Coral - January/February 2011

reflect a sustainable policy. By identifying the governance
structures required to implement new management
strategies, appropriate actions may be taken to enhance
the protection of Caribbean reefs. Such actions could
involve limiting real estate development near damaged
and fragile reef sections, imposing restrictive regulations
for waste-water treatment, establishing fishing quotas,
and stimulating sustainable livelihood practices like eco-
tourism. Many countries in the greater Caribbean area
have already made important steps in protecting their
reefs by establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
Even so, the detrimental practices of coastal develop-
ment, pollution, and overfishing of key organisms, such
as herbivores, continue. By communicating the key prob-
lems and their solutions to the relevant people, ranging
from fishermen to state officials, we may be able to slow
down the ongoing decline of Caribbean reefs.

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A GLimmer of hope

Despite the current condition of the Yucatán and Caribbean reefs, and their grim outlook, there still is some hope for the future. In between the decayed, algae overgrown coral branches, new coral recruits emerge. Young Acropora palmata colonies and large fields of sea fans can still be found here and there. It is known that coral reefs may recover relatively quickly after tropical storms, or even nuclear blasts as recently shown for Bikini Atoll. For recovery however, it is vital that human interference is low or absent. Next to this, climate change, which is accompanied by a rise in sea surface temperature and ocean acidification, hangs over the horizon as a dark cloud. Last year, the global weather disturbance known as El Niño caused massive coral bleaching throughout the world. Reefs in the southern Caribbean, Southeast Asia, the western Pacific and those of the Flower Garden Banks were hit hard. Coral bleaching, first observed in the early 1980’s, will continue to increase in both frequency and severity. The establishment of MPA’s, sound reef management and ongoing research will be more important than ever now the planet is facing major losses of the important ecosystems we call coral reefs.