Villa Blanca Reef in Cozumel is more than just a dive site—it’s a vibrant and biodiverse ecosystem located just outside the island’s national marine park. The reef suffered its most severe damage in 2005 during Hurricane Wilma, but it continues to face ongoing threats from climate change, cruise ship traffic, stony coral tissue loss disease, and invasive lionfish. For over a decade, Sand Dollar Sports has partnered with local NGOs, scientists, and interns to restore and protect this fragile habitat.
But in early 2020, that work came under serious threat.
A cruise line–backed development project proposed building Cozumel’s fourth international cruise pier—a 1-kilometer structure planned directly on top of Villa Blanca Reef. To justify the project, a marine biologist hired by the developers falsely claimed that the reef was “dead” and therefore a suitable location for construction.
But we knew the truth.
Standing Up for a Living Reef
This reef is not only alive—it’s thriving.
Through years of restoration and monitoring, we’ve documented coral growth, supported a coral nursery through the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program, and welcomed students, interns, and scientists to study the reef’s recovery firsthand. Losing Villa Blanca Reef in Cozumel would mean losing years of conservation work—and one of the island’s few remaining biodiverse coral ecosystems outside the Cozumel Marine Park.
So, we joined the fight to protect it.
A Community-Led Campaign
The movement to save Villa Blanca Reef was led by a broad coalition of concerned citizens, environmental groups, and local NGOs. Sand Dollar Sports was honored to support these grassroots efforts and contribute wherever we could.
To help counter the misinformation, we helped fund an independent marine biology study through a GoFundMe campaign. That new research proved the reef was not only present but ecologically vibrant and home to several endangered corals that are protected species. Our team, along with local underwater photographers, documented the reef’s health through photos and video, sharing it widely on social media to raise awareness. People even wrote songs about saving our reef!
Meanwhile, organizations such as the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program, CIMAC, and the Cozumel Coral Conservatory, among others, worked tirelessly to organize peaceful protests, deliver more than 150,000 petition signatures to Mexico City, and invite media and government officials to dive the reef and see its condition firsthand.
The campaign gained momentum under the hashtag #NoAlCuartoMuelle (“No to the Fourth Pier”) and quickly went viral across Mexico and beyond.
Media and Government Took Notice
With the support of local and international journalists, the story of Villa Blanca Reef reached a global audience. Blog posts, social media campaigns, and online videos helped amplify the message. Support poured in from all over the country—and eventually from the highest levels of government.
The campaign reached President Claudia Sheinbaum, Governor María Lezama Espinosa, and Alicia Bárcena, head of SEMARNAT (Mexico’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources). Many other politicians and marine park officials also came to dive with us and shared on their social media profiles as well. As of now, the pier project is officially on hold, pending further environmental review. We remain hopeful that the project will be permanently cancelled—and that Villa Blanca Reef will receive the protection it deserves.
@orebora Nos sumergimos una vez más en el arrecife Villa Blanca, en compañía de mi amigo el Senador @Gino Segura para ver de primera mano la gran vida marina que habita en este increíble lugar. Reafirmamos nuestro compromiso con la protección del arrecife Villa Blanca: este ecosistema marino representa vida, equilibrio y sustento para nuestras comunidades. Preservarlo no es una opción, es una responsabilidad. #NoAlCuartoMuelle ♬ sonido original – Oscar Rebora
Oscar Rebora, Secretary of Ecology and Environment, in Quintana Roo, is one of the government officials who dived with us several times. He has a passion for sustainability and his TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram videos were very helpful in creating awareness of the damage the 4th Pier would cause to Villa Blanca Reef.
A Message to Other Dive Communities
We’re sharing this story to inspire other scuba divers, dive shops, marine educators, and reef restoration programs. If you’re facing similar threats, know that your voice—and your footage, your photos, your stories—can make a difference.
Social media, public engagement, scientific research, and peaceful protest can work together to tell a powerful story. When people care enough to speak up, real change is possible.
Villa Blanca Reef in Cozumel is still alive—because a community came together to defend it. And we will continue to fight for its existence until all proposed cruise pier or mass tourism projects anywhere near this reef are finally stopped for good by the government.
Discover Villa Blanca for yourself!
Sand Dollar Sports is located right on the beautiful Villa Blanca Reef—one of Cozumel’s most biodiverse and accessible reefs. Come see it for yourself and learn how we’re helping to protect it through our Reef Restoration Program. Join one of our Reef Restoration Tours, a fun and educational snorkeling experience perfect for the whole family.
If you’re a certified diver, you can explore the reef on a guided shore dive and search for our elusive resident seahorses. They are often hiding on the sponges and algae on our shallow house reef. To make it even more exciting, dive the Villa Blanca Reef at night. Our night dives are filled with much action that divers rarely see during the day!
For the full Villa Blanca experience, hop on one of our boat dives and witness the reef’s vibrant marine life up close—from massive barrel sponges and gorgonian corals to schools of yellow grunts, camouflaged flounders, and even a striking pair of white-spotted filefish.
Diving with us isn’t just an adventure—it’s a memory worth making. Book now!
Comments
1 Comment
The Marine Biologist who was bought and paid for to claim the reef was dead should have some consequences perhaps going as far back to the University that awarded their Credentials.