Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association

What Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association does

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) is a Belize-registered non-profit NGO founded in 2013 to serve as the official co-manager of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, the largest and most biodiverse coral atoll in the Western Hemisphere at approximately 360,000 acres. Working in formal partnership with the Government of Belize, the Ministry of Blue Economy, the Belize Fisheries Department, and the Belize Coast Guard, TASA conducts day-to-day reserve operations including enforcement, scientific monitoring, education, and policy advocacy. The organization maintains three ranger stations and operates the only marine monitoring radar in Belize, providing 24/7 surveillance at The Elbow dive site, supplemented by drone surveillance and spatial monitoring tools.

TASA serves four primary stakeholder groups: eco-tourists and diving/fishing enthusiasts accessing the reserve through four Conservation Contributor resorts (Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Flats, Turneffe Island Resort, Belize Dive Haven), six local fishing communities dependent on the atoll's resources, conservation donors and corporate sponsors, and citizen scientists participating in coral colonization and crocodile monitoring programs. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships, park entry fees, and tourism contributions embedded in resort pricing under the Conservation Contributor model. The organization also operates a mobile app, signature visitor experiences (Wit Wreck Dive, Calabash Nature Trail), educational Blue Talks at partner resorts, and a scholarship program for students from stakeholder communities.

The broader partnership network spans 25+ organizations including UNDP, NOAA, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Defense Fund, Fauna and Flora, IDB Lab, Blue Finance, Blue Ventures, MAR Alliance, and the Belize Tourism Board. TASA has contributed to establishing 13 fully protected spawning sites across Belize through the Belize Spawning Aggregation Working Group and operates an average of 4,000–7,000 patrol hours annually covering approximately 50,000 kilometers. The organization has been recognized with the 2023 Belize National Tourism Awards Site of the Year and the 2024 Leading Sustainable Marine Conservation Initiative award.

Name

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association

Legal name

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association

Website

https://visitturneffe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) is a Belize-registered non-profit NGO that co-manages the 360,000-acre Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve with the Government of Belize, delivering enforcement, scientific monitoring, and education to support eco-tourism, fishing communities, and marine conservation donors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Marine reserve management
• Eco-tourism services
• Fisheries enforcement
• Marine research monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Turneffe Atoll

HQ country

Belize

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: 100% of donations go directly to support TASA's conservation work, including enforcement, research, education, and community outreach programmes.
2. Park Fees and Visitor Contributions: Collection of park entry fees from visitors to the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, supplemented by contributions from Conservation Contributor resorts that include a financial contribution to TASA in their standard pricing.
3. Tourism Revenue Sharing: Partner resorts (Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Flats, Turneffe Island Resort, Belize Dive Haven) include a conservation contribution to TASA in their pricing, providing ongoing revenue support.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association co-manages the 525 km² Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve in partnership with the Government of Belize, providing ranger-based enforcement, marine radar and drone surveillance, scientific monitoring, fisheries compliance, and community engagement programmes. It also operates the reserve's fee-based park entry and boat transfer system, the Adopt a Turneffe funding initiative, the TASA Scholarship Programme, and signature visitor experiences such as the Wit Wreck Dive and Calabash Nature Trail.

Product overview

The Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association (TASA) operates as a non-profit NGO co-managing the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, offering a suite of conservation, tourism, and education services. The core offering is the marine reserve management itself, which encompasses enforcement, scientific monitoring, and stakeholder engagement. Supporting services include visitor experiences (diving, snorkeling, fishing, nature trails), citizen science participation programs, educational Blue Talks at partner resorts, a scholarship program for local communities, and a mobile application for visitor engagement. The organization also manages park entry services, boat transfers, and donation programs including the Adopt a Turneffe initiative.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve Co-Management Statutory co-management of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve delivered in partnership with the Belize Fisheries Department, including enforcement, spatial planning, and stakeholder coordination across a 525 km² marine protected area.
• Ranger Patrol and Enforcement Service
• Citizen Science Programme Programme that engages visiting divers, researchers, and community volunteers in collecting scientific data on the health of the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, feeding TASA's broader monitoring and research activities.
• Signature Experiences Curated eco-tourism experiences at Turneffe Atoll such as the Wit Wreck Dive, the Calabash Nature Trail, and other reserve-based activities, offered to visitors and resort guests in partnership with Conservation Contributor operators.
• Blue Talks Educational Sessions On-site and partner-delivered educational sessions on the marine environment, conservation challenges, and reserve work, targeted at visitors, schools, and community groups.
• TASA Scholarship Programme Donor-funded scholarships supporting students from Turneffe Atoll coastal communities to pursue secondary and tertiary education, delivered as part of TASA's community engagement mandate.
• Adopt a Turneffe Donation Initiative Public-facing giving programme that allows individual donors to symbolically adopt and financially support the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, with proceeds funding ranger operations, science, scholarships, and community programmes.
• Park Entry and Boat Transfer Service Paid park entry and boat transfer service required to access the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, providing visitors with legitimate, regulated access while generating fee revenue for reserve management.
• Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve Mobile App Mobile application delivering real-time information about the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve, including tide data and park conditions, to visitors, researchers, and conservation stakeholders.
• Conservation Contributors Programme Structured partnership programme under which Belizean resorts, liveaboards, and dive or sport-fishing operators provide annual financial contributions in support of TASA's reserve management, in exchange for a sustainably managed marine destination.

