By: Kelli McLean. About the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR)! More than 724km long It runs between Cozumel...
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By: Kelli McLean. About the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR)! More than 724km long It runs between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for hundreds of miles, extending
About the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR)! More than 724km long It runs
between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen for hundreds of miles,
extending from the southern half of the Yucatan Peninsula to the
Bay Islands of Honduras Largest coral reef in the Western
hemisphere (second largest in the world) Amazing biodiversity, home
to 350 species of mollusk, and more than 500 species of fish
Slide 3
LOCATION
Slide 4
Threats on MAR Fishing (overfishing and cyanide fishing)
Introduction of unwanted species
Slide 5
OVER FISHING Overfishing occurs when fishing activities reduce
fish stocks below an acceptable level This can occur in any body of
water from a pond to the oceans It is also a result of the fishing
industry rapidly increasing due to improvements in technology and a
high demand for already at risk species (in the MAR examples being
Snapper, Grouper, Lobster, Conche) The expanding fishing industries
are also a large contributor (Aquaculture, artisanal,
commercial)
Slide 6
How does this affect the MAR? It can potentially lead to the
extinction of species within the ocean ecosystem, taking away from
the extremely unique biodiversity of this area In addition species
that arent targeted by fishers can become unnaturally dominant, act
as a invasive species in their own ecosystem, and decrease biomass
It creates a chain effect in various food chains (see notes
below)
Slide 7
Cyanide fishing! Started in the 1950s and is mostly illegal
although still widely practiced Sodium Cyanide is sprayed over
habitat (as a result stunning the fish, and other species in the
process) Fish are then collected by divers and put up for sale
Sometimes in order to locate the fish the coral is physically
broken apart by the divers completely destroying it There is quite
a high mortality rate causing many more fish to be stunned than are
actually sold
Slide 8
Why is this bad for the MAR? Not only affects the fish, but the
coral and the coral reefs as well high mortality rate, meaning that
more fish have to be killed than required cyanide build-ups which
slow photosynthesis in the algae in the reefs causing them to loose
colour and reduce the amount of oxygen produced It also can have
the same effects (tampering with species population and food
chains) as listed for overfishing as fish are removed from the
ocean ecosystem, just in a dissimilar manner
Slide 9
Introduction of unwanted species When organisms are introduced
to an area it can cause devastating affects Specifically within the
MAR the introduction of the crown of thorns and lion fish has
Slide 10
Crown of Thorns The crown of thorns starfish is the second
largest sea star in the world It is a nocturnal creature that preys
on fast-growing and common corals The crown-of-thorns receives its
name from venomous thorn-like spines that cover its body
Slide 11
The Problem The Crown of Thorns Starfish can be blamed for
widespread reef destruction Coral bleaching and Black band disease,
mean that outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns can cause permanent
damage and prevent new coral from growing
Slide 12
Lion Fish Introduced in the 1990s after an aquarium was
destroyed during a hurricane Extremely evasive as it has no natural
predators Efforts to reduce population were mainly ineffective The
lionfish breeds extremely quickly, and can release Studies have
shown lionfish reduce the amount of coral fish by an estimated
80%
Slide 13
Protective measures! Thankfully there are many protective
measure being taken by various organizations in order to maintain
the Mesoamerican Reef.
Slide 14
OAK foundation Oak Foundation is an international foundation
that has made more than 2,100 grants to not-for-profit
organisations across the globe since its establishment in 1998
Slide 15
How do they help? Program GOALS # Improve marine reserve
management effectiveness # Promote sustainable coastal and marine
resource management, including sustainable financing # Promote
long-term, non-extractive, diverse economic development
opportunities for coastal communities
Slide 16
Another Solution The UN has created a unique program for the
Caribbean that is hosted within their environmental programs. The
Caribbean Environmental Programme was developed in order to legally
protect the marine life found in the Mesoamerican reef
Slide 17
WORKS CITED Control of Lionfish in the Mesoamerican Reef -
GlobalGiving. (n.d.). GlobalGiving: donate to projects in the
developing world supporting education, health, women and children,
and more. Retrieved June 27, 2011, from
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/control-of-invasive
-lionfish-in-the-mar-reef/
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/control-of-invasive
-lionfish-in-the-mar-reef/ Crown of thorns. (1996). Retrieved from
http://www.reefed.edu.au/home/
explorer/animals/marine_invertebrates/echinoderms/crown_of_thorns
Crown-of-thorns starfish. (2011). Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Crown-of-thorns_starfish Mesoamerican
reef. (2011). Retrieved from
http://worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/
mesoamericanreef/results.html Mesoamerican reef the atlantic oceans
largest coral reef. (2011). Retrieved from http://
www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/
www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/
Mesoamerican reef - threats. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.worldwildlife.org/
whatwherewework/mesoamericanreef/threats.html
Slide 18
WORKS CITED CONT. Mesoamerican reef. (2011). Retrieved from
http://worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/results.html
Mesoamerican reef the atlantic oceans largest coral reef. (2011).
Retrieved from
http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/mesoamericanreef/
Mesoamerican reef - threats. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.worldwildlife.org/
whatwherewework/mesoamericanreef/threats.html Oak Foundation:
Marine Env. Gulf of Honduras. (n.d.). Oak Foundation: Home.
Retrieved July 10, 2011, from
http://www.oakfnd.org/activities/2009/marinemesoamerica.php
Overfishing - A global environmental problem, threat to our oceans
and disaster.. (n.d.). Overfishing - A global environmental
problem, threat to our oceans and disaster.. Retrieved July 10,
2011, from http://overfishing.org/ Region. (n.d.). Protecting the
Mesoamerican Reef | Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW).
Home | Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide (ELAW). Retrieved July
10, 2011, from http://www.elaw.org/node/1223