Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

• Housing and major visitor accommodation and associated infrastructure (Destruction of fragile ecosystems due to resort / housing development) (issue resolved)
• Integrated management
• Invasive / alien marine species (Introduced species)
• Land conversion (Sale and lease of public lands within the property)
• Oil and gas (Oil concessions within the marine area)

Sale and lease of public lands for the purposes of development within the property leading to the destruction of mangrove and marine ecosystems

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6208

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1825

Adopted, see page http://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/6208 

Total amount granted: USD 140,000: i) USD 30,000 from the Rapid Response Facility for the monitoring of unauthorized activities in the Bladen Nature Reserves which were impacting the property; ii) USD 30,000 for emergency conservation actions in favour of the critically endangered wide sawfish (2010); iii) USD 80,000 in support of public use planning and site financing strategy development for the Blue Hole Natural Monument (2008-2009)

On 19 March 2021, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/documents/187419, reporting the following progress towards implementing Decision 43 COM7B.21:

• The land verification process is complete. Survey results were authenticated by the Ministry of Natural Resources. The regulations for the designation of the identified remaining public lands as mangrove reserves are still pending but expected to be approved in 2021, with legislation drafting commenced in March 2021;
• Consideration of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property has been integrated into the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations via amendment, which was adopted in February 2020. Any possible impacts on the property must now be addressed in the development of an EIA and during a public hearing. A copy of the amended EIA regulations has also been provided by the State Party;
• Progress with the implementation of the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan has continued. Major accomplishments include, among others, the improved collaboration among key agencies involved in coastal and marine conservation, including the integration of the shipping sector in the process. An update of the ICZM has been initiated and is expected to be completed by the end of 2021;
• The Fisheries Resources Act was approved and made public in February 2020. Additionally, a National Fisheries Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for the Fisheries Sector was developed. Expansion of marine protected areas, including some comprising the property, has also continued;
• Additional efforts and progress have been made with regards to management planning, restoration and resilience, sustainable development and coral diseases control;

On 23 February 2021, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State Party requesting information about the potential impact of the project entitled “Cargo extension and construction of the cruise terminal and cruise tourism village”. No response has been received at the time of writing of this report.

Further progress with finalizing some of the key pending processes and regulations aimed at protecting the OUV of the property should be welcomed. Particularly, it is welcomed that the State Party has completed the land tenure verification and is in the final stages of legislating the remaining public lands in the property as strict mangrove reserves consistent with the requests of the World Heritage Committee. Remaining public lands are located in South Water Caye Marine Reserve and the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve.

Consideration of the OUV of the property has now been integrated into the EIA regulations, with the amended version of the regulations now officially approved, requiring by law that any possible impacts on the property must now be addressed in the development of an EIA and during a public hearing. The Fisheries Resources Act is also adopted and now provides the framework for significant improvements in fisheries conservation, management, development and governance. The legislation necessary for its implementation is being developed. In addition to the new legislation, a new National Fisheries Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for the fisheries sector was developed. The National Replenishment Zone Expansion initiative has continued to be implemented along with NGO and private sector partners. The remaining no take zones proposed to be protected are envisioned to be legislated in the near future. Further major accomplishments have also been achieved toward the implementation of the ICZM plan and an update of the plan is underway.

It can be concluded that the management of the property has decidedly further improved since its removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger at the 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee in 2018, and that the reported progress, particularly the finalization of the land verification process and the final approval of the amended EIA regulations, has now almost fully resolved the pending issues noted by the Committee at that time. The collective measures to improve conservation of the property have gone well beyond the requests made by the Committee, particularly with regards to fisheries management and management and expansion of marine protected areas, and new funding also continues to be attracted for the further protection of the property, in particularly with regards to climate adaptation.

It is of concern that no response has been provided by the State Party to the letter by the World Heritage Centre regarding the project entitled “Cargo extension and construction of the cruise terminal and cruise tourism village” and associated dumping of dredged materials. Of particular concern is the fact that the EIA of the project, which is available online on the webpage of the Department of the Environment, does not appear to specifically assess potential impacts of the project on the OUV, including integrity, of the property. It is therefore recommended that the Committee request the State Party to provide information about the current status of the project and the possible impacts of the planned development on the OUV of the property, including any relevant impact assessments of this aspect, and to ensure that no activities, including dumping of dredged materials at sea, are allowed to proceed if they can result in negative impacts on the property.