Groundbreaking agreement reached to protect Cozumel

From a press release issued by Conservation International and posted on Eurekalert.com:

(Cozumel, Mexico) – January 15, 2008 – Conservation International (CI), Cozumel’s Department of Tourism and the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association today witnessed the culmination of their 12-month partnership with the signing of a groundbreaking conservation agreement by cruise industry leaders representing government, private sector, civil society, and cruise lines as part of the Mesoamerican Reef Tourism Initiative (MARTI). By facilitating this agreement the partners set into motion, for the first time ever, a major environmental initiative that will help preserve some of the most endangered biodiversity on the planet living in the world’s most visited cruise destination: Cozumel, Mexico.

“This is an exciting moment in time, bringing many different interests together to work on the common goal of protecting Cozumel’s natural heritage in order to strike the right balance between tourism and conserving the environment it depends on,” said Seleni Matus, MARTI Advisor for CI. “Maintaining the health of Cozumel’s natural assets is vital not only to global biodiversity but also to the island’s economic health and stability and the well-being of its inhabitants.”

The agreement provides a framework to facilitate the sustainability of cruise tourism in Cozumel through concerted action by government, private sector, civil society organizations and cruise lines that all have a stake in ensuring a healthy future of the island’s natural assets. Cozumel’s cruise industry leaders have agreed to work together to:

- Enhance environmental awareness and education of cruise ship passengers, tour operators, service providers and the local community

- Improve island management of tourism infrastructure, including improving island traffic and waste management

- Fostering increased protection for Cozumel’s reef system

- Promoting consistent application and enforcement of laws and regulation.