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glossary

People living on island-countries, such as Jamaica, rely on coral reefs for protection and livelihood. The reef structure protects adjacent atolls, islands and mainland areas from erosion and wave damage generated by storms and tsunamis. Coral reefs form popular vacation islands. To the local people, reefs are an important source of income (via artisanal fishing and tourism) and daily nutritional needs (fish is a high source of protein).

(Margulis and Schwartz, 1998; Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999)

Here is a figure showing the exponential population growth in Jamaica from 1860s to 1995. This exponential growth is projected to persist until 2010.

  1. How do you think the exponential growth in the human population of this island-country impact the marine ecosystem?
  2. The increasing population has been implicated as contributing significantly to the overfishing of Jamaica's coral reef resources.
    • How can this happen?
    • Could it have been avoided? How?
(Figure modified from data presented in Hughes, 1994)
 

Most of the fishing taking place in Jamaican coral reefs is artisanal in nature. This means that the fish caught by these Jamaican fishers are intended for direct consumption by the fisher or used as a source of income. The harvests are destined for domestic consumption as fresh fish via restaurants or fish markets.

There has been a steady increase in the number of registered fishermen since easy access to the reefs allow for a source of food and income.

 

TARGET SPECIES & METHOD

Jamaican fishers generally target a wide range of marine species, including bottom-dwelling, coral reef species and semi-pelagic species of finfish. Lobsters, marine shrimp, conch, crab, oysters, and other marine invertebrates are harvested as well.

The fishing is traditionally conducted from canoes with use of nets, spears, lines, traps, and diving. Some canoes are powered by outboard engines. Fishing by more than one method is quite common.

Table 1. Estimated total fishing yield and use of canoes in Jamaica (1968 to 1981).
  Total yield Canoes fishing the area catch per canoe
1968
5840 t
0.33 canoes/km^2
4.23 t
1973
6611 t
0.46 canoes/km^2
3.46 t
1981
6757 t
0.65 canoes/km^2
2.49 t

This table compares total fishing yield with the amount of effort required for the landings. Effort is measured via the number of canoes used and the amount of catch per canoe. Total yield increased from 1968 to 1981. However, the number of canoes doubled per unit area and the catch per canoe decreased as well.

  1. What does this suggest about the health of the fish population, i.e. availability of fish, in Jamaica?
  2. What do you think will happen if this fishing pattern continues?
  3. What could be causing the increased fishing effort?

The Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000 reports the status on the following components of the Jamaican coral reefs:

Reported status
Reef fish
  • All large species & most predators are absent of very scarce, which has led to increasing loss of herbivorous fish as fishing persists.
  • The main target species remaining on reefs are herbivorous fish such as small parrotfish & surgeonfish.
Fisheries
  • Artisanal fishery operations take place in over 200 fishing beaches around the island.
  • Antillean z-trap, nets, lines, and spears are principal fishing gear.
  • There has been a marked decline in catch-per-unit-effort since early 1960s.
  • The decline in fish catch has been accompanied by a decrease in fish size and quality.
Corals
  • Coral population has decreased to less than 5% at many locations.
  • Slight increases of coral cover in Discovery Bay and some north coast location.
    • Porites asteroides, P. porites, and Agaricia agaricites are the growing coral populations, instead of the original frame-builders like Acropora.
 
 

Jamaica is a part of the Sustainable Development Network Programme (SDNP) launched by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to help developing countries establish and maintain their tourism industry.

Jamaica's economy has become increasingly dependent on tourism. Increased marketing efforts by the Jamaica Tourist Board has resulted in Jamaica being recognized as a preferred tourism destination. The following achievements establishes the tourism in Jamaica in an advanced stage of development:

  • In 1992 direct, indirect, and induced employment in the tourism sector totalled 217,000 full-time equivalent jobs or 23 percent of the employed labour force.
  • In 1992 tourism accounted for 13.3 percent of Jamaica's total gross domestic product.
  • The number of rooms totalled 20,896 in December 1995 as against 10,776 in December 1990.
  • The number of visitors in the period January to December 1996 was 1,820,627 up 3.0% compared with 1995, with earnings for the sector amounting to US$1.1 billion for that same period.

ECOLOGICAL IMPACT

The Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000 reports the rapid growth of facilities for coastal tourism has contributed to increased terrestrial runoff. This runoff transports suspended sediment, sewage pollution, and excess nutrients directly into the coastal environment.

  1. How do you think the tourism industry can impact the coral reefs?
  2. What should Jamaica do about the ecological impacts due to the growing tourism industry?
 

(Woodley et al, 2000; www.jsdnp.org.jm/susTourism-status.htm)
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This web site was created by Lynn Tran at the North Carolina State University, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education on 7/12/03. Faculty advisor Dr. David Eggleston, NCSU, Department of Marine, Earth, & Atmospheric Sciences. Last updated December 29, 2003 .