WRI Stories Feed: Coastal Capital: Economic Valuation of Coastal Ecosystems in the Caribbean

Does Economic Valuation Really Influence Coastal Policy?

Richard Waite — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:30:13 -0500

Governments, corporations, and development agencies are increasingly interested in…

Lionfish Invasion Threatens Coral Reefs in the Atlantic and Caribbean

Richard Waite — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 10:30:47 -0400

Recent news reports from Texas to Jamaica to the Bahamas…

How to Reduce Your Coral Reef Footprint

Lauretta Burke — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:40:43 -0400

”Reeling Reefs,” a feature story in the August 15th issue of American Way magazine, showcases…

Jamaica’s Coastal Capital at Risk: Report from the Field

Richard Waite — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 09:17:14 -0400

A new economic valuation shows what Jamaica’s economy stands to lose if its coral reefs decline further.

Last week, I traveled to Jamaica with my colleagues Lauretta Burke and Benjamin Kushner to launch a new analysis called Coastal Capital: Jamaica – The Economic Contribution of Jamaica’s Coral Reefs. We spent several rainy days in Kingston, where we launched the report at two events, met with many members of Jamaica’s environmental community, and sampled delicious (but spicy) Jamaican cuisine. The sun came out near the end of the week, which allowed us to get out to the beach and see some coral reefs before heading back home.

Our first stop was the Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals’ (JIEP) bi-annual conference in Kingston. This year’s conference theme was “Balancing National Development and Environmental Protection,” and WRI officially launched Coastal Capital: Jamaica. We followed this launch event with a three-hour seminar on our results at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus. More than 80 people attended the two events, including some of the key players in environmental policy and coastal management in the country. Two of Jamaica’s national newspapers also covered the report, headlining the importance of the country’s coral reefs to its tourism and fishing industries.

Read the summary of Coastal Capital: Jamaica

Coral Reefs are Valuable

Coastal Capital: Jamaica finds that coral reefs provide significant value to the Jamaican economy. Reefs help build and protect Jamaica’s beautiful white coralline beaches, which attract millions of international tourists each year. Reefs provide critical habitat for Jamaica’s artisanal and industrial fisheries, and they also protect Jamaica’s coastline—including coastal communities and tourist hotels—from the destructive force of tropical storms. Unfortunately, Jamaica’s reefs are severely at risk, from overfishing, poorly planned coastal development, and pollution from land and sea. Climate change—which triggers warming seas and ocean acidification—is also taking its toll and its impacts are likely to increase in the future. Jamaica’s economy stands to lose if its reefs decline further.

Our key findings include:

Coral reef-related fisheries contribute US $34.3 million to Jamaica’s economy each year, and that this number could be much higher if Jamaica’s fisheries were sustainably managed.
Reef-related fisheries support between 15,000–20,000 fishermen, and contribute directly and indirectly to the livelihoods of at least 100,000 Jamaicans (or nearly 5% of the population) island-wide.
Further loss of coral reefs could more than double beach erosion rates in Jamaica’s major beach resort towns. Beach erosion rates could increase by more than 50 percent in Montego Bay, 70 percent in Ocho Rios, and 100 percent in Negril over a 10-year period.
Increased beach erosion could drive between 9,000–18,000 foreign tourists away from Jamaica each year, costing the country up to US $19 million in lost tourism revenue per year, and up to US $23 million in lost revenues to the wider Jamaican economy.
Coral reef degradation leads to increased wave heights during storms and thus leads to more widespread coastal flooding. For example, in Discovery Bay, severe reef degradation could cause the number of buildings flooded to more than triple.

Not the Last Word

We do not see Coastal Capital: Jamaica as the last word on the economic value and importance of the country’s coral reefs. Quite the contrary, we hope that these results will contribute to the ongoing conversation within the country about how to effectively balance Jamaica’s long-term development goals with its need to protect its natural environment in order to sustain development long into the future.

To that end, we had lively discussions at both events, as participants raised questions that quickly got to the heart of Jamaica’s most pressing environmental issues. How should Jamaica deal with its current situation of too many fishermen and not enough fish? Is the tourism industry—a leading moneymaker in Jamaica—degrading the very ecosystems it depends on, and what can be done about it? The sessions ended on a hopeful note that analysis, debate and collaboration would lead to real action.

