Strengthening Coral Reef Resilience at Turneffe Atoll
Reef Resilience Through Data and Stakeholder Action
Project Summary
In response to mounting threats to the Mesoamerican Reef system, this initiative supports adaptive coral reef management through science-based, participatory approaches within the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (TAMR) in Belize. The project focuses on two key areas:
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Establishing a comprehensive reef health baseline by integrating UB-ERI’s 10-year monitoring dataset with spatially extensive, updated surveys of TAMR; and
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Engaging and evaluating dive guides as frontline stakeholders in reef restoration, particularly through the treatment of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) and the application of coral sexual recruits.
By partnering with the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA), TAMR’s co-manager, and the Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute (CZMAI), serving as the administrative entity, the project builds national capacity in data analysis and dissemination, enhances stakeholder readiness to respond to reef threats, and provides a scalable model for engaging direct resource users in long-term resilience strategies. This pilot effort demonstrates how ecotourism stakeholders, when meaningfully engaged, can play a central role in sustaining reef health and adaptive marine protected area (MPA) management.
Project Aim
To strengthen the resilience of coral reef ecosystems through evidence-based, adaptive management strategies and stakeholder collaboration, particularly in the face of long-term and emerging threats in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.
Project Objectives
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Engage local ecotourism stakeholders (e.g., dive guides) in the co-design and implementation of reef threat response strategies, fostering shared stewardship and local ownership.
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Pilot and evaluate coral restoration activities within TAMR, with a focus on the treatment of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) and the use of coral sexual recruits.
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Establish and analyze a 10-year reef health dataset from TAMR as a scientific baseline to inform ongoing monitoring, management, and policy decisions.
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Strengthen national capacity for reef data analysis, visualization, and effective communication of reef health trends to support adaptive management.
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Document and share scalable lessons for integrating direct resource users into marine protected area (MPA) governance and restoration efforts across Belize.
Project Approach
The project employs a participatory, science-driven approach that integrates stakeholder co-design with empirical reef monitoring. Restoration activities—including the response to Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD)—are developed and implemented in close collaboration with dive guides. These efforts are paired with systematic monitoring and control-site comparisons to evaluate effectiveness. A 10-year historical dataset of reef surveys provides a robust baseline for assessing ecological outcomes. Capacity building in data analysis, communication, and reef threat response is embedded throughout the project to support long-term sustainability and promote the transferability of successful practices across Belize’s marine protected areas.
Project Impact
This initiative is designed to deliver lasting benefits for coral reef conservation in Belize and beyond. By demonstrating a practical model for real-time, stakeholder-led responses to reef threats, the project showcases how local actors—particularly dive guides, can play a central role in protecting marine ecosystems. Targeted interventions to manage Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) are expected to directly improve the health and resilience of coral reefs within the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.
Through hands-on training and collaborative implementation, the project will build both local and national capacity in reef data analysis, interpretation, and adaptive management planning. A key output will be a robust, spatially extensive 10-year reef health dataset that provides a scientific baseline to guide future decision-making and conservation investments.
Beyond Turneffe, the lessons learned from this initiative will offer a scalable model for engaging local stakeholders in marine protected area governance, contributing to more inclusive, effective, and sustainable conservation strategies across the wider Mesoamerican Reef region.
Project Outputs
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Boles, Jessica C.; Martinez, Ninon; Salazar, Jané et al. (2024). Coral reef benthic and fish monitoring data from Turneffe Atoll, Belize, 2010-2023 [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c866t1gcn
Marine researchers conducting AGRRA surveys at Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve
Partners and Funders
