Colombia

There are about 2,000 sq km of coral reef areas within the Colombian Caribbean. About two-thirds of Colombia's coral reefs in the Caribbean are found around a series of oceanic islands (San Andrés, Providencia, Santa Catalina), atolls, and banks that make up the San Andrés and Providencia Archipelago, located more than 700 km from the Colombian continental coast. Only the three major islands are permanently inhabited; tourists and fishers visit the cays, atolls, and banks occasionally. The archipelago represents one of the most extensive reef areas in the Western Atlantic region. The San Andrés Barrier Reef, although not continuous, runs for 15 km along that island's east coast. The Old Providence and Santa Catalina (OPSC) barrier reef is 32 km long and covers an area of 255 sq km, and is one of the largest reefs in the Americas. The Archipelago's reef formations are particularly complex because of the open ocean location and adaptation to heavy wave action. [1] In contrast, Colombia's Caribbean coastline stretches 1,700 kilometers, but coral reefs are restricted to fewer than 150 km, located away from major estuaries and sediment plumes, [2] which limit coral growth.

The Reefs at Risk analysis rated nearly 45 percent of Colombia's reefs as threatened by human activities. The most pervasive threat is overfishing, threatening nearly 40 percent of reefs. Land conversion and agricultural activities are estimated to have had an impact on reefs along the continental coastline, about 25 percent of Colombia's reefs. Coastal development was rated as a threat to 14 percent of reefs, and marine-based activities to an estimated 3 percent.

Overfishing on Colombian reefs has caused the depletion of a number of commercially important fish stocks. Large fish such as snappers, groupers, grunts, queen triggerfish, hogfish, and barracuda are almost absent from San Andrés. [3] As a consequence, normally despised non-traditional catches such as parrotfishes have become a major target for the local fishery. [4] Queen conch is a highly valuable fishery for the Archipelago, but according to landing statistics, the fishery peaked in 1988 and has been in decline ever since because of overfishing. [5]

The extensive deforestation and land clearing occurring in the country and the high discharges of large rivers affecting most of the coast combine to make sedimentation an important agent of stress for the reefs of the continental coast. [6] Another important source prevalent throughout Colombian waters is sewage pollution in locations where untreated sewage is discharged directly into coastal waters from highly populated coastal areas. Evidence of coral damage has been cited. [7] This is a particular problem on San Andrés, where a booming tourist industry and a population of over 60,000 living on a land area of only 25 sq km make it the most densely populated island in the Caribbean. [8]

Other disturbances affecting Colombian coral reefs include fishing with explosives, an illegal practice causing localized destruction to coral reefs (even within some protected areas), [9] and ship groundings, particularly where traffic is high from fishing and tourism such as in the Archipelago. [10] Also, there have been major river modifications and building of canals that have resulted in considerable degradation to some reefs. [11]

Recent natural disturbances of Colombian Caribbean reefs include hurricanes, bleaching events, epidemic diseases, and algae proliferation. [12] Hurricanes have affected only the Archipelago, but their impact has been poorly documented. White band, black band, white plague and dark spot diseases have all been recorded in Colombian waters. Dark spot disease is the most common and affects massive reef-framework coral species. [13] Coral bleaching caused by the 1997/98 El Niño event had little effect on Colombian Caribbean reefs. Coral bleaching between 1998 and 2001 was lower than 5 percent in the monitored localities.

The Archipelago was declared the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve in 2000 by UNESCO's Man and Biosphere (MAB) Program. [14] Protection of coral reefs in Colombia has been recognized with the establishment of three national parks and the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, with coral reefs within their boundaries where extractive or disturbing activities are regulated, but infrastructure and resources for effective control are still very scarce. The National Monitoring System for the Coral Reefs of Colombia (SIMAC) has been developed but is threatened by lack of financial resources.

[1] B. Salvat et al., Coral Reef Protected Areas in International Instruments: World Heritage Convention, World Network of Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar Convention (Moorea, French Polynesia: CRIOBE-EPHE, 2002), p.72

[2] M. Spalding et al., World Atlas of Coral Reefs (Berkeley, California: University of California Press and UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center, 2001), p. 130

[3] M. Spalding et al., World Atlas of Coral Reefs (Berkeley, California: University of California Press and UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Center, 2001), p. 132

[4] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 295

[5] Thiele, S. 2001. Queen conch fisheries and their management in the Caribbean. TRAFFIC Europe. p.18

[6] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 264

[7] J. Garzón-Ferreira et al., "Status of Coral Reefs in Southern Tropical America," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p.350

[8] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 280

[9] J. Garzón-Ferreira et al., "Status of Coral Reefs in Southern Tropical America," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p.351

[10] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 295

[11] J. Garzón-Ferreira et al., "Status of Coral Reefs in Southern Tropical America," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p.350

[12] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 293

[13] J. Garzón-Ferreira & J.M. Díaz, "The Caribbean coral reefs of Colombia," in Latin American Coral Reefs. J. Cortés, ed. (Amsterdam: Elsevier Press, 2003), p. 294

[14] B. Salvat et al., Coral Reef Protected Areas in International Instruments: World Heritage Convention, World Network of Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar Convention (Moorea, French Polynesia: CRIOBE-EPHE, 2002), p.72