Reefs at risk in the Caribbean

This report details a project conducted by the World Resources Institute examining the threat to coral reefs throughout the Caribbean region. Data presented in the report has been manipulated and presented in maps so as to show the scale and extent of the threat to the coral reefs.

The reefs at risk threat index indicates that nearly two-thirds of coral reefs in the Caribbean are threatened by human activities. The coastal communities and national economies of the Caribbean region are poised to sustain substantial economic losses if current trends in coral reef degradation continue. Key threats identified include:

• sediment and pollution from inland sources
• over-fishing
• ineffective management of protected areas
• diseases and rising sea temperatures

Recommendations of the report focus on the need to build capacity in the region to address this issue. They include:

• develop local and national expertise for better management of coral reef ecosystems through training of resource managers and decision-makers
• encourage free flow and exchange of information and experience about management and protection of coral reef resources
• facilitate stakeholder participation in decision-making about management and protection of coral reef resources
• create the systems of governance required for effective management of coral reefs
• integrate socioeconomic and environmental monitoring to increase understanding of coastal habitats
• use the Reefs at Risk indicators and apply the analytical methodology at finer resolutions to support decision- making on coral reef management.

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