To the Beach

A glimpse of Jamaica’s degraded reefs. Photo credit: WRI

Our last stop, of course, was the beach. At first glance, it was a tropical paradise. The sun was shining, the palm trees waved in the breeze, and the Caribbean Sea was warm and relaxing. However, all was not well under the sea surface: the corals we saw were small and some were diseased, algae was widespread, and fish (save for the invasive carnivorous lionfish) were few. Later that evening, we sampled the lionfish at a local market—contributing to the Jamaican government’s plan to encourage citizens to “eat it to beat it”—and found it quite tasty.

The fates of Jamaica’s economy and of its natural environment are closely intertwined. Although the view under the water was sobering, we came home energized and cautiously optimistic. The enthusiastic participation and healthy debates at our two events in Kingston gave us reason for hope, and reassured us that meaningful change—driven by well-intentioned and better informed individuals from all sectors of Jamaican society—is indeed possible.

WRI produced Coastal Capital: Jamaica in collaboration with UWI’s Marine Geology Unit, the Mona GeoInformatics Institute, The Nature Conservancy and Texas A&M University, with generous support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. For a summary and the full technical reports, including the valuation methodology, please visit www.wri.org/coastal-capital.

Have You Heard of Coral Bleaching?

Lauretta Burke — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:09:04 -0400

Three-quarters of Americans have not.

According to a recent Yale University survey, 75 percent of Americans have not heard of coral bleaching.

Yet 2010 is on pace to be one of the worst years on record for coral bleaching. Already this year, the Caribbean is showing signs of record bleaching, and there are many other examples from around the world. While most Americans may not heard of it, coral bleaching is one of the many threats coral reefs face – threats that could potentially destroy one of the world’s great ecosystems, if we don’t take steps to protect them.

What is Coral Bleaching?

Corals are highly sensitive to changes in temperature, and extreme conditions are stressful for these animals. Stressed corals expel the symbiotic algae (zooxanthellae) that usually live within their tissues. These algae are important because they use the sun’s energy through photosynthesis to provide corals with a critical source of nourishment and also give them their vivid and beautiful colors. Without the algae, the corals reveal their white skeleton beneath, causing them to appear “bleached.” Bleaching weakens corals, making them more vulnerable to diseases and other stressors. While a bleached coral can recover, if stressful physical conditions persist, it can die.

This 500 year old coral head bleached in 1997 and has yet to recover to a healthy state as of 2005. Key West, FL. Photo credit: Craig Quirolo, Reef Relief/Marine Photobank

According to NASA, thus far 2010 has been the warmest year in the past 131 years of record keeping. The above-average ocean temperatures are due to a moderate El Niño event (characterized by warm equatorial Pacific waters), which is occurring on top of rising baseline temperatures due to climate change. This is a dangerous combination for reefs that can lead to extensive bleaching. 1998 was the first year in which coral bleaching is known to have occurred on a global basis. That year a strong El Niño event killed an estimated 16 percent of tropical coral reefs worldwide.¹ In the worst-hit areas, such as the central and western Indian Ocean, 50 to 90 percent of all corals died.

Recovery from bleaching events is variable among corals, and can take a few years to decades, depending on the species and environmental conditions. As shown in the figure below, the number of countries reporting severe coral bleaching since 1998 has increased as compared with previous years.

Figure 1 - Number of countries reporting coral bleaching by year and severity category. Source: ReefBase, 2009.

Where is the Worst Bleaching Happening?

Most of the bleaching that occurred during the middle of this year was concentrated in Southeast Asia and the eastern Indian Ocean. The hardest hit areas were Thailand (up to 100% of species bleaching on the Thai peninsula); Malaysia (where scientists estimate up to 20% mortality by fall); Philippines (especially northern Palawan, but also across the Visayan Islands); Indonesia (especially Aceh province where 80% of some species have bleached since May); and Maldives (where 10 to 15% of shallow coral has completely bleached and 50 to 70% have started bleaching).

In late September 2010, NOAA Coral Reef Watch issued a press release warning of predicted bleaching for the southern and southeastern Caribbean through October, because temperatures have been above average all year long, and the early fall months are typically the warmest for ocean temperatures in the region. So far there have been some reports of bleaching in the Flower Garden Banks off the coast of Texas, Tobago, Guadeloupe, and Panama.

Partially bleached coral head, Indonesia. Photo credit: Wolcott Henry 2005/Marine Photobank

Can Reefs Survive?

