AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Caye Caulker Tourists found illegally snorkeling

I saw that Elbert, thank you.

A tour guide assigned to accompany guests to the reef certainly does help to ensure that the reef and its inhabitants are not damaged, harmed, or molested for that matter. Although I have to say it is difficult to avoid a shitstorm debate about those selfsame guides' routine practice of handling turtles, sharks etc. in the name of "pleasure and education" of their clients. Please, for those of you who would take up arms seeking my head, I do see both sides of that argument and, although I personally favor "laisse faire" and hands off, I have accepted the local practice as historical and unlikely to change however much I, or others, disfavor it.

Because the author of the article believed there was a law prohibting access without a guide:



and based on what I had been told by a park ranger, I believed that to be true as well. It made me think about the problems that could more frequently arise at Mexico Rocks. Simon's comments, as usual, are enlightening and helped set the reocrd straight. Well for me at least.

I agree wholeheartedly with Elbert's comments. I would also add that it is incumbent on those of us accomodating guests to the island that they be educated not only to water safety but to the safety and welfare of the natural environs as well. That should be the case whether one provides guest accomodations of 3 rooms or 30. In fact I'm going to modify the Water Safety sheet that came about after that tragic accident with a supplement about reef proetection and the laws that apply. Great discussion.

If there were such a law on the books you wouldn't be able to leave your hotel without a guide on Tobacco Caye, South Water Caye, Pelican Cayes, Coco Plum Caye, etc.

Why? Is this another example of small mindedness? If someone has come here and paid a price for accommodations, food, etc. why in the world should they not be allowed to snorkel without paying a guide? Belize is competing in a world market and I know of no other place that puts those kinds of restrictions on water sports. If you do please tell us. When one thinks small the results are small.

BTW, I do believe that due to the nature of the reserve that a guide is a must when snorkelling the cut at Hol Chan. There may actually be a law for that reserve but I'm quite sure that it's a specific case.

Many private boats go up to Mexico rocks for a snorkeling trip. We don't hire guides and we tie up to the established moorings so as not to do damage to the reef. In addition we have no one on board who pays for the trip. I believe I've heard of the Park Rangers coming by and collecting a fee but it has never happened to me.

The fact of the example given where a boat showed up with a guide with an expired license, well I can understand that. He is getting paid to perform a duty that he is technically not licensed for. But a private boat with only owners and maybe a couple of non-paying guests on it?

I do know that I have a friend who will not pick me up at my dock if we go off snorkeling together. This he has told me is so that no guide would think that he is charging and acting as a guide on our trips. I believe he feared harm to his boat rather than an infraction to the law.

Yes, this is a good discussion and the first post caught me as a little smug.

Another thought. Whenever we go to Hol Chan which is mostly with guests visiting me (maybe 4 or 5 times a year) we always hire a guide to take us. The guide can put guests who are not used to the water or snorkeling at ease and in addition they provide a lot of facts about the reef and sea creatures that I could never duplicate.

In addition they are usually part of the entertainment of the trip. We have had many guests tell us that the Hol Chan trip was an experience they will never forget. I'd rather let them handle a trip like that even if it is legal not to have a guide.

I found this about Galapagos rules
'Galapagos National Park Rules
The Galapagos Islands are one of the most magical places on earth. Here animals live without fear and do not run away from visitors. To maintain the uniqueness of the Galapagos Islands the national park service has developed rules to aid in the preservation. Your naturalist-guide will explain and enforce these rules making sure that all visitors
stay together on marked paths and respect the follow the other park service regulations.
Do not visit the islands unless accompanied by a licensed National Park Guide.
Restrict your visits to officially approved areas.
Show your conservationist attitude.'

I'm sure we're not the only place that requires a guide to visit.

How could anyone belive that letting unescourted people visit the marine reserves would not be detremental to the reef?

Okay guys so now I'm thoroughly confused. Is there, or is there not, documentation (i.e a law) that a marine reserve, in general or specifically (e.g. Hol Chan), requires the accompaniment of a licensed guide?

I was once told by a ranger that it was a requirement but after Simon questioned that requirement I cannot find supportive documenation to the contrary. It would be nice to get a definitve answer backed up with a citation.

This is the best set of "rules" I could find http://www.holchanbelize.org/rules.html contains no mandatory Tour Guide language.

but then I find the following statement here, http://www.holchanbelize.org/visit.html



this requirement is not codified in the HCMR portion of the Fisheries ACT ammended 1987. Is this merely being stated as policy?, or is it a simple statement that you have to hire a boat with a guide to get there?

If the requiremtnt to hire a guide is a law one would think there would be a citation somewhere in either the Fisheries Act or the Belize Tourism Board Act. Without codifcation it isn't enforceable, which to my mind defeats the whole purpose of a reserve state intended to "preserve and protect".

Personally I'm starting to suspect that the requirement to pay the use fee is what is driving some of this.

I have no problem with requiring a guide; it's in the best interest of the resource. In fact at the Hol Chan Cut, simply from a safety stand point, you need one to safeguard human life in addtiton to the resources. If the Fisheries Act states that each reserve may develop its owm rules, that's great but I cant find that either.

Here is an interesting UN overview document of HCMR http://www.car-spaw-rac.org/IMG/pdf/Belize_-_Presentation_report_for_the_Hol_Chan_Marine_Reserve.pdf

Elbert - I have no problem having 'restricted areas.' However, those should be well defined and information given. As for the Galapagos: an archipelago of volcanic islands distributed around the equator in the Pacific Ocean, 972 km (525 nmi) west of continental Ecuador, per Wikipedia. Being as isolated as they are they can have control. We, on the other hand have people coming here for many reasons. I had written - many years ago - that the BTB needs to do a video to show on the incoming airlines all of our resources and regulations.
As for these three poor tourists - a warning should have sufficed. Then maybe an article in the newspaper which would help educate other tourists.
I still contend that residents and visitors should be allowed to boat, kayak, snorkel, etc. in all other areas. I help my neighbor with the kayak rental. We are very clear about the fragility of the reef, what not to touch or stand on and how to tie up to moorings. I have to believe that resort personnel (mostly Belizeans) care as much as I do.
Yes, there is a small percentage of every population who are uneducated and/or uncaring but for the most part the people who come here are just as interested as are we in preserving our natural resources.

If you do not have a tour guide license and own your own boat, you have to have a Captains license. You are allowed to take immidiate family out on your boat with you. You can fish, you can go to the reef and snorkel etc, with immidiate family only. If you have hotel guest or other friends onboard it is big time against the law. This law is a bit different as it is meant to protect tour guides. If you are a Belizean or a resident you can take a kayak out to snorkel. If you are not you need to get park fee reciepts prior to going. This may have been the issue. Most kayak rental businesses dont allow them on the reef as it really is not for novices. We really dont know what happened here, the folks that were out snorkeling could have been in trouble, they could have been smart asses to officials, or officials may have known the kayak rental place did not allow thenm on the reef, then as well they had not paid park fees.