Arrecifes de Cozumel and the reefscape off Cozumel

Arrecifes de Cozumel is a protected marine park off the island of Cozumel in the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, where coral reefs form a defining band along the island’s southern and western shores.off the coast of the island of Cozumel The area was designated as a national park in 1996 and later recognised as a Ramsar wetland of international importance in 2005, tying its reef system to wider conservation networks in the Caribbean.Ramsar wetland of international importance

Reefs along the Caribbean side of Cozumel

Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park stretches along the sea off the southern half of Cozumel, covering an expanse of marine territory that reaches around the island’s southern tip at Punta Sur and follows the coast south of the main town.runs along the coast south of downtown and around Punta Sur The protected area lies in the municipality of Cozumel, about 20 km (12 mi) off the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in the Caribbean Sea, so the reefscape faces open Caribbean water rather than the mainland shore.about 20 kilometers off the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula

The park’s size is given as around 120 km² (46 sq mi) of marine and coastal environment, with figures from various conservation sources placing its extent in the range of just under 12,000 to a little over 11,900 hectares.approximately 46.7 square miles Within that area the reefs, sandy shallows and deeper channels sit as a belt off the western, southern and parts of the south?eastern coast of Cozumel, marking a distinct transition from island to sea that is visible on charts and in aerial views.superficie marítimo terrestre total de 11,987-87-50 ha

Part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

The reef structures inside Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park form part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, a band of coral stretching along sections of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras that is described as the second largest coral reef system in the world.part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System In Mexican sources the Cozumel reefs are also associated with what is called the Gran Arrecife Maya or Gran Cinturón de Arrecifes del Atlántico Occidental, emphasising their place in a broader chain of Atlantic?western reefs that are significant for marine biodiversity.Gran Cinturón de Arrecifes del Atlántico Occidental

Within the park, conservation data from Mexico’s National Commission for Protected Natural Areas (CONANP) refer to more than one hundred types of coral and over two hundred species of fish recorded in its waters, reflecting the biological richness of these Caribbean reef habitats.105 different types of coral and 262 species of fish The reefscape includes formations of hard corals, patches of seagrass and sandy channels, and is frequently described in official materials as an important site for the conservation of coral communities and associated marine species in Mexico’s Caribbean waters.importancia biológica y económica

From federal decree to protected marine park

The formal creation of Arrecifes de Cozumel as a national park came with a federal decree published on 19 July 1996, under the presidency of Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León, which declared a marine park off the western coast of the island with a specified area in hectares.decreto que declara Parque Marino Nacional Subsequent documentation from Mexico’s protected areas agency describes the park as covering an approximate extension of 12,000 hectares, including beaches and reefs along the south?east and south?west coasts of Cozumel, aligning the legal definition with the physical reef belt.extensión aproximada de 12,000 has

In 2005 Arrecifes de Cozumel was added to the list of wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar Convention, under site number 1,449, with a recorded area of 11,987 hectares and coordinates around 20°16?N and 87°01?W.site number 1449 This Ramsar listing places the Cozumel reef park within a framework that recognises its role in supporting marine life and ecological processes in the wider Caribbean basin and marks it as a priority site for conservation at an international level.

Visiting Arrecifes de Cozumel: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park lies off the southern and western coasts of Cozumel, an island in Quintana Roo in the Caribbean Sea, reached by air or ferry connections via San Miguel de Cozumel.se puede llegar por vía aérea directamente, o en ferry desde la ciudad de Playa del Carmen
• Access to the park is by boat from Cozumel, and visiting the reef areas involves being on or in the water, so travellers encounter marine terrain rather than built paths.
• The island’s main town, San Miguel de Cozumel, sits a short distance north of the park boundary, and Cozumel International Airport provides an entry point close to the protected reef area.Cozumel International Airport
• The official language is Spanish and the currency is the Mexican peso.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

Searching for Arrecifes de Cozumel on social platforms

These links open searches for Arrecifes de Cozumel on each platform.

Frequently asked questions about Arrecifes de Cozumel

Where is Arrecifes de Cozumel located?

Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park is off the coast of Cozumel, an island in Quintana Roo in Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea about 20 km east of the Yucatán Peninsula.off the coast of the island of Cozumel

What do visitors encounter in the park?

Visitors encounter a marine environment with coral reefs, sandy seabeds and Caribbean water, accessed by boat from Cozumel rather than by land paths or road approaches.acceso al parque es principalmente por vía marítima

What makes Arrecifes de Cozumel distinctive?

Arrecifes de Cozumel is distinctive as a protected reef belt that forms part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System and carries both national park status and Ramsar wetland recognition.wetlands of international importance