Title: CARIBBEAN'S MARINE ENVIRONMENT
Headings: The Caribbean’s Marine & Coastal Environment
The Caribbean’s Marine & Coastal Environment
Paradise in Peril!
Benefits:
Current Impacts:
Marine Resources of the Caribbean (Photo Credit: The Nature Conservancy)
Caribbean Governments and companies endorsed conservation declarations at the highest level supporting collaborative action on marine and coastal conservation in the Caribbean

Content: For many, the clean beaches, vibrant coral reef systems, exotic marine life, and abundant seafood represent paradise. Benefits: The marine and coastal resources of this region,its coral reefs, beaches, fisheries and mangroves, serve as an economic engine, supporting jobs, income and economic prosperity. Perhaps more than any other region, the Caribbean is highly dependent on its marine and coastal resources. 70% of its population lives along the coast and tourism, the region's largest economic sector, is inextricably linked to a healthy and thriving marine and coastal environment. Tourism in the Caribbean generates US $25B of revenue annually, supporting 6 million jobs and accounting for nearly 50 %of total income. Marine life attracts 60% of the world's scuba divers, generating tens of millions of dollars and thousands of jobs annually. Coral reefs and coastal mangroves coastal communities, hotels, roads, and other infrastructure along shorelines from storm damage. Fisheries (fish, lobster, and conch) provide US $400M of revenues across the region, livelihoods and food security for millions. Total annual value of Caribbean coral reefs is estimated at approximately US $2B (from tourism, fisheries and shoreline protection services).