Honduras´s Coral Reefs Are Rapidly Going to Seed

Over 41 percent of coral reefs off the Caribbean-bathed Bay Islands in Honduras, the world´s second-largest coral barrier, died over the past decade.

Experts from the Bay Islands Environmental Management Project (PMAIB is the acronym in Spanish) noted the coral demise in the area stems from heavy deforestation of mangrove thickets and the destruction of marine vegetable life, by far the two biggest natural filters that keep pollution at bay.

Would this critical situation go on for a longer time, this privileged ecosystem of northern Honduras is doomed to buckle under altogether over the next 10 to 15 years, thus triggering a chain reaction that would also make the most luring travel destination of the Central American nation cave in completely.

However, experts conclude that no sustainable solutions have been put into effect to ward off this problem.

PMAIB Chief Jose Guillermo Flores hinted at the need to nip unordered tourism growth and housing projects on the islands right in the bud, especially in Roatan and Guanaja.

"The building of manmade beaches, the dredging of wetlands and the felling of mangrove thickets to make room for new urban plans and tourist resorts are only adding more fuel to the flame," Mr. Flores pointed out.

In the course of the ongoing year, the inflow of international tourists to the islands is estimated in over 160,000 visitors. A quarter of a million travelers, mainly cruise passengers, have already booked reservations for the Honduran sightseeing spot.

In addition to that, a 17 percent annual population growth is glutting basic services on the islands, especially in terms of solid wastes and cesspool waters treatment.