Corals are likely to recover from bleaching if other stresses on them are low—but, unfortunately, in many parts of the world, reefs are facing multiple threats. Other stresses include land-based pollution and sediment runoff, physical damage from anchors or careless divers, and overfishing, which can alter the ecological balance on a reef. In the Philippines, for example, our global analysis of threats to coral reefs finds that most reefs in the areas experiencing bleaching are also pressured by overfishing, watershed-based pollution, and coastal development. These additional stresses will make it difficult for reefs to recover from coral bleaching.

Bleached coral landscape, Samoa. Photo credit: Wolcott Henry 2005/Marine Photobank

What’s Next?

While we don’t yet know the full range or precise impacts of this year’s bleaching event – we do know that rising temperatures are putting coral reefs at risk and that we need to do more to protect these precious and valuable resources.

In early 2011, WRI and our partners will release the results of a spatial analysis of threats to the world’s coral reefs entitled Reefs at Risk Revisited. This comprehensive analysis will include an evaluation of four “local” threats (overfishing and destructive fishing, coastal development, watershed-based pollution, and marine-based pollution and damage), as well as projected “global” threats, which include the effects of climate change (warming and acidifying seas) on reefs through 2050. The report will also provide recommendations on how to mitigate these threats at both the local and international levels.

The Reefs at Risk Revisited project aims to raise awareness about the threats to coral reefs and provide valuable tools for managing these precious ecosystems. Given the scale of coral bleaching this year, there isn’t time to waste.

Oliver, J. K., R. Berkelmans & C. M. Eakin. Coral Bleaching in Space and Time in Coral Bleaching 21–39; Wilkinson, C. Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008. (Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network and Reef and Rainforest Research Centre, 2008). ↩

Q&A: The Economics of Coral Reefs

Lauretta Burke — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:22:07 -0400

WRI’s Lauretta Burke discusses her work on measuring the economic value of coral reefs in the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean countries.

Coral reefs are essential to fisheries, tourism, and protecting beaches from erosion. WRI’s coral reefs team recently released Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic, its fourth country-level economic valuation of coral reefs in the Caribbean.

What are the main discoveries of the recently-released economic valuation of coral reefs in the Dominican Republic?

This report looks at the economic and recreational value of the Dominican Republic’s coralline beaches, reef and mangrove fisheries, and ecotourism industry. We basically set out to quantify what the country stands to lose – in fishing, shoreline erosion, and tourism – if it does not take efforts to preserve its reefs.

For example, the Dominican Republic depends on its beaches to attract tourists, but it’s the reefs that keep the shoreline from eroding. Without reefs, you start to lose your beaches, and this can have a huge impact on tourism. Our analysis finds that for each meter of beach a resort loses, the average per-person hotel room rate drops by about $1.50 per night. So if beaches continue to erode at the current rate, the Dominican tourism industry stands to lose $52-100 million in revenue over the next decade.

It’s a similar story for fishing. The report estimates that the income from reef- or mangrove-dependent fisheries has decreased by 60 percent in the past decade – from USD $41 million to $17 million – because of pollution and overfishing. This trend endangers the livelihoods of many Dominican fishermen, and the country’s economy as a whole.

This is the fourth country-level economic valuation of reefs in the Caribbean. How do the countries differ?

We started our economic valuation work with pilot projects in Tobago and St. Lucia. Then we did Belize, the Dominican Republic, and we are currently working in Jamaica. At first, our intention was to work out a methodology that could be used everywhere. That was a good ambition, but in reality every country differs, the data differ, and the nature of tourism differs in each country, so it’s hard to make generalizations at a national level.

In the countries we have evaluated, there have been varying levels of awareness about reefs. In Tobago, people used to be allowed to walk right onto Buccoo Reef wearing rubber booties. That’s now changed, but the country still has trouble managing waste outflows around the reef. In Belize, there is a much larger diving community and more resorts that depend on the reefs to draw tourists. There are a lot of people and NGOs who are interested and engaged.

In the Dominican Republic and now in Jamaica, people are not as focused on eco-tourism and diving. Their reefs are pretty degraded already. But they do capitalize on beautiful beaches, which means that their reefs are very important.

Why is it in a country’s best interest to protect its reefs?

Shoreline protection by reefs is an important and valuable service in all the countries in which we have worked. Reef- or beach-related tourism is also of very high value in all five countries. In addition, there are the people whose livelihoods depend on the reefs and fisheries, and who have very few alternatives.

