One of the world‘s biggest coral reef systems, the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) runs along 1000 km of Belize, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala coasts. Just beneath the Caribbean Sea, the reef and mangrove ecosystems represent on of the best examples of marine biodiversity in the Tropical Northwestern Atlantic Coastal Biogeographic Province.

Sixty six species of stony corals, algae, sea grasses, spiny lobsters, shrimps and thousands of invertebrates along with more than 600 fish species compose the fauna of the MAR oceans. The whale shark, the biggest ocean fish of the world, aggregate to feed in the ocean waters along the shelf edge. Sea turtles, sea birds and the largest manatee population in Central America (in danger to be extinct) shelter, feed, reproduce and nest in mangroves and sea grass prairies along the shores of islands and continental coasts.

Despite of its important ecological and economic role for local communities, the reef shows alarming signs of deterioration. The increasing tourism industry in the region has led to inadequate coastal development and habitat deterioration. The lost of natural water filters caused by upland deforestation due to inappropriate agricultural practices has generated of slime, eutrophication, sedimentation and pollution in the nearshore waters, affecting marine ecosystems. Overfishing of lobster and fish populations, particularly the vulnerable reef fish spawning aggregations, has led to the severe decline of ecologically and commercially important species such as snappers and groupers. Fish herbivores have been also intensely fished, contributing to the deterioration of the coral reef ecological balance. Coral bleaching due to global warming is threatening coral reefs.

Fortunately, there are important opportunities to preserve the Mesoamerican Coral Reef. As a result of its innovative science application that allows a better understanding of fish spawning aggregation phenomenon, The Nature Conservancy has established a strong regional presence. Its goal by 2015 is to preserve a measurable number of the main types of world habitats. The Mesoamerican Reef is one of the three marine ecoregions considered by the organization’s 2015 conservation goal. The MAR program is proud to be part of the family of the MAR region conservation programs aiming at contributing to this effort.