Sign Reef Check's Declaration of Reef Rights

To sign the Declaration of Reef Rights go to Reef Check's Web site.

In honor of the International Year of the Reef in 2008, Reef Check is requesting you to sign our Declaration of Reef Rights shown below. We would like to present the Declaration along with a list of one million names to all coral reef country governments in January 2009. The purpose of this pledge is to highlight the high value of coral reefs and to encourage all people and governments to support coral reef conservation. After reading the pledge please fill out the form below and encourage your friends to sign up. You must include your full name, country and an email – but if you want to be kept informed about progress on the Declaration and coral reefs, please fill out the complete form. Thank you for supporting coral reefs.

Dr. Gregor Hodgson, Executive Director
Reef Check Foundation

Declaration of Reef Rights
Whereas coral reefs are the highest biodiversity marine ecosystem and provide food, economic and spiritual value for hundreds of millions of people worldwide,

Whereas coral reefs are the most sensitive indicator for tracking global climate change,

Whereas the earth is a blue planet -- 71 % of the planet’s surface is covered by the ocean and 50% of the world’s population lives within 60 kilometers of the coast,

Whereas coral reefs are over 100 million years old, are the largest living structures visible from space and protect our coastlines from storm and tsunami damage,

Whereas coral reefs are the basis for stunning white sand beaches, entire tropical islands and a major component of the largest global industry -- tourism,

Whereas life-saving new antibiotics and anti-cancer drugs have been derived from coral reef organisms,

Whereas I recognize that any action I take may have an impact on the ocean and its reefs,

As a citizen of planet earth, I pledge to abide by the principles of this INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION OF REEF RIGHTS

All coral reefs have the right to be free from:

Over-fishing and destructive fishing

Pollution

Human caused coral bleaching and ocean acidification

Direct damage from divers, snorkelers and boaters

Damage due to poorly planned coastal development

Coral diseases

In recognition of these rights, I pledge to:

Ask if my seafood is sustainably caught and to only eat fish and shellfish that are from well-managed stocks and caught in a sustainable manner

Use products that will not pollute the sea and dispose of all wastes properly

Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support efforts to reduce global climate change

Not disturb, damage or collect corals and other reef organisms

Ask tour operators, cruise lines, hotels and restaurants in coral reef areas what their policy is towards coral reef protection and to support reef-friendly businesses and best practices

Patronize tour operators that use mooring buoys or anchor away from living corals

Support environmentally friendly development that does not damage coral reefs.

Support government efforts to improve sewage treatment, promote sustainable land use practices and to protect and restore coastal open space and coral reefs.

Encourage my friends and family to sign this INTERNATIONAL DECLARATION OF REEF RIGHTS

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Mangroves benefit the sea

Mangrove is the fundament-al species of the coastal-marine ecosystem. They are located in the tropics and subtropics of the planet and are on the coasts of Latin America, from México down to Peru.

Mangroves have great biotic productivity. They grow up at the intermediate tidal zones and in flooded areas. They can adapt to different degrees of salinity, because they are in contact with sea water and fresh water. They are located on sandy, muddy, clay soils, which have little oxygen and are sometimes acidic.

Ecologically mangroves supply important functions that allow natural balance: flood control; erosion control; purification of water running to the sea by retaining sediments and toxic substances; desalinization of water running to land; and providing a source of organic matter, storm protection, and microclimate stabilization.

It is important to emphasize that México has advanced in the protection of these ecosystems. Last February 1, a Decree was published in the federation official diary, by which an article is added in Vida Silvestre's General Law, which establishes the conservation of 886,760 hectares of mangrove that still exist in the country.

by Edith Sosa Bravo, Coordinator of CEA's Water Quality Program
photo by Humberto Bahena Basave

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CEA restores Akumal dunes

Coastal Dune Revegetation
by Miguel and Rosario

As part of the activities to certify the property and beach of Akumal Bay, CEA has involved volunteers in the revegetation of the protected coastal dune on our property. One of our first activities has been planting sea grape.

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Groups publish Voluntary Standards for Marine Recreation

You can see how well you and your marine recreation provider follow the standards published by The International Coral Reef Action Network - Mesoamerican Reef Alliance (ICRAN MAR). The preface explains the initiative to develop the standards:

The standards described in this publication represent the culmination of a grassroots conservation process within the marine tourism sector in Mesoamerica. This three-year process–The ICRAN Mesoamerican Reef Alliance (ICRAN MAR)–is an ambitious initiative to improve environmental business practices that minimize impacts to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef (MAR). Together with tourism, fisheries and watershed components, ICRAN MAR utilizes a holistic approach that will maximize private sector commitment to sustainable business practices, develop local and regional conservation alliances, and support effective marine protected area management. In this way, the project serves to address the most significant threats to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, while supporting the region’s economic future.

Connect to the complete standards through the Web site of The Coral Reef Alliance.

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Volunteers propose Akumal Bay patrol

From the bulletin board at locogringo.com:

As most of you know, I've met with Paul at the CEA, and discussed the difficulties of having only one kayak for the CEA's Akumal Bay Patrol. Angie Blinns & I had an idea, which I presented to Gary B. (shape shifter), and I also contacted Paul about it. There is the possibility of the CEA aquiring a second kayak, but due to the lack of sufficient numbers of CEA volunteers, it would be available for tourist volunteers to use to help patrol the bay, and make sure snorkellers and swimmers are following reef & turtle protection protocols. Guidelines for being a part of the bay patrol would be provided by the CEA. Gary B. will be meeting with Paul on his upcoming trip, and needs to know how much support this idea has. We, as tourists, are a part of the problem---but now, we can be an active part of the solution!! Would anyone be willing to donate a few hours of their vacation to help preserve an area that many of us love? The way I see it--I'm in the bay for most of my trips down there anyway, and it would be my pleasure to be doing something proactive for the bay. I hope my grandkids will be able to go down there and have as much enjoyment of the area as I have been fortunate enough to do. So, what does everyone think????

Read all the comments at LocoGringo.

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Leatherbacks make big comeback in S. Florida this year

Though not exactly the Mexican Caribbean, any good news about turtle recovery needs to be posted far and wide.

From an article by Jennifer Gollan in the South Florida Sun-Sentinel:

They outlived dinosaurs, only to wind up on the endangered species list. Now, leatherback turtles are poised to make something of a mild resurgence this year.

With a few weeks to go in the nesting season, "Anecdotal reports show this could be a record year statewide for leatherback turtle nests," said Meghan Koperski, environmental specialist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

The state record, 935 nests, was set in 2001, Koperski said. Florida began keeping records in 1989.

So far, 39 nests have turned up in Broward County, closing in on the record of 41 set in 1997, said Lou Fisher, a natural resource specialist for the Broward County Environmental Protection Department. The county started keeping track in 1981.

Five species of turtles nest in Florida: loggerhead, green, leatherback, hawksbill and Kemp's ridley.

Green and loggerhead turtles nest in Akumal. Hawksbills live in the waters off Akumal, but don't nest there. Leatherbacks are not common to the area.

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"Clear cut" fish harvesting in Sea of Cortez

Let's hope that the horrific "clear cut" fishing techniques from the Pacific side of Mexico don't come to the Mexican Carribean.

As reported by SeaWatch, the consience of the Sea of Cortez, gill nets, hookah divers, and pistoleros de la noche are destroying the reefs and clearing them of every last reef fish.

Go to the Web page of SeaWatch, view the video, and send a message to Mexican officials: http://www.seawatch.org/mail_campaign/alert2.new.html

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