MAR Coral Reef Watch
About the program
The Mesoamerican Coral Reef Watch Program is a regional initiative that operates in the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, Belize and Honduras, integrated by several national and international organizations working for the conservation of these valuable marine resources.
Coral reefs are one of the most important ecosystems in the Mesoamerican region. For over 200 million years they have constituted an essential part of the region, providing invaluable environmental services such as fisheries products and coastal protection from shoreline erosion. Moreover, coral reefs are an important economical tourism asset, attracting tourists that enjoy diving or snorkeling. Coral reefs form an integral unit with nearby seagrass and mangrove habitats, relying on each other.
The purpose of this program is to serve as an early warning system of the state of the coral reefs in the MAR region, and to identify changes that corals may experience, including bleaching. This early warning system allows concerned scientists to locate areas where the reefs are experiencing these changes, make an in-depth analysis, locate resistant areas, and document their recovery. All these efforts have the goal of contributing to the conservation of corals in the Mesoamerican Reef.
objectives
- Early Warning Alert for coral bleaching in the Mesoamerican Reef.
- Involve the community in monitoring coral reef health.
- Provide reef users with information on current conditions through reports.
- Monitor and evaluate bleaching events to better understand these phenomena.
