Posted on November 10, 2025
Belize’s marine reserves were created to safeguard our most valuable ecosystems that sustain our blue economy. Our reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds are supposed to be protected spaces, ensuring that fishing, tourism, and coastal protection remain strong for generations. But these irreplaceable habitats are being destroyed by dredging.
Dredging—the excavation of sand, mud, and seagrass from the seabed—has become a go-to tool for coastal development. Resorts want more beach and developers want more land. But the price is too steep if it smothers coral, uproots seagrass, destabilizes mangroves and destroys critical marine habitats, leaving scars that can last decades.
Laws on Paper, Loopholes in Practice
Belize is not without laws. The Fisheries Act of 2020 empowers the Minister of the Blue Economy to restrict dredging. The Mangrove Act of 2018 requires permits to clear mangroves. The Department of Environment (DOE) oversees Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), while the Geology and Petroleum Department issues dredging permits.
A dredger excavating the sea floor to deposit the sediment to expand nearby landmass
On paper, this looks strong. In practice, it is fragmented and ineffective. Developers often secure approvals despite clear risks. Some begin dredging before an Environmental Compliance Plan is complete; others ignore conditions once permits are granted. More importantly, dredging permits are issued through the proper channels without the impacts of dredging being adequately considered. The result is that habitats essential to the nation’s future are being damaged or destroyed. This process has played out in marine reserves throughout the country – including South Water Caye, Hol Chan and the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve.
Making this more concerning, proposed changes to the Environmental Impact Assessment process would remove the requirement for an Environmental Impact Assessment in the nation’s most valuable marine areas –Marine Protected Areas and our World Heritage Site.