Quantifiable outcome

• Patrol hours increased from 4,000 in 2024 to 7,000 in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry providing policy oversight and regulatory support for marine economy and civil aviation matters related to the marine reserve.
• Belize Fisheries DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment department responsible for fisheries regulation and management, collaborating with TASA on sustainable fisheries enforcement and management.
• The Belize Coast GuardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNaval authority supporting enforcement operations within the marine reserve, providing maritime security and patrol capabilities.
• Blue FinancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlue finance science and conservation team collaborates with TASA on scientific monitoring and conservation projects, providing expertise in marine conservation finance.
• Blue VenturesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational marine conservation organisation working on community-based conservation and sustainable fisheries management with TASA.
• MAR AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarine research alliance conducting scientific studies on marine species and ecosystems, collaborating on monitoring programmes.
• Healthy Reefs InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional reef monitoring initiative providing scientific support and funding for coral reef conservation through MAR Fund.
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUS government agency providing scientific support through MPAConnect and Coral Reef Conservation Programme for reef monitoring.
• Blackbird Caye ResortcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPADI 5-star diving resort and Conservation Contributor that includes a financial contribution to TASA in their standard pricing, promoting the marine reserve to divers.
• Turneffe FlatscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEco-adventure lodge and Conservation Contributor supporting TASA through visitor contributions and hosting Blue Talk conservation sessions.
• Turneffe Island ResortcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLuxury resort and Conservation Contributor that includes TASA contributions in pricing and hosts Blue Talk sessions for guests.
• Belize Tourism BoardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational tourism authority promoting Belize and Turneffe Atoll as a premier diving and eco-tourism destination.
• University of Belize Environmental Research InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research institute (UB-ERI) providing scientific research support and collaboration on marine ecosystem studies.
• Turneffe Flats Fishery Working GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group developing sustainable fishing practices and managing fisheries resources in collaboration with TASA.
• National Shark Working GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational working group focused on shark conservation and management in Belize waters.
• Belize Spawning Aggregation Working GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking group that established 13 fully protected spawning sites across Belize, supporting sustainable fisheries management.
• Belize Mangrove AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlliance focused on mangrove protection and restoration, supporting coastal ecosystem conservation.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coral Reef Alliance: CORAL is a global nonprofit dedicated exclusively to protecting coral reefs through science, partnerships, and community engagement. Its focus on reef conservation, marine protected area management, and sustainable tourism aligns closely with TASA's mandate at Turneffe Atoll.
• Belize Audubon Society: Belize's oldest conservation NGO, co-managing protected areas including marine reserves alongside the Government of Belize. As a fellow Belize-based co-management organization with an ecotourism and education mandate, it shares TASA's institutional role and funding model.
• Reef-World Foundation: Reef-World Foundation works globally to protect coral reefs through sustainable tourism guidelines and dive industry partnerships. Its model of embedding conservation into diving and snorkeling tourism operations aligns directly with TASA's Conservation Contributor resort approach.
• Global Conservation: Global Conservation funds and supports protected area management worldwide, including marine reserves with ranger operations and enforcement infrastructure. It is a direct peer in protected area financing and operational support (and an existing TASA partner).
• Blue Ventures: Blue Ventures is a marine conservation organization that partners with coastal communities to rebuild tropical fisheries and protect marine ecosystems. It shares TASA's model of combining community-led conservation, sustainable fisheries, and eco-tourism to fund marine protected areas, making it the closest direct peer.
• MAR Fund: MAR Fund is the Mesoamerican Reef regional financing mechanism supporting reef conservation across Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. It directly co-funds TASA's regional reef monitoring work through the Healthy Reefs Initiative, making it a closely comparable regional conservation peer.
• REEF Environmental Education Foundation: REEF operates the world's largest marine citizen science program, engaging divers and snorkelers in fish population monitoring. Its volunteer-driven monitoring model mirrors TASA's citizen science approach for coral colonization tracking and reef health data collection.

Broad incumbents

• Conservation International: Conservation International is a major global NGO focused on biodiversity protection, including marine hotspots and reef ecosystems. Its blue economy and protected area programs overlap with TASA's mission, though CI operates at far greater scale across multiple geographies.
• Fauna & Flora International: FFI is a global conservation charity with marine programs in species protection and habitat conservation. As an existing TASA funder, its operating model of grant-funded marine conservation projects across multiple geographies makes it a comparable institutional peer.
• Wildlife Conservation Society: WCS is a global conservation organization operating field programs across hundreds of marine and terrestrial protected areas. While much broader than TASA, its co-management approach with national governments and emphasis on marine protected areas makes it an institutional peer and potential funder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@turneffeatollmarinereserve
• Facebookfacebook.com/turneffeatollmarinereserve
• Instagraminstagram.com/turneffeatollmarinereserve
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/turneffe-atoll-sustainability-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association