Caribbean Marine Resources

An approach that encompasses the human and natural dimensions of ecosystems is one that the Wider Caribbean Region knows it must adopt and implement, in order to ensure the sustainable use of the region's shared marine resources. This volume contributes towards that vision, bringing together the collective knowledge and experience of scholars and practitioners within the Wider Caribbean to begin the process of assembling a road map towards marine ecosystem based management (EBM) for the region. It also serves a broader purpose of providing stakeholders and policy actors in each of the world's sixty-four Large Marine Ecosystems, with a comparative example of the challenges and information needs required to implement principled ocean governance generally and marine EBM in particular, at multiple levels. Additionally, the volume serves to supplement the training of graduate level students in the marine sciences by enhancing interdisciplinary understanding of challenges in implementing marine EBM.

"In accordance with decisions taken at the Fourth Intergovernmental Meeting (Guadeloupe, 26-28 October 1987), the Regional Co-ordinating Unit (RCU) undertook a re-assessment of environmental problems affecting marine and coastal resources of the region. To aid the RCU in identifying priority issues, national reports were requested from each of the country participants. The resulting draft was reviewed by the Meeting of Experts on the Caribbean Environment Programme, held in Mexico City, 7-9 September 1988. The recommendations and comments of the meeting have been incorporated in this document"--Background

Many coastal communities in Latin America and the Caribbean depend on the resources provided by reefs for their livelihoods. The Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean project is a response to an information need. The primary goal is to raise awareness and improve management by improving the knowledge base on the status of and threats to coral reefs.