Become a Coral Guardian. Join us!
Cozumel's coral reefs was once a thriving diving paradise teaming with marine life, but the island's rapid development as a tourism destination, has impacted these ecosystems. In 1994, the government pushed the Marine Park limits further south and built a cruise ship terminal near the now unprotected Villa Blanca reefs. This decimated the corals and the marine life that depends on them.
One man's vision to save his backyard reef prompted German to start the Cozumel Coral Reef Restoration Program. Corals are resilient and with a little human help, they can bounce back. Through German's tireless efforts with his team of volunteers, we have managed to salvage and protect a piece of paradise. If you swim down the coast, you will notice our coral garden is one of few places left with a diversity of fish to see. All due to the presence of corals which provide homes for the fish.
The reefs still face continual threats from pollution from the new developments down the coast which do not have proper sewage treatment, road run-off, the threat of the expansion of the cruise ship terminal, and new threats of coral bleaching and heat-stress death from climate change.
Every day we fight for the corals. Join our fight! We run entirely off donations from people like you!
Be a changemaker!
Help us restore the reefs.
Dr German Mendez
Marine Biologist and Activist, Director General of CCRRP
The CCRRP is a non-profit that relies on donations from generous people like you. Becoming a monthly supporter gives a stable funding stream so we are able plan for longer term projects, which ensures better longer-term survival of the coral fragments we plant. Thank you for your support!
What your donations support
Your generous donations help support our conservation and educational activities:
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Planting of coral fragments in the Cozumel area to foster regrowth of new colonies
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Research and rehabilitation of corals from human damage, disease and coral bleaching caused by climate change
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Enhanced biodiversity as coral reefs are not only home to a diverse array of marine life, but also serve as vital nurseries & feeding grounds for countless species.
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Fund our advocacy work to protect the corals from increased damage
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Run our programs to educating visitors on the importance of corals and their conservation
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Equipment for marine biologists and volunteers to clean coral structure to prevent corals from getting smothered by algae
Help us make a positive change in this world!
Equipment Donations
As some equipment is considerably more expensive or unavailable in Cozumel, we appreciate it if foreign volunteers can bring and donate some of these following items:
