Mexico

© WWF

The Mesoamerican Reef covers nearly 115 million acres, from the northern end of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and the Caribbean coasts of Belize and Guatemala, on the Bay Islands in northern Honduras.  Its massive structure provides an important defense against storms and coastal erosion, while the living reef and associated ecosystems support recreation and commercial fishing. Home to more than 65 species of stony coral and more than 500 species of fish—including commercially-vital grouper, snapper and spiny lobster – it also provides refuge for sea turtles that feed and nest along the shoreline. Its watershed is home to jaguars, howler monkeys and birds such as the quetzal.

More than two million people live in the coastal communities that span four countries, all of whom depend on economic activities linked to coastal and marine resources such as fishing and tourism.

The Mexican portion of the Reef covers more than 61,600 square miles, from the northern end of Yucatán Peninsula to the Caribbean coasts of Mexico. It includes ocean habitats, coastal zones, tropical and cloud forests, and watersheds that drain the Caribbean slope.

© WWF

Threats to the area include illegal fisheries and commercialization of marine products; overexploitation; introduction of non-native species to the area; shipwrecks in coral reefs; change of land use (fires, invasions); urban and real-estate developments; limited local capacity; and limited local knowledge and valuation of natural resources.

Unsustainable tourism is also a growing threat. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the Mesoamerican Reef, with diving and coastal tourism as the principal socio-economic drivers in the majority of sites in the region. In response to the demands of increasing numbers of tourists, many destinations experience rapid growth and development of coastal infrastructure and marine recreation activities. Additionally, the region has seen exponential growth of cruise ship tourism in recent years, bringing an estimated 8 million tourists to Mesoamerica in 2008.

While this growth in tourism development and associated activities has brought economic benefits to communities throughout the Reef, the area has simultaneously seen an increase in negative impacts to reef resources, including: pollution, over-fishing, improper sewage disposal, and irresponsible marine recreation activities.