Coral Reefs National Marine Park, or Arrecifes de Cozumel as it is known in Mexico, was declared a national marine park on July 19, 1996, under the direction of president Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León. Just under 30,000 acres, this park includes the federal maritime zone, as well as both rocky and sandy beaches, mangroves, and palm groves that support important biological communities. The park was created to protect, conserve, and restore these natural resources which play important roles in is this fragile ecosystem.
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| Splendid Toadfish - Endemic to Cozumel |
Within this reserve there are 26 types of corals, with over 100 subspecies, and 500 fish species, including those native only to the island, such as the Splendid Toadfish. Thanks to Cozumel's marine life protection programs, there has been a significant increase in the population of loggerhead, hawksbill and green turtles which can be seen quite frequently by divers.
Daily Park monitoring activities ensure an accurate and current diagnosis of the state of the reserve, and provide vital information for its preservation programs and scientific research. In order to protect and conserve this precious marine life, regulations have been put in place and should be strictly adhered to by all.
IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED:
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Dive guides are authorized to enforce these rules. Your courtesy in carefully following these rules ensures that these precious reefs, living organisms in their own right, will enjoy long and healthy lives.
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IT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED:
- To stand on, or take hold of the coral reefs
- To fish for, to collect, to disturb or to keep any marine life organism found in the Park (fishes, corals, shells, starfish, etc.)
- To carry spears, hooks, harpoons or explosives
- To carry gloves or knives (Dive Masters and Instructors may register these items for use with the Marine Park).
- To disturb or to remove fauna and flora from their refuge.
- To feed any fish or animals in the Marine Park
- To dispose of any kind of solid waste in the ocean.
- To dump fuel, grease, oil, or any other liquid substances into the ocean
- To use sun block or suntan oils which are not biodegradable.
Dive guides are authorized to enforce these rules. Your courtesy in carefully following these rules ensures that these precious reefs, living organisms in their own right, will enjoy long and healthy lives.
An Overview of Cozumel's Diving
Cozumel has a variety of dive sites for all skill levels, from shallow dives featuring abundant coral and tropical fish, to more challenging wall dives. Cozumel is especially known for its drift diving. Currents can range from mild to strong depending on the season and dive site. A short boat ride will get you to most dive sites, but beach diving is also available from a number of access points. The majority of boat diving is what is called "live" boat diving. This is where the boat does not anchor, but drifts along behind the divers.
Depth for most sites ranges from 30 to 90 feet. Visibility can be anywhere from 80 to 100 feet. Water temperatures average 77° F in the winter to 85° F in summer. The dive season is just about any time of year. The rainy season runs from May to September, and the middle of autumn is considered hurricane season. December through March is generally the busiest time of the year for tourism. Air temperatures usually range between 70° F and 85° F.![]()
Cozumel Dive Guide Reef Map
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