South Water Caye Marine Reserve Zone Rules
The reserve has designated zones designed to accommodate visitors and fishing activities in combination with a conservation zone and preservation zone to promote sustainability and research.
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General Use Zone
- The General Use Zone is restricted to fishing by licensed fisherman who currently use this Zone and a fisherman who is desirous of fishing in this Zone shall apply for a license to fish in accordance with these Regulations.
- Residents of South Water Caye Marine Reserve who have special licenses to fish may fish solely for subsistence purposes, and such fishing shall be determined by the terms and conditions of each resident's license.
- No person is permitted to use long lines, spear–guns or gill nets in the Reserve unless authorized by the Fisheries Administrator.
- Sport Fishing is allowed in the General Use Zone only in accordance with the following
- spear fishing is not permitted;
- catch and release fishing tours can only remove fish for subsistence purposes during the tour.
- No person shall, within the General Use Zone, cast or drag any anchor in any manner which may damage coral.
Conservation Zone
- There shall be only non–extractive recreational activities in the Conservation Zone.
- No person shall engage in commercial, sport or subsistence fishing within the Conservation 1 Zone.
- No person shall secure a boat to the sea bed of the Conservation 1 Zone except by means of a mooring that is officially designated for this purpose, save in the case of an emergency where life and property are endangered, or with the prior written permission of the Reserve Manager.
Every diver in the conservational 1 Zone shall adhere to the following rules
- divers shall register with the Reserve Manager prior to entering the Conservational 1 Zone;
- charter dives shall first obtain a license in accordance with these Regulations, before operating in the Conservation 1 Zone and all dive boats shall fly the "divers down flag" when they have divers in the water;
- only certified scuba divers, or divers undergoing a training course conducted by a recognized instructor, are allowed to use scuba equipment in the Reserve;
- dive guides are required to explain the rules of the Reserve to a diver within the Reserve;
- every boat owner desirous of operating a boat in this Zone, shall first register his boat with the Fisheries Administrator in accordance with these Regulations;
- every operator of a motor boat shall observe the low wake Zone boat way when approaching snorkelers or divers;
- for Scuba tours, a maximum of eight divers per licensed dive master is permitted;
- for snorkel tours, a maximum of eight snorkelers per licensed tour guide is permitted;
- no person shall harass or in any way tamper with the any fauna within the Conservation 1 Zone.
- For the purpose of this Regulation, "divers down flag" means a flag with a white diagonal strip upon a red or blue background.
- No person shall engage in water–skiing or jet skiing within the conservation Zone
Preservation Zone
- No fishing, sport fishing, diving or any other water activity shall be permitted within the Preservation Zone
- No person shall operate a motor boat within the Preservation Zone except in cases of emergency, or where written permission has first been obtained from the Fisheries Administrator.