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Table 9.a. HIGHEST PRIORITY INDICATORS

Ecosystem Structure

Drivers of Change

S3 Focal Species Abundance

D1 Coastal Development Index

S4 Coral Cover

D2 Tourism Development Index

S6 Fish Abundance

D7 Contaminant Accumulation

S8 Water Quality

D10 Conch Abundance

S12 Mangrove Extent

D14 Coral Bleaching Index

Ecosystem Function

Social Well-being

F1 Coral Recruitment

SW2 Safe Water and Sanitation

F5 Coral Mortality

SW4 Poverty

F11 Herbivorous Fish

SW5 Economic Contribution of Marine...

F12 Diadema Abundance

SW11 Environmental Perceptions

F13 Fleshy Macroalgal Index

SW14 MPA Effectiveness

Our priority indicators also incorporate basic elements

In the Mesoamerican Reef Ecoregion, there is a

of social well-being like sanitation, poverty and the

common understanding of the major threats to

economic importance of marine ecosystems. We

reef ecosystem health. A generally accepted threat

strongly encourage civil society groups to help enlist

model was developed by WWF in 20042. It shows the

public support and participation in the process of

"big picture" of how various natural resources are

collecting and compiling indicator data on local scales.

affected by the main threats (or drivers of change).

Each community will have its own specific concerns

(This particular model does not include global climate

and visions for benchmarks, targets and red flag

change, although GCC is listed as a major threat in

values for these indicators.

WWF, TNC and MBRS planning documents.)

Finally, our priority indicators also measure the

Our priority indicators focus on each of these main

effectiveness of broad conservation strategies (such

threats or drivers of change.

as public environmental awareness and perceptions,

and MPA effectiveness) that are incorporated in the

Many organizations are working in the region to

efforts of most organizations and can be evaluated at

address these threats through a variety of different

a regional comprehensive level.

conservation strategies, based on their respective

organizational strengths and objectives. Thus, the

Of course, each organization, activity or project will

general indicators presented in this guide cannot be

have specific indicators designed to measure the

expected to cover every potential strategy of every

performance of those actions. We encourage readers

group working in the region, and the lack of any

to visit the online resources produced by Foundations

such specific indicator from this general list in no

of Success (www.fosonline.org) for a number of

way diminishes its importance for measuring those

valuable tools and papers on this topic.

specific strategies.

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