WCPA-Marine/WWF MPA Management Effectiveness Initiative
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Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve (RBBCH), Mexico

Locator map
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Site map

banco chinchorro map
Credit: Amigos de Sian Ka'an
Site Overview

General description of site: Banco Chinchorro is a Federal Reserve,
banco chinchorro coast
Photo credit: Claudio Contreras, Amigos de Sian Ka'an
managed by CONANP (National Commission of Natural Protected Areas). There are no permanent human settlements within the Reserve, except for a Mexican Navy post station; the Reserves Guard Base; and 15 huts and 15 cabins used by fishermen as temporary residence during lobster season (July through February). Fisheries, mainly queen conch, lobster and scale fish, are appointed to three fishermen cooperatives (92 persons), which are based in the communities of Xcalak, Mahahual and Chetumal City. There is public access to the Reserve incipient and occasional, mainly for scuba diving and snorkeling.

Major threats to RBBCH include:
Tourism development - Costa Maya is being opened up as an International tourism destination - which considers RBBCH as one of the major attractions of the area. A cruise ship pier receives 3000 tourists per day on the coastal village of Mahahual.
Overfishing - illegal fishing is a serious problem within RBBCH, contributing to deplete the resource base for queen conch and lobster.
Contamination - it is beginning a sanitation (letrinization) system for the disposal of human feces derived from fishermen.
Exotic Species - established populations of cats and rodents exist in Cayo Centro and rodents in Cayo Norte, undoubtedly affecting bird and reptile species.

Date of establishment: July 19, 1996

Area (Km2): 1,443.60

Size of site (S <= 20Km2; M = 20 - 2000Km2; L >= 2000Km2): Medium

Ecosystem type/main ecological features:

  • Coral reefs
  • Seagrass beds
  • Mangroves
  • Sandy ground

Description of special resources; important ecological features; reason for establishing a protected area: RBBCH is the largest formation of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, with a 52,494.83 hectares reef lagoon, four Cays (475.22 hectares), and their interior lagoons (121.93 hectares). These environments constitute important habitats for 116 bird species (recorded to date) including 75 land migrants. RBBCH is also home to two endemic subspecies: clapper rail/rascón picudo (Rallus longirostris grossi) and caribbean elaenia/elenia caribeña (Elaenia martinica chinchorrensis), and two regional endemic subspecies: osprey/aguila pescadora (Pandion haliatus ridgwayi) and bananaquit/reinita mielera (Coereba flaveloa caboti). There is also the possibility of an endemic species ridgway's rough-winged swallow/golondrina aliserrada (Stelgidopteryx ridgwayi). Species under some form of protection by the Mexican Official Norm (NOM-059-2001) include the american woodstork/cigüeña americana (Mycteria americana), blue-winged teal/cerceta azul (Anas discors), roadside hawk/gavilán de caminos (Buteo magnirostris), great blue heron/garza azul (Ardea herodias). There is an important population of the american crocodile/cocodrilo americano (Crocodylus acutus) in Cayo Centro. RBBCH is extremely important for the queen conch/caracol rosado (Strombus gigas) and spiny lobster/langosta espinosa (Panulirus argus) fisheries of the state of Quintana Roo. The marine zone includes reef areas that are well conserved, and species with protection status: hard corals (Acropora palmata, Acropora cervicornis), soft corals (Plexaura flexuosa and Plexaura homomalla) and sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas and Eretmochelys imbricata). In RBBCH there are colonies of fused staghorn coral (Acropora prolifera) which is scarce in the Mexican Caribbean. The biodiversity of RBBCH, along with its unique landscape, scenery and shipwrecks make it an important site with a tourism potential for snorkeling, fly fishing, diving and bird watching.
Location Information

Geographic coordinates (lat/long):
18degrees48' 44.24"N, 87degrees28' 28.27"W;
18degrees48' 46.03"N, 87degrees12' 01.85"W;
18degrees21' 39.10"N, 87degrees11' 59.95"W;
18degrees21' 37.36"N, 87degrees28' 23.77"W

Nearest major city: Located in the Yucatan Peninsula, in front of the south coast of the State of Quintana Roo, Mexico, 30 Km offshore the fisher village of Mahahual in the Mexican Caribbean. The nearest major city is Chetumal, located 130 Km from Mahahual.

Region: Mesoamerican Caribbean

Goals and Accomplishments

Goals and objectives of MPA: Assure the continuity and equilibrium of the ecologic evaluative process, in the aim of guaranteeing compatibility between the conservation of natural resources and use through:
  • Developing strategies and promoting actions for natural resources conservation.
  • Proposing and establishing agreement bases with the stakeholders.
  • Integrating and maintaining up-to-date databases with all the information -- biological, chemical, physical and socio economic data.
  • Determining and promoting scientific research, focusing mainly on the gaps.
  • Regulating tourist activities, present and future, in agreement with the administrative rules of the Management Plan.
  • Establishing an environment education program for all the stakeholders.
  • Establishing an Operative Monitoring Program for the control and follow-up of the socioeconomic activities realized in the Reserve.
  • Proposing and establishing a coordination basis with other governmental entities to optimize the Operative Monitoring and management of the natural resources.

