Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS) is the second largest marine protected area in Belize, encompassing approximately 178,000 acres (72,000 hectares) of the Belize portion of the Mesoamerican Reef’s largest estuarine system and much of the northern shelf lagoon behind Ambergris Caye. Situated in the north east of Belize, Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS) was established in 1998 under the National Park Systems Act of 1981 as part of Belize’s National Protected Areas System, and as part of a transboundary protected area, twinned with the Sanctuario del Manati of Mexico, following Belize /Mexico bilateral agreements.

CBWS lies within a larger river to reef seascape – the Northern Belize Coastal Complex (NBCC). As part of this seascape, CBWS acts as an important settling basin for sediment and contaminants before they reach the Mesoamerican reef system. This helps to maintain the health of Belize’s northern barrier reef and the key tourism destinations of Hol Chan and Caye Caulker. CBWS also forms an important part of a transboundary estuarine system. With ever-increasing collaboration between SACD and its transboundary management counterpart (IBANQROO), improved conservation outcomes on both sides of the border are being achieved.

CBWS is also home to one of the most stable populations of manatees in Belize, key bird nesting sites, the only recorded bull shark nursery/pupping area in Belize, extensive coastal and caye mangroves habitats, and the only stromatolite reef system in Belize. Five coastal stakeholder communities have been identified (Sarteneja, Chunox, Copper Bank, Consejo and Corozal), of which Sarteneja is the most dependent on the marine resources of CBWS.