Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the MAR, with diving and coastal tourism as the principal socio-economic drivers in the majority of sites in the region. In response to the demands of increasing numbers of tourists, many destinations experience rapid growth and development of coastal infrastructure and marine recreation activities. Additionally, the region has … Read more
Appropriate land-use practices are critical for the management of watersheds to ensure that the transport of sediment, nutrients and other pollutants to coral reefs is minimised. In the Mesoamerican region, 300,000 hectares of land is allocated to the production of banana, oil palm, sugar cane, citrus, pineapple crops, and mariculture. The residues of chemical products … Read more
Ten years ago, 1997 was declared the International Year of the Reef (IYOR). This was in response to the increasing threats and loss of coral reefs and associated ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea grasses. IYOR was a global effort to increase awareness and understanding on the value of and threats to coral reefs, and … Read more