Honduras

The Caribbean coastline of Honduras includes a highly developed small island reef system that can be divided into three groups: the Islas de la Bahía (Bay Islands) and Cayos Cochinos archipelago, Cayos Mosquitos (Mosquito Cays) and banks, and the small Swan Islands, with a coastline of only 6 km. [1] The reefs of the Swan Islands and the Mosquito Cays and banks are poorly known because of their inaccessibility.

The best reefs are around the Bay Island group: Roatan, Utila, Guanaja, and Cayos Cochinos. [2] The three main Bay Islands are the center of both reef-related tourism and the fishing industry in Honduras. The Bay Islands are predominantly surrounded by fringing reefs, but the north coast of Roatan, the largest and best-known island, is dominated by a nearly continuous barrier and fringing reef. [3]

The Reefs at Risk analysis indicates that 34 percent of Honduran reefs are threatened by human activities. The most pervasive threat is overfishing, threatening nearly 30 percent of reefs. Coastal development was rated as a threat to 25 percent of the reefs, especially around the Bay Island group. Reefs close to the mainland, about 10 percent, are impacted by sediment-laden freshwater from land conversion and agricultural activities in watersheds. Marine-based activities also threaten an estimated 6 percent of reefs.

Intensive fishing effort has clearly had an impact on the reef populations around the Bay Islands as fishermen increasingly favor more remote offshore banks over the heavily exploited fringing reefs. [4] The hundreds of tourists attracted to the islands each year have also placed significant pressures on local fisheries as demand increases in restaurants. Lobster and conch are also considered to be over-exploited, for the same reasons.

Reefs in the Bay Islands and coastal areas are subject to the same threats as those faced all across the Caribbean region. These threats, accentuated in the Bay Islands by rapid development of coastal areas and the influx of overseas visitors, include sedimentation due to extensive deforestation, effluent and waste run-off, physical damage, fishing pressure, coral bleaching, disease, and hurricanes. [5] There is an extremely high level of diver activity around the Bay Islands. Physical damage from divers and boat anchors can be significant at popular dive sites. [6]

Like other Central American countries, Honduras has undergone agricultural intensification and logging over the last few decades, with increased deforestation and poor land management practices resulting in increased erosion. Since Honduras is a water-rich country with numerous rivers draining the highlands, the threat from the increasing sediment loads to marine resources is significant. [7]

Honduras' reefs, along with much of the rest of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, suffered a mass bleaching event in 1995 and a more severe mass bleaching event again in 1998 which was followed by Hurricane Mitch, a Category 5 hurricane, later that year. [8] The effects of the 1998 bleaching led to an average regional coral morality of 18 percent on shallow reefs and 14 percent on forereefs, along with subsequent increases in the prevalence of diseases. [9] Hurricane Mitch caused severe damage to Honduran reefs along the Mesoamerican Corridor through physical damage and the increase of sediment-laden freshwater from the land. Hurricane Iris in 2001 caused major damage in the river areas of the Rios Chamelecon and Ulua by increased flooding and sediment release. [10]

There are few laws and regulations on coral reef resources, and enforcement of these is weak. [11] Most of the 12 MPAs are managed by NGOs and exist primarily as "paper parks" because of lack of funding for effective management, although support is increasing. [12] Monitoring will increase within the MBRS Project, which has substantial funding and standardized monitoring methodologies for the region. [13]

The Ministry of Tourism has established the Bay Islands Environmental Management Project (Programa Manejo Ambiental de las Islas de la Bahía; PMAIB). This multi-faceted, multi-million project is funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. The first phase (at a cost of US$27 million) undertook extensive baseline studies of coastal resources, formulated management plans for protected areas and undertook institutional capacity building. The project is now in its second phase with an approved loan in 2003 of US$12 million, which along with GEF and national funding totals US$16.3 million. There is a US$2 million investment in consolidating the system of protected areas that spans the entire archipelago. As a result of these investments, the project anticipates that an estimated 210 sq km of marine ecosystems (coral reefs, coastal lagoons, mangroves) and 53 sq km of island forests will be brought under a comprehensive management regime.

[1] J. Cortes. & M. Hatziolos, " Status of coral reefs of Central Ameriza: Pacific and Caribbean coasts," in Status of coral reefs of the world: 1998. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville , Australian Institute of Marine Science, 1998), p. 160

[2] P. Almada-Villela et al., "Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoamerica," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 306

[3] A.R. Harborne, D.C. Afzal & M.J. Andrews. 2001. "Honduras: Caribbean coast. " Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 (12): 1221-1235

[4] A.R. Harborne, D.C. Afzal & M.J. Andrews. 2001. "Honduras: Caribbean coast. " Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 (12): 1221-1235

[5] S. Evans et al.. 2002. "Summary of Coral Cay Conservation's habitat mapping data from Utila, Honduras." Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis Working paper 46. Available online at http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/working_papers/paper46.pdf

[6] S. Evans et al.. 2002. "Summary of Coral Cay Conservation's habitat mapping data from Utila, Honduras." Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis Working paper 46. Available online at http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/working_papers/paper46.pdf

[7] A.R. Harborne, D.C. Afzal & M.J. Andrews. 2001. "Honduras: Caribbean coast. " Marine Pollution Bulletin 42 (12): 1221-1235

[8] S. Evans et al.. 2002. "Summary of Coral Cay Conservation's habitat mapping data from Utila, Honduras." Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis Working paper 46. Available online at http://www.casa.ucl.ac.uk/working_papers/paper46.pdf

[9] Kramer, P.A. & R.A. Kramer. 2000. Ecological status of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Final report to the World Bank. p. 56

[10] P. Almada-Villela et al., "Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoamerica," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 304

[11] P. Almada-Villela et al., "Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoamerica," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 317

[12] P. Almada-Villela et al., "Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoamerica," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 316

[13] P. Almada-Villela et al., "Status of Coral Reefs of Mesoamerica," in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002. C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 316