Jamaica is a premier destination for vacationers looking for a little fun in the sun, and this country's coral reef is a spectacular site that thousands view every year. Unfortunately, these coral reefs could be in danger. Learning a bit about the history of Jamaica's coral reefs can help to show you why it is so important to save them.

Jamaica and Its Reef

Situated below Cuba and west of Haiti, Jamaica is a small Caribbean island with about 2.65 million residents as of the year 2000. Tourism is this country's main industry, with many cruise lines docking in Jamaica's ports every day. Their coral reef is a prime destination for those interested in snorkeling, diving, and fishing.

The reef is on the fringe of the northern coast, naturally growing on a narrow shelf around the island. It is less structured in the south, where river sediment breaks up coral growth on a shallower, wide shelf. Many Jamaicans fish along designated areas of this reef, while areas mostly in the north are limited to tourists interested in water sports.

Problems with the Jamaican Reef

In the past few decades, scientists have found that Jamaica's coral reef was deteriorating at an alarming rate. Studies of this deterioration have shown three major problems:

• Jamaican residents have overused reef resources. Because there are few job opportunities on this island, many families rely on fishing as a way to feed themselves and their children. As a result, the marine life slowly dwindled, contributing to the rise of algae in the water
  
• Farming has caused increasing erosion along the coast. As sediment flows into the water, it smashes and covers the reef, killing the coral. Agriculture is one of the main industries in Jamaica.
  
• Waves of tourists have caused an over-development of coastal regions. While this did relieve some of the pressure on fishing, since the increase in tourism created more jobs, the coral reefs were damaged as the land near the water was developed. Pollution and other disturbances created a less than ideal situation for coral reefs.

The Natural History of the Coral Reefs

Not every problem with Jamaica's coral reef is due to human behavior. In fact, the coral reefs off the coast of Jamaica have been naturally destroyed and then slowly rebuilt over the decades. This is nature's way of making the ecosystem stronger. The same thing occurs with wildfires, for example; the result is a stronger forest in the long run. However, it is because of human involvement that the coral reefs have not been able to rebuild as easily.

Hurricanes are a major problem for the coral reef. They naturally sweep through the Caribbean many times each year, and when this happens, the coral reefs are broken down. Major hurricanes in 1980 and 1988 were factored into the deterioration of Jamaica's coral reefs today. In addition, a natural disease among sea urchins in 1983 caused significant problems with algae, which reduces a coral's ability to survive and rebuild after a major hurricane. Because of over-fishing, these urchins were the last major algae eaters in the area, and their disappearance led to a major increase in algae.

Coral bleaching and other coral diseases also occur naturally from time to time. Once there is aggressive algae growth, it is difficult for coral to rebuild on the reef after a plague. In recent history, these type of major coral reef problems occurred in 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1998.

New Hope for Jamaica's Coral Reefs

Luckily, there is hope for Jamaica's coral reef ecosystem. In recent years, as people began to care more about the environment, scientists began to study the coral reef and work on renewing it to its former splendor. Stricter laws were placed in effect to help with erosion, pollution, and fishing problems. While there are still a number of problems, Jamaica's government understands that the Caribbean coral reefs are directly responsible for protecting the islands and pulling in tourists. More of an effort is made today than in the past to help preserve these natural treasures.

On top of that, "Eco-tourism" popularity is on the rise. This type of vacation is based on learning about the environment and helping to understand how to make things better. More and more tourists are coming to Jamaica not to snorkel and fish, but to learn about the environment. If you're considering a Jamaican vacation, this might be your best option in order to ensure that your children and their children - and their children - will also be able to explore and enjoy the reefs someday.

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About Author: Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to vacations and the travel industry such as a Jamaica Vacation