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The Caribbean reef system was named on the prestigious World Heritage List in 1996, but was endangered in 2009
UNESCO has removed the Mesoamerican coral reef in Belize from its list of threatened World Heritage sites on Tuesday, praising the country of Central America for its "visionary" measures to protect it.
The reef – the second largest in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia – is an underwater playground for hundreds of varieties of tropical fish, sea turtles, manta rays, sharks and much more. other species.
He spent nearly a decade on the list of threatened species, concerned about Belize's plans to allow nearby oil exploration, uncontrolled onshore construction and the general absence of laws to protect the site.
But UNESCO congratulated the country for taking steps to turn the tide.
"A visionary plan to manage the coastline was adopted in 2016," said the UN agency at a meeting in Manama, Bahrain.
"The level of conservation we hoped for was achieved."
Recognized for its breathtaking biodiversity and proximity to the shoreline – only a few hundred meters away in many places – the Caribbean reef system was named in 1996 on the prestigious World Heritage List, but was endangered in 2009.
The warning also encompassed the mangroves that help protect the reef and serve as breeding grounds for most of the hundreds of fish species that populate the turquoise waters of the area.
Mangroves had disappeared at an alarming rate as urban development encroached on the coast.
Worried about the fate of one of its major tourist attractions, the Belizean government began adopting a series of laws to protect the reef, culminating in a moratorium on offshore oil exploration passed by parliament in December .
The legislation came after ecologists convened an informal referendum in 2012 in which 96 percent of Belizeans voted against offshore oil exploration, choosing the reef on potential economic gains for the poor Central American country. .
"We are pleased that in this case, the government and the people have decided that it was something we could not risk," said the country's Deputy Prime Minister, Patrick Faber, at the time. AFP.
Between fishing and tourism, Belize estimates that the reef brings in some $ 37 million a year.
Explore further:
Saving the world of underwater wonders of Belize Reef
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