gladden spit silk cayes marine - Southern Environmental Association
gladden spit silk cayes marine - Southern Environmental Association
gladden spit silk cayes marine - Southern Environmental Association
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Where is Gladden?<br />
* GSSCMR is about 1 hour boat<br />
ride due east from Placencia Village<br />
98% of the reserve is for general<br />
use, where fishing is allowed, but<br />
restrictions apply<br />
A small No– take Area exists<br />
around <strong>silk</strong> <strong>cayes</strong><br />
GSSCMR is important for<br />
COMMERCIAL FISH SPECIES AND<br />
TOURISM<br />
Who We Are...<br />
<strong>Southern</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Association</strong> (SEA) is a<br />
non-governmental organization created in 2008.<br />
Developed from a merger of Friends of Nature<br />
(FON) and the Toledo <strong>Association</strong> for Sustainable<br />
Tourism and Empowerment (TASTE) to ensure<br />
improved community involvement and the conservation<br />
and co-management of the natural resources<br />
in <strong>Southern</strong> Belize. SEA takes a practical,<br />
hands on approach to conservation and management<br />
of much of the <strong>Southern</strong> Barrier Reef Complex.<br />
SEA has co-management agreements for the<br />
day-to-day management of Laughing Bird Caye<br />
National Park (LBCNP) with Belize Forest Department,<br />
and Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine<br />
Reserve (GSSCMR) and the Sapodilla Cayes Marine<br />
Reserve (SCMR) with the Belize Fisheries Department.<br />
<strong>Southern</strong> <strong>Environmental</strong> <strong>Association</strong><br />
National Office: Placencia Village<br />
Branch Office: Punta Gorda Town<br />
Phone No: 523-3377 or 722-0125<br />
Fax#: 523-3395 or 722-0125<br />
Email: info@seabelize.org<br />
GLADDEN SPIT<br />
SILK CAYES<br />
MARINE<br />
Photo by : Annelise Hagan<br />
Photo by: Annelise Hagan
GLADDEN SPIT SILK CAYES MARINE RESERVE<br />
The Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve<br />
(GSSCMR) was declared in 2000. The Reserve was<br />
declared, in part, due to the importance of<br />
Gladden Spit as a site for fish spawning aggregations,<br />
which regularly attracts whale sharks during the<br />
months of April- June, making it a popular tourist<br />
destination.<br />
The <strong>marine</strong> reserve is a multi-use zoned Marine<br />
Protected Area, allowing for tourism as well as<br />
commercial fishing. Gladden Spit lies about 36km off<br />
the coast of Placencia Village, which sits at the tip of<br />
a long peninsula, the only long sandbar in Belize.<br />
The Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve<br />
comprises of nearly 11,000 hectares (26,000 acres).<br />
SEA is responsible for the day to day management<br />
of this reserve. SEA, working closely with<br />
the Belize Fisheries Department, continues to ensure<br />
effective enforcement, biological monitoring<br />
and general management of this unique and important<br />
natural site.<br />
Photo by: Annelise Hagan<br />
PARK RULES:<br />
Park entrance fees apply year round, while the<br />
whale shark fees is applied 1 March to 31 July<br />
for entering the whale shark zone.<br />
Any person who wishes to conduct whale shark<br />
tours must have a valid tour guide<br />
license, dive master certification (for SCUBA),<br />
skin diver certification (for snorkelers) and a<br />
whale shark license issued by SEA.<br />
Any person engaging in a whale shark tour<br />
must abide by the Whale Shark Regulations<br />
and Guidelines<br />
* Do not touch, walk on or damage the reef.<br />
* Take your garbage with you.<br />
Dive, snorkel and fishing boats should<br />
maintain a distance of at least 200 feet<br />
between each other.<br />
* No gloves or fishing are allowed when<br />
SCUBA diving.<br />
* No destruction of natural habitat.<br />
* No anchoring on coral reefs.<br />
* No net fishing.<br />
* No spear fishing.<br />
All boats must use the mooring buoys where<br />
provided.<br />
* Read and abide by all regulations of the<br />
protected area.<br />
All local Fisheries, Wildlife, Forestry,<br />
Tourism, and Archeological Laws apply.