The Port of Honduras Marine Reserve begins on the southern coastline of Belize, where seven rivers from the jungle flow into the reserve. Covering approximately 160 square meters. miles / 847 square kilometers of coastal Caribbean coastline, the reserve also includes 135 small mangrove islands. Located a little north of the city of Punta Gorda and declared a protected area in January 2000, the reserve is managed by the Toledo Institute for the Development and Environment Community. To a large extent, thanks to the regulation of fishing in the reserve, its marine population flourishes and the reserve serves as a habitat for various endangered species, including the West Indies Manatee. An important Mayan archaeological center was discovered on Wild Reed. The ancient Mayans knew about the wealth of marine resources and established a commercial sea route to the Mayan coastal trade routes. The Marine Reserve Port of Honduras, with its mangrove coast, clear rivers, hundreds of protective reefs and the Barrier Coral Reef, forms one of the most important fish habitats in the Caribbean.