Site accomplishments to date:

  • 1997-99: Characterization studies of the marine and terrestrial flora and fauna for the Management Plan
  • 1998: Conformation of the Advisory Council
  • 2000: Development of the Management Plan
  • 2001: Equipment for operation (boats, dive equipment, cars, aircraft)
  • 2001-02: Began the monitoring of coral reefs, birds and crocodile populations
  • 2002: Program of sanitation (letrinization)
  • 2002: Conformation of the Tourism Advisory Sub-council.
  • 2001-02: GIS data base and Bathymetric Map
  • 2001-2002: Construction of field station
Site Management

Management objective: Multiple

Type of management structure: Conventional

Challenges of site management:

  • To control illegal fishing.
  • To raise the quality of life for fishermen through training and self-management.
  • To be an example of implementing sustainable practices such as: low impact fisheries practices, fly fishing, use of renewable energy, increased sanitation (letrinization), buoy system, and waste collection system.
  • To promote scientific research through the operation of a field station.

Does a management plan exist? Yes, a plan exists. A digital version is available at:
http://www.ine.gob.mx/ueajei/publicaciones/consultaPublicacion.html?
id_pub=317&id-tema=4&dir=Consultas

Summary of main aspects of management plan:

1. Protection and Management:

  • Protection
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Research
  • Conservation of Cays
  • Environmental Education
  • Knowledge Propagation

2. Use:

  • Fisheries
  • Tourism and Leisure

3. Administration:

  • Management and Finance
  • Operation
  • Conciliation and Coordination
  • Training

Main stakeholders involved:

Advisory Council:

  1. President;
  2. Technical Secretary;
  3. Representatives from Research and academic institutions, NGOs, social organizations, Armed Forces, federal and state institutions, and the Tourism Advisory Sub-council.

Other Site Evaluations and Research

Description of any other site evaluations to date: Forthcoming
banco chinchorro crocodiles
Photo credit: Claudio Contreras, Amigos de Sian Ka'an
Listing of current/recent research activities:
  • Estudio del Zooplancton Marino y Aguas Continentales
  • Análisis Espacial de las Asociaciones de Peces Arrecifales en la Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro: con Especial Enfasis a la Pesquería
  • Reclutamiento de Peces Arrecifales en la RBBCH
  • Estudio de Aves Migratorias en la RBBCH
  • Estudio de las Agregaciones de Peces en la RBBCH
  • Análisis de la Pesquería de langosta Panulirus argus de Quintana Roo mediante modelos globales
  • Herpetofauna de Banco Chinchorro
  • Manejo Integral de Banco Chinchorro: Levantamiento geográfico y caracterización geomorfológica del arrecife, con especial énfasis en las comunidades coralina e íctica.
  • Distribución de larvas velígeras del caracol rosado Srombus gigas
  • Semicultivo del caracol rosado Strombus gigas en cuatro ambientes diferentes en la costa Sur y Banco Chinchorro
  • Bases para el manejo de la Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro
  • Política ambiental: componente: Banco Chinchorro
  • Iniciativa del Gran Arrecife Maya: Caracterización de los Arrecifes de la Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro
  • Caracterización, Monitoreo y Desarrollo de Alianzas del Sistema Arrecifal Mesoamericano
  • Análisis de tres pesquerías comerciales en la Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro
  • Conservación del Humedal de la Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro
  • Caracterización de la Laguna Arrecifal en Banco Chinchorro
  • The role of environmental variables in the lagoon coral community structure on the Chinchorro Bank
  • A survey on the medusan (Cnidaria) community of Banco Chinchorro
  • Nematoda diversity of a Caribbean atoll: Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo, México
  • A note on Pseudevadne tergestina Claus, 1862 (Crustacea: Brachiopoda: Onychopoda) of Chinchorro Bank, with observations on its biology
  • Three species of monstrilloids (Copepoda: Monstrilloida) from Banco Chinchorro, Mexican Caribbean Sea
  • The amphipod fauna of Chinchorro Bank, Quintana Roo, México, with ecological notes
  • Hyperiid amphipods of Banco Chinchorro
  • Deep water caridean shrimps (Crustacea.Decapoda) from Chinchorro Bank and adjacent areas in the Northern Caribbean
  • Report on a collection of chaetognaths from Chinchorro Bank, Mexican Caribbean Sea
  • Appendicularians (Tunicata) of Chinchorro Bank, Caribbean Sea
    A preliminary fish larvae survey in Banco Chinchorro
  • Coral Reef fish assemblages at Banco Chinchorro, Mexican Caribbean
  • Critical habitat for migratory land bird, Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo
  • Effects of Hurricane Keith at a patch reef on Chinchorro Bank, Mexican Caribbean
  • Chinchorro Bank: the last shelter for black coral in Mexican Caribbean
  • Trends and dynamics of the spiny lobster Panulirus argus resource in Chinchorro Bank, México
  • Changes in the queen conch (Strombus gigas L.) populations structure at Banco Chinchorro, Quintana Roo, México
  • Abundance of Strombus gigas juveniles 0+ year class at Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve, Quintana Roo
  • Gonad behavior during peak reproduction period of Strombus gigas from Banco Chinchorro
Contact Information and Web Links

Main Contact Information:

Rosa María Loreto
Project Coordinator, Coral Reef Program
Amigos de Sian Ka'an
Crepusculo #18, SM-44 M-13
Cancun, Quintara Roo, Mexico
CP77500 AP770
Ph: +52 (9988) 806024
Fax: +52 (9988) 481618
e-mail: rmlv66@hotmail.com

Other Contact Information:

Dr. Tomas Camarena
Director, Amigos de Sian Ka'an
e-mail: bchinchorro@prodigy.net.mx or
chinchorro@conanp.gob.mx

Link to pilot site Web page and related Web pages:

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For inquiries: mei_contact@noaa.gov

For technical/Web questions: mei_web@noaa.gov

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