Coastal Capital: Jamaica. The Economic Contribution of Jamaica's Coral Reefs

Abstract

Tourism, fisheries, and shoreline protection represent just three of the many culturally and economically important services reef ecosystems provide in Jamaica. The analysis showed reef-related fisheries alone contributed $34.3 million to the local economy, supported 15,000 - 20,000 fishermen, and impacted the livelihoods of more than 100,000 people island-wide. Currently, all of Jamaica's coral reefs are under threat from overfishing, bad fishing, watershed-based pollution, coastal development, marine-based pollution, climate change, and ocean acidification