Reefs help project the shoreline from erosion and help maintain the beach. In many areas where you have beach erosion, there is a degrading reef as well. Countries are starting to invest a lot of money in beach replenishment, and they are going to have to do that over and over again if they don’t fix the underlying problem. Beach replenishment and engineering solutions are both very expensive. If you can prevent the reef from degrading in the first place, that’s the best solution.

The hotel and the eco-tourism industries definitely have a business case for protecting these ecosystems as well. Maintaining good water quality protects the reefs, but it is also important for swimmers, and important for the beach itself. It’s a whole package, and sometimes that realization can take a while to take hold.

What has the team learned from doing these valuations?

We have learned that you cannot just talk in general, abstract terms about risks and values. So, in the Dominican Republic, we looked at case studies of a few specific mega-tourism locations, and showed what the impact of coral reef damage will cost businesses there. It was no longer abstract, and resort owners showed up to our recent event and were definitely interested.

Reef valuation is not easy. It’s hard to get the data that you need to develop reliable values. And there are many assumptions you need to make in order to develop estimates. But I think the numbers we are developing are indicative of the reefs’ larger value, and can raise awareness about the important role that reefs play. The numbers help get people’s attention so you can have a more specific conversation about solutions and policies.

What can countries do to protect their reefs?

The countries in which we have worked typically have coastal regulations, but they are not always enforced. In the areas designated as “no-take,” enforcement of rules is very important, and benefits both the reefs and the adjacent fisheries. But in some marine protected areas [MPAs], the staff does not even have boats to go out and check the reefs.

In the Dominican Republic, the government could manage coastal development in a more farsighted way. The government could start honoring the EIA [Environmental Impact Assessment] process and enforcing restrictions on mangrove removal. They could also take a stronger stance when resorts want to flatten and remove sand dunes, since this exacerbates erosion.

What impact will the recent Gulf Coast oil spill have on reefs?

I’d say we don’t know yet. It is a dynamic situation and until the well head is capped, we won’t know how much oil is in the basin. Floating tar balls are unlikely to have much effect on reefs. Dispersed oil and dispersants themselves are a larger threat. I think the Deepwater Horizon incident really highlights the need to enforce environmental regulations and not just accept assurances from companies with large economic interests in an activity.

For more information, visit our Economic Valuation of Coral Reefs page.

NEWS RELEASE: Reefs and Mangroves Essential for Economic Growth in Dominican Republic

Jessica Forres — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:21:52 -0400

The degradation of coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs and mangroves, could cost the tourism industry in the Dominican Republic nearly USD $100 million and threaten the livelihoods of Dominican fishermen who depend on these ecosystems for survival.

Coastal Capital: Valuing Coastal Ecosystems in the Dominican Republic, a new report released today by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and Reef Check-Dominican Republic, offers a first-ever detailed view of the economic and recreational value of the Dominican Republic’s coralline beaches, reef and mangrove fisheries, and ecotourism industry. The report follows similar analyses for Tobago, St. Lucia and Belize.

“Coral reefs and mangroves provide many valuable benefits or ‘ecosystem services’ to the people and economy of the Dominican Republic,” said Lauretta Burke, senior associate at WRI. “They help build beaches and slow erosion, draw millions of local and international tourists to the coasts, and provide habitat for valuable fisheries. However, these ecosystems are being degraded by pollution and overfishing – threatening both the local and national economy.”

Coastal Capital places a dollar figure on what the country stands to lose if efforts are not taken to preserve its beaches and coastal ecosystems. The analysis finds that each meter of beach lost in front of an all-inclusive resort reduced average nightly per-person hotel room rates by about USD $1.50. If beaches continue to erode at the current rate, this translates to USD $52-100 million of lost revenue for the Dominican tourism industry over the next decade.

Overfishing has also taken a toll on the country’s fisheries. The report estimates that the income from reef- or mangrove-dependent fisheries has decreased by 60 percent in the past decade – from USD $41 million to $17 million. The downward trend is endangering the livelihoods of many Dominican fishermen, and will continue unless overfishing is curbed.

“To date, little work has been done in the Dominican Republic to show the link between coastal ecosystems and economic growth, chiefly due to a lack of information and understanding on the exact services and benefits these ecosystems provide,” said Ruben Torres, executive director of Reef Check-Dominican Republic. “This report fills that gap by giving data to policymakers and tourism developers to identify problem areas and recommendations on how to fix them.”

