Mark Beckford, Gleaner Writer
TOMORROW JUNE 8 is World Oceans Day and, in an attempt to protect coral reefs in the region, the United States has listed two species of coral found in the Caribbean, elkhorn and staghorn, under the Endangered Species Act.
According to the last Status of the Reefs of the World Report in 2004, Jamaica has coral cover of up to 34 per cent in certain areas, an unhealthy figure for Jamaica's coral reefs. In Jamaican, coral reefs are protected under the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act, and the Beach Control Act.
Diana McCauley, chief executive officer of the Jamaican Environmental Trust (JET), believes that while there is legislation to protect corals, not enough is being done to implement it.
"The laws we have to protect our coral reefs are not being enforced," Ms. McCauley said. She believes that several things need to be done to ensure that coral reefs are rescued and preserved.
"We need to control all land based sources of pollution, we need tertiary sewage treatment and we need to control coastal development that produces silt that end up in the sea."
CORAL REEFS THREATENED
Ms. McCauley said it has been a known fact that Jamaica's coral reefs are being threatened by negligent human activities.
Zadie Neufville, acting manager for Public Education and Corporate Communication at the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), believes that the laws are being enforced, despite several obstacles.
She believes that the agency is doing its job in protecting the coral reefs of Jamaica. 'While it is difficult, we do enforce these acts." She said the agency has wardens that monitor marine park areas and reserves and prevent persons who engage in irresponsible behaviour that endangers coral reefs.
Marcia Creary, data manager for the Centre For Marine Sciences at the University of the West Indies, believes that the move by the U.S. will help to protect corals in Jamaica. "We are in total agreement with the move, as we have low levels of these species in Jamaica and this will help to protect them," she said.
However, the centre, which conducts coral reef monitoring at various locations in the island, does not believe that the Local Government is doing enough to protect corals. "Even if we have an endangered list, it is the enforcement of these laws that pose a problem," Ms. Creary said.
