Coral Reefs at Risk

Conservationists have warned that without timely action, the existence of most Caribbean coral reefs is dramatically at risk. Jeremy Moore, Reef4Akumal A. C. / Expedition Akumal, recently met with Baruch Figueroa-Zavala, coordinator of Coastal Research, to pinpoint the threats posed to the health of our local Caribbean waters and its coral reefs. Immediate threats include

— excessive fishing of species in high commercial demand whose numbers are in a vulnerable state, e.g. Queen conch and Grouper;

— continued increase in the demand for marine products due to an expanding tourism sector;

— decline of key habitats that are necessary for the persistence of species associated with coral reefs due to unbridled development of tourism complexes at the expense of wetlands and mangroves that function as nursery areas for fish and commercially important invertebrates;

— greater incidence in the frequency and strength of hurricanes and tropical storms which seriously affects coral reefs and wetlands, a consequence of global climate change;

— insignificant or inadequate surveillance in the marine zone, resulting in high levels of illegal fishing and the lack of enforcement of environmental and fishery related laws;

— inadequate waste disposal systems.

Already at work on these issues are several nonprofit conservation organizations, including The Kanan Kay Alliance, The Community and Biodiversity Civil Association (COBI), Oceanus A.C., Expedition Akumal, and Friends of Sian Ka’an. Figueroa-Zavala explained how CEA could join the collaboration among these groups, and with Mexican authorities and fishing cooperatives. These organizations are working to establish fish refuges, study and foster sea turtle populations, establish and maintain reef monitoring programs and coral nurseries, manage mangrove protection programs, initiate water quality projects, and continue to educate local populations in sustainable fishing practices.

One solution to renew both the sea and the coral is fish refuges and coral nurseries. Figueroa-Zavala has been involved in establishing two of the first fish refuges in Quintana Roo, working with the help of COBI. Conservationists hope to have a fish refuge in the Akumal area soon. They also hope to begin working on coral nurseries in our area.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is one of the groups behind a new study of sea issues. Its director, Carl Lundin, says, “The rate at which the Caribbean corals have been declining is truly alarming. But this study brings some very encouraging news: the fate of Caribbean corals is not yet beyond our control and there are some very concrete steps that we can take to help restore the ecosystem.”

The Caribbean is home to 9% of the world’s coral reefs, which generate well over 2 billion US dollars annually from tourism and much more in other goods and services, which 43 million depend on.

How can we have tourism of this magnitude and still preserve our reefs and our Sea . . . ?

Jeremy Moore suggests that concerned persons can volunteer, educate, donate and spend their money at businesses that support organizations and conservation efforts in real and visible ways.