For instance, better enforcement of fishing regulations, coupled with increased dive tourism in the country’s marine parks, could be a win-win solution for both fish populations and the fishermen that depend on them. One case study found that tourism operators at La Caleta Marine Park could charge USD $50-60 per person for dive trips. Fishermen who become dive operators in the park could earn 90 percent of what they currently earn from fishing – a number that would increase as tourism activities expand.

To address the problem of beach erosion, the Dominican Republic has regulations to control coastal development. Recommendations from the report suggest that the government strengthen and enforce existing regulations. It also recommends that the government implement new measures to protect coral reefs from sediment and pollution from agriculture, deforestation, and coastal development.

Coastal Capital also examines the economic benefits of the Dominican Republic’s Jaragua, Sierra de Bahoruco, and Lago Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve. Tourists – mostly Dominican citizens – spend more than USD $1 million annually on hotel, food, and travel expenses to visit the Reserve. In view of current plans to develop mass tourism and mining in and around the park, the report argues that the Reserve and surrounding areas should be kept as they currently stand. This would preserve the Reserve’s fragile biodiversity, benefit Dominican tourists, and benefit roadside communities where tourists pay for food and lodging, some of which are located in poor, rural areas.

Burke added, “Coral reefs and mangroves are inextricably linked to national economies, bringing in revenue from tourism and fisheries and protecting the coastline. Our valuations of coral reefs and mangroves in four Caribbean countries have all found that it is in their long-term economic interest to protect coastal ecosystems.”

WRI’s Coastal Capital project was made possible by financial support from the MacArthur Foundation and the Swedish Biodiversity Programme (SwedBio).

Video: Protecting Coral Reefs

Lauretta Burke — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:18:46 -0500

Reef ecosystems face both local and global threats. Here is what needs to be done to ensure the world’s corals and mangroves are preserved.

This video talks about the upcoming Reefs at Risk Revisited project, and how placing an economic value on coral reefs and mangroves can help make the case for conservation. (Read the extended Q&A here.)

High-Value Assets: Belize's Coral Reefs and Mangroves

Emily Cooper — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 09:29:14 -0500

A new WRI/WWF Central America analysis finds that the coral reefs and mangroves of Belize make a substantial contribution to the country’s economy. Learn more about WRI’s work on Belize coastal ecosystems.

Belize’s coral reefs and mangrove-lined coasts provide critical protection against erosion and wave-induced damages from tropical storms. They have supported artisanal fishing communities for generations and they stand at the center of a vibrant tourism industry, drawing snorkelers, divers and sport fishermen from all over the world.

Despite these benefits, coral reefs and mangroves are frequently overlooked and underappreciated in coastal investment and policy decisions.

Indeed, unchecked coastal development, over-fishing and pressures from tourism threaten the country’s reefs and mangroves. Climate-related changes—such as warming seas, ocean acidification and fiercer storms—could mean that more destruction of coastline ecosystems looms on the horizon.

In a study released today, WRI and WWF Central America evaluate and quantify the economic benefits reefs and mangroves provide to tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection in Belize.

The study looks at only three of the many culturally and economically valuable services provided by these ecosystems in Belize. Nonetheless, even within this narrow scope, these coastal ecosystems clearly provide Belize’s economy with vitally important goods and services.

Valuation Results

Annual Economic Contribution of Coral Reefs and Mangroves in Belize

Coral reef- and mangrove-associated tourism contributed an estimated US$150-196 million to Belize’s economy in 2007, or 12-15 percent of GDP (see chart).

Reefs and mangroves also protect coastal properties from erosion and wave-induced damage, providing an estimated US$231-347 million in avoided damages per year. Additionally, reefs and mangroves provide substantial benefits to the culturally and economically important fishing community, at another US$14-16 million per year.

The full technical report and methodology are coming soon.

Action Needed to Save Belize’s Coastal Ecosystems

Belize’s government, NGOs and private sector are now beginning to recognize the importance of coastal ecosystems to the economy. Nevertheless, the amount currently invested in protecting Belize’s coral reefs and mangroves is very small when compared to the contribution of these resources to the national economy.

Belize’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) system, consisting of 18 protected areas managed primarily by the Fisheries and Forestry Departments along with local NGOs, is widely hailed as an example of forward thinking in marine conservation. The MPAs are an important draw for divers, snorkelers, and sport fishermen, and contain no-fishing areas that help to maintain stocks of key commercial species.

