{{short description|Marine reserve of Belize}}

thumb|right|Map of Belize's southern islands, with Glover's in the bottom right corner

'''Glover's Reef''' is a partially submerged atoll located off the southern coast of Belize, approximately {{Convert|45|km|abbr=on}} from the mainland.<ref name="homepage">{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Welcome|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/index.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2010-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100113165445/http://www.gloversreef.org/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> It forms part of the outermost boundary of the Belize Barrier Reef, and is one of its three atolls, besides Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef.

==Topography== thumb|left|Remote view of Northeast Cay The oval-shaped atoll is {{convert|32|km|mi|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|12|km|mi|abbr=on}} wide. The interior lagoon is dotted with around 850 reef patches and pinnacles rising to the surface.<ref name="homepage"/> Major cays include Amounme Point Cay, Northeast Cay, Long Cay, Middle Cay and Southwest Cay.

==Ecology== Glover's harbours one of the greatest diversity of reef types in the western Caribbean.<ref name="homepage"/>

A large spawning site for the endangered Nassau grouper (''Epinephelus striatus'') is located at the northeastern end of the atoll. It has been identified as one of only two viable sites remaining for the species, of nine originally known locations. In 2002, it was declared a special marine reserve, permanently closed to fishing.<ref name="neastpt">{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Northeast Point|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/northeast_point.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2011-08-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807090006/http://www.gloversreef.org/northeast_point.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Conservation== {{Infobox protected area | name = Glover's Reef Marine Reserve | alt_name = | iucn_category = IV | image = | image_alt = | image_caption = Glover's Reef | image_size = | map = | map_alt = | map_caption = | map_width = | location = Caribbean Sea, Belize | nearest_city = Dangriga | coordinates = {{coord|16.823|-87.791|region:BZ|notes=<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://protectedplanet.net/sites/Glovers_Reef_Marine_Reserve |title= Glover's Reef Marine Reserve |work= protectedplanet.net |access-date= 2012-06-27 |archive-date= 2010-10-23 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101023193014/http://protectedplanet.net/sites/Glovers_Reef_Marine_Reserve |url-status= dead }}</ref>|display=inline, title}} | area = {{convert|86,653|acres|abbr=off}} | established = 1993 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = | url = }}

The Glover's Reef Marine Reserve was established as a national protected area in 1993 under the Fisheries Act,<ref name="about">{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=About Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/about.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2009-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106220302/http://www.gloversreef.org/about.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Government of Belize, [https://www.belizelaw.org Fisheries Act], Ch. 210 and 210s.</ref> and is managed under the Fisheries Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.<ref name="about"/> The reserve encompasses the marine area of the atoll, totaling approximately {{convert|86,653|acres|0|abbr=on}}.<ref name="about"/><ref name="zones">{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Management Zones|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/management_zones.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2009-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106220907/http://www.gloversreef.org/management_zones.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), it is considered one of the highest priority areas in the Mesoamerican reef system, providing nursery and feeding areas and a unique habitat for lobster, conch and finfish. In 1996, it was designated by UNESCO as one of seven protected areas that together form the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (a World Heritage-listed site).<ref name="about"/>

The marine reserve is currently divided into four different management zones,<ref name="zones"/> with each zone having strict regulations defining activities that are permitted and prohibited. *General Use Zone - {{convert|26,170|ha|acres|abbr=on}}, 74.6%;<ref>{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=General Use Zone|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/general_use.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17}}</ref> *Conservation Zone - {{convert|7,077|ha|acres|abbr=on}}, 20.2%;<ref>{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Conservation Zone|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/conservation.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2011-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806133832/http://www.gloversreef.org/conservation.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Wilderness Zone - {{convert|270|ha|acres|abbr=on}}, 0.8%, closed to visitors;<ref>{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Wilderness Zone|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/wilderness.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2011-08-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110805155219/http://www.gloversreef.org/wilderness.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Seasonal Closure Zone - {{convert|1,550|ha|acres|abbr=on}}, 4.4%, closed to all fishing from start December to end February. Where this zone overlaps with the grouper spawning aggregation site (below), it is closed to fishing all year round.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Glover's Reef Marine Reserve|title=Seasonal Closure Zone|url=http://www.gloversreef.org/seasonal.html|publisher=Government of Belize, Fisheries Department|accessdate=2011-04-17|archive-date=2011-07-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110731142940/http://www.gloversreef.org/seasonal.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

A fifth zone has recently been created to offer greater protection to the northeast spawning aggregation site.<ref name="zones"/> It largely overlaps with the Seasonal Closure Zone. It is permanently closed to all fishing.<ref name="neastpt"/>

The protected area is considered to be within IUCN's category IV: a Habitat/Species Management Area, with active management targeted at conservation through management intervention.<ref name="about"/>

The Wildlife Conservation Society operates the Glover's Reef Research Station on Middle Cay.<ref>{{Cite web|author=Glovers Reef Research Station|title=Background|url=https://programs.wcs.org/gloversreef/Background/tabid/206/language/en-US/Default.aspx|publisher=Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Marine Program|accessdate=2011-04-17}}</ref> It was opened in 1997 for the purpose of promoting and facilitating long-term conservation and management of the wider Belize Barrier Reef complex. Since its opening, the station has hosted more than 200 scientific and research expeditions.<ref name="homepage"/>

==Important Bird Area== A 1.2m&nbsp;ha site off the coast of Belize, comprising the nation’s offshore and barrier islands, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of several resident, passage or breeding bird species, including white-crowned pigeons, red-footed boobies, roseate terns, Yucatan vireos, black catbirds, and golden-winged and cerulean warblers. The IBA encompasses the South Water Caye, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes, Sapodilla Cayes and Glover's Reef marine reserves, Half Moon Caye, Laughing Bird Caye and Man-O-War Caye islands, as well as several spawning aggregations.<ref name=bli>{{cite web |url= https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/belize-off-shore-and-barrier-islands-iba-belize|title= Belize Off-shore and Barrier Islands|author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2024|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 2024-09-16}}</ref>

==References== {{Portal|Islands}} {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}}[https://www.islandexpeditions.com/ Island Expeditions] on South-West Caye *[https://www.slickrock.com/ Slickrock Adventures] on Long Caye *[https://offthewallbelize.com/ Off the Wall Dive Center and Resort] on Long Caye *[https://www.glovers.com.bz/ Glover's Atoll Resort] on Northeast Caye *[https://programs.wcs.org/Default.aspx?alias=programs.wcs.org/gloversreef Home page] for the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve and Research Station

{{Belize reserves}}

Category:World Heritage Sites in Belize Category:Reefs of Belize Category:Atolls of Belize Category:Belize District Category:Belize Rural South Category:Islands of Belize Category:Uninhabited islands of Belize Category:Important Bird Areas of Belize Category:Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean Category:Caribbean Sea