Minister of National Security, Sen. Hon. Michael Peyrefitte, was accompanied by the Belize Coast Guard to visit an extensive coral reef complex known as the “Corona Reef”. It is located south of the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve just within our maritime border, which is now a protected area after a Statutory Instrument for the expansion of the Reserve was signed by Hon. Dr. Omar Figueroa, the Minister with responsibility for Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development. 
The initiative to reserve this area was put forward by the Belize Coast Guard and taken to Cabinet for approval by the Minister of National Security. After a unanimous decision by Cabinet, on July 30, 2020, the SI which enshrines protected status upon this ecologically important marine system was signed
The Corona Reef is situated at the southwest terminus of the Cayman Trench, within Belize’s Exclusive Economic Zone. This particular reef complex includes some of the healthiest coral reefs, with 60% live coral cover, in the Mesoamerican Reef System. It is comprised of shallow reefs with depths ranging from 18-30 feet and also includes ridges and spurs that rise hundreds of feet to within 60 feet of the surface. The Corona Reef Complex is one of the most underrepresented habitats in the marine protected areas system of Belize and is believed to be a biologically important hotspot, serving as a spawning aggregation site for numerous fin fish species and as a habitat for deep-slope snapper, bottom-dwelling species, and commercially important species like the Atlantic spadefish. Being adjacent to the deep waters of the Cayman Trench, the Corona Reef attracts numerous megafauna such as whale sharks, blue marlins, sailfish, and sperm and pilot whales.
Due to its proximity to neighboring countries, primarily Guatemala and Honduras, however, the reef complex faces continuous threat of transboundary illegal fishing. This new protected status will allow for more effective law enforcement presence by the Belize Coast Guard and the Fisheries Department and marks another major stride in protecting critically important natural systems that define us as a country.