The MPA system is a good first step. However, the system is under-funded, and staff, fuel, and equipment limitations make it difficult to curb illegal fishing and monitor visitation in most of the reserves.

As these coastal and marine resources become increasingly threatened, it is critical to recognize the value they provide and to incorporate this value into policy decision-making.

The Coastal Capital study of Belize finds it is in the long-term economic interest of Belize to:

1) Invest in management, monitoring, and compliance. Greater investments in oversight and management are necessary to protect and preserve Belize’s reefs and mangroves, together with the material benefits they bestow. For instance:

Reinvigorate the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, whose mission is to support the sustainable use of Belize’s coastal ecosystems, and build capacity for monitoring the state and use of coastal resources.
Tighten fishing regulations and invest greater resources in enforcement.
Increase overall investment in MPAs and improve fee collection and monitoring of visitors.
Build efforts to reduce coral bleaching into the management and expansion of the MPA network.

2) Plan and implement development sensibly. The value of coastal ecosystems must be taken into account when making development policy and management decisions that may adversely affect their health. Here is how they could do so:

Enforce land-use and development regulations in the coastal zone.
Minimize the loss of mangroves along the shoreline.
Conduct and thoroughly evaluate Environmental Impact Assessments and subsequent compliance plans for development in sensitive coastal areas, such as the cayes.

Read more about the economic contributions Belize’s Coastal Capital provides.

Belize’s Reefs and Mangroves Tagged with High Economic Value

Paul Mackie — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0500

Three key services provided by coral reefs and mangroves in Belize are worth an estimated US$395 million to US$559 million per year, according to a report released today by the World Resources Institute and the World Wildlife Fund.

Annual Economic Contribution of Coral Reefs and Mangroves in Belize”Putting a dollar value on the goods and services provided by reefs and mangroves helps to translate them into a language that everyone speaks,” said Lauretta Burke, a senior associate at WRI. “Hopefully, these findings will contribute to well-informed decisions regarding the management of these critical resources.”

The report, Coastal Capital: Belize, estimates the annual economic value of coral reef- and mangrove-associated tourism in Belize at between US$150 million and US$196 million, accounting for between 12 and 15 percent of the Caribbean nation’s GDP. Benefits from reef- and mangrove-dependent fisheries contribute a further US$14 million to US$16 million to the economy.

Reefs and mangroves also protect coastal properties from erosion and wave-induced damage. WRI estimates that Belize’s coral reefs provide an estimated US$120 million to US$180 million in avoided damages per year. Mangroves protect the coastline from both waves and storm surge, providing an additional US$111 million to US$167 million in protection annually.

Despite growing recognition of the economic importance of coastal resources, reefs and mangroves face growing threats from unchecked coastal development, over-fishing, and pressures from tourism. Climate-related changes such as warming seas and fiercer storms will compound these impacts in the future.

“The goods and services offered by coral reefs and mangroves are frequently overlooked or underappreciated in coastal investment and policy decisions,” said Emily Cooper, a research associate at WRI and lead author of the study. “The amount currently invested in protecting Belize’s coral reefs and mangroves is very small when compared to the contribution of these resources to the national economy.”

Belize’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) system is widely hailed as an example of forward-thinking in marine conservation. Consisting of 18 protected areas managed primarily by the country’s fisheries and forestry departments in collaboration with local NGOs, the MPAs are an important draw for divers, snorkelers and sport fishermen, and contain no-fishing areas that help to maintain stocks of key commercial species. The system, however, is under-funded, and staff, fuel, and equipment limitations make it difficult to curb illegal fishing and monitor visitation in most of the reserves.

“Belize’s reefs and mangroves offer crucial socio-economic benefits but are already threatened by overuse, degradation and fragmentation. Climate change will undoubtedly compound these through increased frequency of impacts from mass bleaching and storm occurrences, as well as coastal erosion and sedimentation,” said Nadia Bood, Mesoamerican reef scientist and climate change officer for WWF Central America. “This makes urgent the need to act now to alleviate human threats and increase the resilience potential of these very important ecosystems.”

WRI’s Coastal Capital project receives key financial support from the Oak Foundation, the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, SwedBio, the Campbell Foundation, and the MacArthur Foundation. The full report can be accessed on WRI’s website at http://www.wri.org/publication/coastal-capital-belize .