The Mesoamerican Reef is the second largest reef in the world, spanning Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. More than 600 miles in length, the reef is a natural corridor for migrating marine life, such as the the Caribbean reef shark, pictured, and home to a host of ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses.
The Mesoamerican Reef is the second largest reef in the world, spanning Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. More than 600 miles in length, the reef is a natural corridor for migrating marine life, such as the the Caribbean reef shark, pictured, and home to a host of ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses.
Rick Miskiv
The largest fish in the ocean, the <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Fwhale-shark%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">whale shark</a>, is a frequent user of the marine corridor along the Mesoamerican Reef. The whale shark migrates seasonally towards areas with high concentrations of zooplankton, swimming with their mouths wide open to feed.
The largest fish in the ocean, the whale shark, is a frequent user of the marine corridor along the Mesoamerican Reef. The whale shark migrates seasonally towards areas with high concentrations of zooplankton, swimming with their mouths wide open to feed.
Rick Miskiv
<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Fwhale-shark%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Whale sharks</a> are protected in Mexico, Belize and Honduras, where they are a tourist attraction. But overfishing has been threatening shark populations and they are killed either as bycatch or sometimes illegally caught for their fins.
Whale sharks are protected in Mexico, Belize and Honduras, where they are a tourist attraction. But overfishing has been threatening shark populations and they are killed either as bycatch or sometimes illegally caught for their fins.
Rick Miskiv
Depending on the species, shark populations can be slow to recover. Nurse sharks (pictured) have been <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Fnurse-shark%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">protected from fishing in Belize since 2012</a>, but since they require 25 years to reach sexual maturity, a small decline in population <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov%2Fpmc%2Farticles%2FPMC8384212%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">can significantly stunt their ability to recover in numbers</a>.
Depending on the species, shark populations can be slow to recover. Nurse sharks (pictured) have been protected from fishing in Belize since 2012, but since they require 25 years to reach sexual maturity, a small decline in population can significantly stunt their ability to recover in numbers.
Rick Miskiv
The Caribbean Reef Shark is the<a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Fcaribbean-reef-shark%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank"> most common coral reef shark</a> in the western Atlantic Ocean and can often be found in the Belize Barrier reef or sometimes swimming from Belize to Mexico. The sharks move through the reef to find new feeding grounds and often instinctively follow the reef to return home.
The Caribbean Reef Shark is the most common coral reef shark in the western Atlantic Ocean and can often be found in the Belize Barrier reef or sometimes swimming from Belize to Mexico. The sharks move through the reef to find new feeding grounds and often instinctively follow the reef to return home.
Rick Miskiv
Non-profit organization MarAlliance has been studying the Mesoamerican Reef over the last 15 years and working with fishing communities to help reverse the decline of shark populations. By engaging with locals, MarAlliance wants to help dispel any fears surrounding sharks and teach fishers how to safely release sharks from bycatch.
Non-profit organization MarAlliance has been studying the Mesoamerican Reef over the last 15 years and working with fishing communities to help reverse the decline of shark populations. By engaging with locals, MarAlliance wants to help dispel any fears surrounding sharks and teach fishers how to safely release sharks from bycatch.
MarAlliance
MarAlliance is also tracking the movements of sharks using satellite tags. Every time a tagged shark comes to the surface, its location and the temperature of the immediate environment is recorded. This helps to keep track of populations and understand their behaviors, including migration routes and patterns.
MarAlliance is also tracking the movements of sharks using satellite tags. Every time a tagged shark comes to the surface, its location and the temperature of the immediate environment is recorded. This helps to keep track of populations and understand their behaviors, including migration routes and patterns.
MarAlliance
Other marine animals use the reef corridor too. The <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Fhawksbill-turtle%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Hawksbill turtle</a> is a highly migratory species and feeds on sponges that might otherwise compete with reef-building corals for space.
Other marine animals use the reef corridor too. The Hawksbill turtle is a highly migratory species and feeds on sponges that might otherwise compete with reef-building corals for space.
MarAlliance
This male loggerhead turtle is the largest of its species to be satellite tagged by MarAlliance. <a href="index.php?page=&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maralliance.org%2Fspecies%2Floggerhead-turtle%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Adult loggerhead turtles</a> can migrate thousands of miles to nesting beaches in early spring and summer.
This male loggerhead turtle is the largest of its species to be satellite tagged by MarAlliance. Adult loggerhead turtles can migrate thousands of miles to nesting beaches in early spring and summer.
Rick Miskiv