch and lobster.
