Melanie McField mcfield@healthyreefs.org via coral.aoml.noaa.gov
Apr 2, 2014
Of interest to the Coral Reef Community – the latest report from the
Healthy Reefs Initiative
No Reef Left Behind: Is Management of the Mesoamerican Reef Making the
Grade?
The coral reefs of Mesoamerica – Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico –
are known for their striking beauty and colorful diversity, but are we
doing enough to protect these natural underwater treasures? That is the
focus of a just published study by the Healthy Reefs Initiative. Their 2014
Eco-Audit of the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) Countries is a systematic
multinational evaluation involving four countries, over 50 organizations
and more than 350 analytical documents – and is thought to be the only
multi-national environmental audit of its kind globally.
The region-wide results for 2014 measured a ‘Fair’ level of positive
implementation (2.9 out of a possible score of 5.0); with Belize
maintaining the highest score (3.2) followed closely by Mexico (3.1),
Honduras (2.7), and Guatemala (2.4). The theme with the highest ranking
(Good) was *Research, Education and Awareness* (3.9), followed by *Marine
Protected Areas* (3.4), which also showed good improvement since the last
audit. *Sustainability in the Private Sector *got a “Poor” score (2.4),
although it showed improvement since the last audit. *Sanitation and
Sewage Treatment* had the lowest score (2.3) with no improvements.
Additional NGO and government effort in improving sanitation will not only
benefit the regions reefs but also the health of the millions of people
living along the coast.
The full press release is attached. The Eco-Audit brochure and all
documentation can be downloaded from www.healthyreefs.org.
Regards
Melanie
—
Melanie McField, PhD
Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative, Smithsonian
Institution
1648 NE 47th St, Ft Lauderdale FL 33334
Cell: 754 610 9311 Tel: 954 990 8842
email: mcfield@healthyreefs.org
www.healthyreefs.org
Join the International Society for Reef Studies
www.fit.edu/isrs/