What we do

The Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) is the most important barrier reef in the western hemisphere and extends for more than 1,000 kilometers along the coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. It begins north of Quintana Roo, Mexico, skirts the coasts of Belize and Guatemala to end in the Bay Islands/Cayos Cochinos complex on the north coast of Honduras. This region is unique for the biodiversity it houses: sea turtles, manatees, more than 65 species of corals and more than 500 species of fish, including the whale shark. The region is characterized by fringing, barrier and atoll reefs, cays, islands, coastal wetlands, reef and coastal lagoons, seagrass beds and mangrove forests. It includes around 70 officially declared Coastal and Marine Natural Protected Areas (CMNPA), which provide critical habitats for feeding, nesting and raising an exceptional diversity of flora and fauna species.

The diversity of natural resources in this area has influenced local cultures for generations; many communities currently subsist from the tourism industry and fishing thanks to the reef. However, threats such as overfishing, poor tourism practices, unregulated coastal development, pollution from land-based sources (untreated sewage, lack of solid waste management, and agrochemicals/fertilizers), along with global threats like climate change, could permanently degrade this valuable global resource. Therefore, an unhealthy reef system would put the health and development of its inhabitants at risk.