Caribbean/Latin America

Nestled between North, Central, and South America, the Caribbean Sea is characterized by the warm waters typical of coral reef locations lying between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer. CORAL's work in the wider Caribbean region currently focuses on communities located near the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
Stretching from the northern Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, south along the borders of Belize and Guatemala in Central America, and on to the Bay Islands of Honduras, the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the second largest coral reef in the world and is home to some of the richest biodiversity in the wider Caribbean. The reef is a vital natural resource for coastal communities throughout the region, supporting major fisheries and local food supplies, coastal protection from storms, and a robust marine tourism industry. Yet threats to the reef have increased significantly in recent years, including overfishing, pollution from intensive coastal development and poor watershed management, and rapid growth in marine tourism activities. In late 2004, CORAL began work on a multilateral initiative to address threats to the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef and has made great strides in improving the environmental and economic sustainability of the marine tourism sector throughout the region. Find out more about the Mesoamerican Reef Alliance (MAR) and our work in the region »

One of CORAL’s greatest achievements in Mesoamerica to date is the development and publication of voluntary environmental performance standards for the marine tourism sector. The standards were the result of a pioneering initiative that brought together stakeholders from across the region to collaborate on and codify best practices to minimize the environmental footprint of tour operations on the reef. Published in 2007, the standards are currently being implemented throughout the region. Find out more about the breakthrough voluntary standards »

CORAL Locations

Belize: The charming village of Placencia is CORAL’s most advanced Coral Reef Sustainable Destination (CRSD) in Belize. We’re also seeing early and positive progress in San Pedro, Belize City, and Caye Caulker. More »

Honduras: Since 2004, CORAL has worked on the island of Roatan and throughout the Bay Islands to develop an array of locally-led conservation initiatives and to improve the management effectiveness of the Sandy Bay-West End Marine Park and other protected areas in the islands. More »

Mexico: In Playa del Carmen and Cozumel, two popular tourist destinations in Mexico, CORAL is building a pioneering alliance between resource managers and the private sector to reduce reef threats and increase environmental awareness through education and outreach at the local level. More »