Cayman Crown reef is a multi species fish spawning aggregation (FSA) site overlapping the maritime borders between Guatemala and Belize. Located within the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve (SCMR), the reef is considered a biodiversity hotspot with an urgent need for improved management. The Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) – a non-governmental organization – has been working with the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation (MBECA) and the Belize Fisheries Department (BFD) to improve management at the site by developing a national co-management framework for marine protected areas, drafted by the Government of Belize. Delays with the implementation of the co-management framework have hindered the effective protection of the reef. Through a strengthened relationship with MBECA and BFD, a MOU was signed in October 2022 designating TIDE as co-managers of Cayman Crown, and two other established FSA sites within SCMR. TIDE aims to obtain full co-management of SCMR by the end of 2023.