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DRIVERS

CHANGE

OF

TO U R I S M

C  O A S TA L D  E V E L O P M E N T

AND

Conservation Objective

Mitigate potentially harmful tourism impacts and coastal development influences by planning and

managing these activities such that the biological integrity of MAR coastal resources is maintained or

improved.

Threats

Unsustainable tourism and coastal development continue to be a problem because of high demand

for economic opportunities, increasing population, lack of land use planning and zoning regulations,

insufficient enforcement of existing regulations, and inadequate implementation of environmental

impact assessments.

Management Actions

· Determine Coastal Development Index (CDI) values for each MAR country.

· Promote and adopt regional "good practice" guidelines, codes of conduct and eco-certification

schemes in targeted industries (e.g., agriculture, tourism and aquaculture).

· Adopt regional, sustainable land use and coastal development practices in all four countries in

next five years (through integrated coastal zone management).

· Maintain natural coastal vegetation to the extent possible.

· Encourage or require proper sewage treatment facilities.

· Identify land ownership of coastal areas and develop land tenure agreements where needed.

· Encourage landowners to implement habitat conservation activities, through tax- and other

incentive programs.

· Enact measures to prevent erosion and water contamination.

· Provide mooring buoys and apply strict anchoring guidelines.

· Promote appropriate eco-friendly certification programs, regulations and other sustainable

management strategies.

Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the MAR.

to coastal ecosystems, particularly in areas near

According to a regional stakeholder survey taken in

large population centers and tourism developments.

2005, many stakeholders consider unsustainable

Sewage contamination causes nutrient enrichment,

tourism (and its associated coastal development) to

which results in increased susceptibility of corals and

be the single greatest threat to Mesoamerican reefs.

other marine life to disease, higher populations of

filter-feeding organisms (e.g., sponges), and enhanced

Inappropriate coastal development is a significant

bioerosion of the reefs as well as increased occurrence

threat exacerbated by persistent rural poverty,

of algal blooms. Other forms of contamination can

inadequate  enforcement  of  land  use  zoning

also accompany coastal development, boat traffic

regulations, and a lack of local capacity specifically

and dredging operations. Heavy metals or pesticides

for coastal development planning. Development

may reduce reproductive and recruitment success in

practices inappropriate for a coral reef environment

corals, fishes, birds and other organisms.

include destruction of mangroves and other coastal

wetlands, littoral forests and riparian forests, as well

Indicators selected to track tourism and coastal

marine dredging and beach renourishment.

development are:

Increasing population density -- especially along the

D1 - Coastal Development Index

coastline -- is likely to exacerbate the already strong

D2 - Tourism Development Index

pressure for development infrastructure exerted by

unsustainable tourism and other coastal activities.

D3 - Tourism Sustainability Index

D

Human sewage is often considered a primary stressor

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