'%Healthy Reefs for Healthy People - A Guide to Indicators of Reef Health and Social Well-being in the Mesoamerican Reef Region%'%by Melanie McField and Patricia Kramer% of 40

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Data

Data Needs

high levels of in-migration therefore serves as a red

flag for possible environmental and social problems

For a more complete understanding of migratory

in the area in which it is occurring. Furthermore, a

patterns in the region and associated impacts,

population's social structures and values are likely to

additional information is needed regarding:

be affected by external influences, such as an influx

of migrant populations with different value systems.

· Out-migration rates;

While it is difficult to attribute changes in resource

use or environmental quality directly to in-migration

· The economic opportunities within coastal

and the influence of recently settled members, some

municipalities that may draw in-migration;

relationship is probable.

· The economic trends and opportunities in

When examined in tandem with other indicators of

surrounding areas that may encourage out-

human health, education, and environmental quality,

migration;

this indicator's scores can be interpreted with a

greater degree of understanding and confidence.

· The perceptions of resource protection by long

-standing residents versus newly migrated

Status

residents;

The graphs below demonstrate that, whereas the

· Socio-cultural traditions (including language and

coastalpopulationsofHonduras,BelizeandGuatemala

cultural values and practices) and relationship to

have been relatively stable, the MAR coastal areas of

natural resource use.

Mexico have been characterized by very high rates

of both historical and recent in-migration. When

Conservation and sustainable use of marine

tourism development began in Quintana Roo in the

resources are becoming higher priorities in the MAR

early 1970s, the state was relatively unpopulated.

region. Numerous country-wide and local policies,

The labor needs of the booming tourism industry in

laws, and regulations are in place to address issues

Quintana Roo have therefore been met primarily by a

from overexploitation of fishery resources, protection

workforce that has migrated into the state from other

of critical habitat, and pollution and degradation of

areas of Mexico.

resources related to excessive use. The development

and implementation of these policies are critical for

In-migration may be very localized, however, so it

conservation success. However, there is no consistent

is useful to be able to pinpoint areas of higher in-

way to measure achievement of stated objectives.

migration at a more localized scale. Coastal municipal

level in-migration data are provided in Appendix 3.

Data Source31

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