BELIZE REEF

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

INTRODUCTION

The reservation system of Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs that are located at varying distances from the coast of Belize, 300 yards from shore in the north and 40 km, in the south. Its length is approximately 300 kilometers and is part of the Mesoamerican Reef, the second set of largest coral reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. It is the most important tourist destination in Belize, drawing half of its 260,000 visitors, it is vital to its fishing industry (Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy, 2004).

It is measured that this reef started to form around 500 million years before the existence of man. It is among the largest coral reefs of Caribbean Sea and planet. It contains an attractive formation known as Eye, which is above one atoll reef. It contains a highly diverse species, which include soft coral species like sea fans brain coral hard, Shark reef, and lemon sharks

A lot of colored fishes are also present in this reef and these fishes can be confused with the coral reef, as it is stated to a home of large marine life. The area of this reef is about 350 KM long and 25 KM from the coast. It makes a bright whiter line to Cayo Ranguana in the South (Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy, 2004).

The combined effects of hurricanes and very warm waters can have a devastating effect on the reefs, which Belize has experienced with Hurricane Mitch (1998), since there was a 50% loss of coral life in 1997-1998, due to sedimentation and hurricane rains. Charles Darwin described it as the most important barrier of the West Indies in 1842.

DISCUSSION

The Diversity of Life Forms Found In the Area

It covers an area of 96,300 ha, on the coast of Belize. It is a habitat consisting of atolls, mangroves and keys of various sizes and houses many endangered species such as manatees, sea turtles, or American crocodile. It contains distinguished 178 species of vascular plants and 247 floras, it also counted more than 500 varieties of fish, 65 coral and 350 molluscs. Other common species in the area are the frigate birds, brown pelicans and cormorants. There are at the same time, some Mayan settlements such as San Juan, on the East Coast Reserve Bacalar Chico (Belize Institute of Environmental Law and Policy, 2004).

They differ in three areas: the North, the average depth varies from two to three meters, reaching up to six meters. The second area in southern Belize reaches 65 feet deep in the Gulf of Honduras. The third area, in Glovers Reef, the depth reaches 300 and 400 meters west and over a thousand meters to the east.

Reserve System Barrier Reef of Belize comprises the following areas:

National Park and Marine Reserve Bacalar Chico.

Blue Hole Natural Monument (Blue Hole).

Half-Moon Cay Natural Monument (Half Moon ...