Mexico Rocks

Mexico Rocks is a shallow patch reef complex located off the far northern tip of Ambergris Caye, and is part of the Belize Barrier Reef system in the Caribbean Sea. The site consists of approximately 100 Holocene patch reefs clustered on a Pleistocene ridge of limestone and is composed predominantly of boulder star corals (Montastraea annularis).[1] The reef has accumulated in shallow water, about 2.5 to 5 metres (8 to 16 ft) deep, over the last 420 years, under static sea level conditions. The site was recommended for designation as a marine preserve in 1978, and was approved in 2015 as a part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve.[2][3] The reef is popular among snorkelers and SCUBA divers, and it is seen as an important addition to Ambergris Caye's ecotourism attractions.

  1. ^ Burke, C. D.; et al. (2004). "Coral Mortality, Recovery and Reef Degradation at Mexico Rocks Patch Reef Complex, Northern Belize, Central America: 1995-1997". Hydrobiologia. 530–531 (1–3): 481–487. doi:10.1007/s10750-004-2669-1. hdl:10057/3662. S2CID 2680551 – via OhioLink.
  2. ^ Casado Internet Group. "Mexico Rocks". Retrieved 2011-04-17.
  3. ^ "The Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize has been expanded with full support of the government and stakeholders". IUCN. 2015-03-07. Retrieved 2018-11-29.