Conch
Name the months the Conch season is closed every year.
July 1st (or when quota is met) - September 30th
During which months is it illegal to catch lobster?
March 1st - June 30th
Approximately 30 Miles
These intercoastal trees thrive where land meets sea - name all three types found in Belize.
Red, White, and Black Mangroves
It starts in the hills and ends in the sea - how does your garbage in town end up floating in the sea?
It gets carried by rivers, drains, or wind into the sea.
What is the legal shell length for the conch?
7 inches or greater
Why do fishers measure the carapace of a lobster before keeping it?
To check if it's the legal size (3 inches).
If you’re fishing in Turneffe and a uniformed officer checks your catch for size, who just visited you?
Conservation/ Enforcement Officers
They look like colorful underwater rocks, but they’re actually alive! What are coral reefs made of?
Animals
Belizeans love eating these fishing product. Can you name all three?
Conch, lobster, and finfish
Where do conch live?
In shallow sandy areas and seagrass beds.
Name 3 tools or methods used to catch lobster.
Traps, shades, and free diving with hooks
Can you name three endangered species that call Turneffe home?
Nassau Grouper, Parrot Fish, Sea Turtles
Name two reasons why mangroves are important to coastal areas.
They protect the shoreline from erosion and act as a nursery for juvenile fish
Which atoll in Belize is the largest and most biologically diverse?
Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve
Do you know a conch's favorite meal?
Algae (and decaying matter)
When a female lobster is carrying eggs under her tail, fishers say she is ... ?
Berried (or with tar spots)
Name the 4 Zones in Turneffe.
Conservation Zone, Special Management Zone, General Use Zones, and Preservation Zone
What are two marine species that depend on seagrass beds?
Conch and sea turtles
This flashy, spiny predator isn’t from around here — what invasive fish from the Indo-Pacific is now threatening Belize’s reefs?
Lionfish
It has eyes, a foot, and a shell — but it’s not a snail. What kind of animal is a conch?
A marine mollusk
Lobsters don’t have claws to fight back - so how do they dodge predators?
They snap their tails to swim backward fast and hide in crevices or under rocks to avoid being seen.
Belize has three amazing atolls - one is Turneffe. Can you name the other two?
Lighthouse Reef Atoll and Glover's Reef Atoll
When ocean temperatures rise too high, coral loses its color and struggles to survive - what is this underwater stress event called?
Coral bleaching
It’s one of the world’s most famous dive sites. What is this giant underwater sinkhole called?
The Great Blue Hole