And since the territorial dispute was taken to the ICJ - the Cayman Crown or Corona Reef was publicly revealed. This is a massive, uncharted, very healthy coral reef straddling the maritime border between Guatemala and Belize.
Already conservation groups in the area are at odds over its management. Courtenay said it's a major marine resource - but will not factor into any final decision by the court:
Eamon Courtenay, Responsibility for Belize's 2 Cases Before the ICJ
"From an environmental point of view, it is of great interest to both countries because it is very rich in its biodiversity. Without going into much on it, I would say it does not have great legal significance."
"You will understand, Jules, that when it comes to defining boundaries in the maritime area of any country, you deal with land boundary that is projected out. And if there is any maritime rock or island outgrowing in the sea, not everyone, and especially a reef that is submerged, is not a feature that will necessarily be used by the court to say, OK, here's a valuable coral formation below water."
"Let us see how we will adjust the border. That would not be used as a factor to adjust the border. But that's a very delicate place, and it's very rich."
