Most countries rely on their coastal resources for tourism dollars, which in 2003 contributed about US$1 billion, or about 5 per cent of the region's GDP. Pelagic tuna-based offshore fisheries contribute about 11 per cent of the gross domestic product of all PICs (Gillet et al., On the other hand, coastal resources are the cornerstone of subsistence and domestic economic activities, contributing about 15 per cent of the region's GDP. Many PICs are also highly prone to natural disasters, such as cyclones, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.