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Reserve Zoning


Replenishment zones are an important fisheries management tool for marine reserves.  The zoning process for Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve considered the needs of the Reserve for ensuring sustainability based upon scientific information at hand and input from stakeholders.
    







Zone I: Mauger Caye
       
Zone IIA: Dog Flea Caye 
   
Zone IIB: GrassyCaye
    
Zone III: Vincent'sLagoon   
Zone IV: Blackbird Caye
                
Zone V:  Long Bogue 
              
Zone VI: The Elbow 
              
             
Zone VII: Crickozeen 
                 Preservation Zone

  The General Use Zone      Encompasses the remainder
 of the Reserve
 Zone Type
 Hectacres
 Acres
 % of MPA
              General Use Zone
 111,577.32
275,712 
 84.7%
              Conservation Zones
 15,424.05
 38,113.51
11.7%
              Special Management Zones
 3,499.39
 8,647.15
 2.7%
              Preservation Zone
 1,189.30
 2,938.80
 0.9%
TOTALS
 131,690.06
 325,411.91
 100.%

 

 

Turneffe Atoll Zones by Type 


    NAME  ZONE TYPE  ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Zone I
Mauger Caye  Conservation Zone Spawning aggregation site
Zone IIA             
Dog Flea Caye Conservation Zone Spawning aggregation site
Zone IIB
Grassy Caye/ Cockroach Special Management Area Conch nursery area-conch harvesting not allowed
Zone III
Northern/Vincent's Lagoon      Special Management Area Only existing fishermen will allowed to fish here.
Zone IV
Blackbird Caye Conservation Zone Spawning aggregation site
Zone V
Long Bogue Conservation Zone  Only Central Lagoon area
Zone VI
The Elbow Conservation Zone  Spawning aggregations site
Zone VII
Crickozeen Creek Preservation Zone
 Manatee Area.
Zone VIII
The remainder of Turneffe Atoll General Use Zone
 

Zoning Rules and Regulations

General Use Zone

  1. Only persons with commercial, sport, subsistence and recreational   fishing license shall be permitted to fish on the Turneffe Atoll.
  2. No person shall be permitted to use beach traps, seine or gill nets, or long lines in the Marine Reserve.
  3. No person within the Marine Reserve should cast or drag any anchor in any manner that may damage coral reef formation.
  4. Fishermen catching lobster shall possess such lobster while in the   Marine Reserve as tails within the carapace but not as fillet, and conch as whole or market clean, not filleted or diced.
  5. No clearing of mangroves shall be conducted without the approval of the Forest Department and the Management Board.
  6. No collection of flora and fauna shall be conducted except with permission from the relevant permitting authority and the Management Board.
  7. No dredging shall be conducted without the approval of the Fisheries Department and the Management Board. 
  8. All proposed tourism development must go through the EIA process, and be conducted following relevant guidelines and legislation, with adequate monitoring.


Conservation Zones

Conservation Zones follow the same regulations as those for the General Use Zone, but are more restricted in terms of activities, with additional regulations in place primarily ensuring a no-take regime and guiding tourism activities.

The Conservation Zones have identical management regimes, and provide areas free from commercial fishing, undisturbed replenishment areas for recruitment of commercial and other species, and enhance the value of the area for recreational and tourism activities. No-take recreational activities, such as snorkeling SCUBA diving, and kayaking, are permitted within this zone. Sport fishing is also allowed within the Conservation Zone, guided by the Sport Fishing Regulations, but only with a valid license, and only as catch and release.
  1. No extractive fishing is allowed within the Conservation Zones.
  2. Spear fishing shall not be permitted within the Conservation Zones. 
  3. Snorkeling, diving and sport fishing shall be allowed in the Reserve, with the following regulations in place for diving an snorkeling.
  4. All dive boats shall fly the "divers down flag” when they have divers in the water (a flag with a white diagonal stripe upon background);
  5. Only certified scuba divers, or divers undergoing a training course   conducted by a recognized instructor shall be allowed to use SCUBA equipment in the Reserve;
  6. Dive guides or tour guides shall be required to explain the rules of the Reserve to all divers, snorkelers or visitors within the Reserve;
  7. All motor boats are to observe the low wake boat way when approaching snorkelers or divers;