The coral reefs of Jamaica - History and facts

Jamaica is a target for private-seeking tourists a bit of fun in the sun, and the country’s spectacular coral reef is a place to visit, that thousands each year. Unfortunately, these reefs could be in danger. Learn a little about the history of Jamaica coral reefs may help to show you why it is so important to save them.

Jamaica and its Reef

At the bottom to the west of Cuba and Haiti, Jamaica is a small Caribbean island, with about 2.65 million from the year 2000. Tourism is the largest country in this sector, with many ports Cruise Lines of Jamaica home each day. The Barrier Reef is a good target for this interest, snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing.

The reef is on the edge of the northern coast, grow, of course, on a narrow radius around the island. It is less structured in the south, where sediments of the river interrupts the growth of corals on a flat, wide shelf. Jamaicans many fish along the reef designated areas, while the regions, especially in the North are tourists interested in water sports.

Problems with the Jamaica Reef

In recent decades, scientists have found that the deterioration was Jamaica’s coral reefs at an alarming rate. Deterioration of these studies have shown, three major problems:

Jamaican people have access over resources. Because there are few employment opportunities on the island, many families depend on fishing as a means to feed themselves and their children. This has the effect of marine life slowly disappeared, and contributes to the growth of algae in water

Agriculture has made increasing erosion along the coast. As the sediment in water flowing, it stretches clangor and the reef, killing coral. Agriculture is one of the largest industries in Jamaica.

Waves of tourists have created an over-development of coastal regions. During this part of the pressure on fisheries, since the increase in tourism to create more jobs, coral reefs were damaged, that the country near the water has been developed. Environmental pollution and other disturbances less than an ideal situation for coral reefs.
The natural history of coral reefs

Not all problems Barrier Reef is Jamaica’s human behavior. Indeed, the coral reefs off the coast of Jamaica have been destroyed and, of course, then slowly rebuilt over the decades. It is the natural way to strengthen the ecosystem. The same thing occurs with forest fires, for example, the result is a larger forest over the long term. However, due to human participation, as coral reefs have not been able to rebuild so simple.

Hurricanes are a big problem for coral reef. You, of course, by sweeping the Caribbean, many times a year, and if so, coral reefs have collapsed. Major hurricanes in 1980 and 1988 were in the deterioration of Jamaica today, the coral reefs. In addition, is a natural disease urchins in 1983 caused major problems with algae, corals reduce the ability to survive and rebuild after a hurricane. Because of overfishing, these little thugs, the last big eaters of algae in the region, and their disappearance has caused a great increase in algae.

Bleaching of corals and other diseases occur, of course, from time to time. Once there aggressive growth of algae, it is difficult for the reconstruction of coral on the reef of a plague. In recent history, such problems large coral reef in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1998.