damsels are not mean
Valuable Member
As you probably know, many of the reefs that once blanketed the Caribbean have been dwindled down over the years by a perfect storm of disasters, from horrible storms to disease outbreaks and most importantly human activities. The native stony corals that once built reefs all over this sea are pretty much extinct in several places that were once tourist destinations and many coral reefs have become pure algae beds. Few places in the Caribbean are well preserved, and today I learned about a new one. It is Jardines de la Reina (Gardens of the Queen in English).
This area is a small archipelago off the southern coast of Cuba. Due to a combination of its unique positioning, local regulations, and political sanctions, this area has managed to remain a near pristine example of a thriving Caribbean ecosystem. If you want to know what the Florida Keys looked like 100 years ago, this is about the best example we have. The area is home to extremely healthy mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and all the iconic corals, fishes, and other animals of the Caribbean. This is a pretty good diving video in the area:
The area is protected first by its location. It is farther away from human settlements than most Caribbean reefs, which reduces the amount of nutrient pollution that can reach it. Additionally, the healthy mangrove forests act as a barrier against these nutrients should they make it far enough out.
It is also a heavily protected marine conservation park, and has been since the early 90s. There are strict rules and limits created and enforced by the local tourism industry and government as to how many sport fisherman (catch release only), divers, and tourists can visit. Food fishing in the area is only allowed for spiny lobster. There are also limits on what development is allowed on the coast near it, as the building of new infrastructure is considered a major threat to reef ecosystems.
Now, hopefully without any sort of political fights starting in the thread, there is also the U.S. blockade. As a result of the long-standing sanctions imposed on Cuba, very few U.S. tourists visit, which keeps the amount of development in the tourism industry lower than popular spots like Jamaica or Puerto Rico.
Whether the conservation efforts here could survive a lifting of the blockade remains to be seen, but I hope this wonderful jewel serves as an example that conservation of our wild reefs is possible. Similar conservation efforts are now spreading to other island nations in the area.
This area is a small archipelago off the southern coast of Cuba. Due to a combination of its unique positioning, local regulations, and political sanctions, this area has managed to remain a near pristine example of a thriving Caribbean ecosystem. If you want to know what the Florida Keys looked like 100 years ago, this is about the best example we have. The area is home to extremely healthy mangrove forests, sea grass beds, and all the iconic corals, fishes, and other animals of the Caribbean. This is a pretty good diving video in the area:
The area is protected first by its location. It is farther away from human settlements than most Caribbean reefs, which reduces the amount of nutrient pollution that can reach it. Additionally, the healthy mangrove forests act as a barrier against these nutrients should they make it far enough out.
It is also a heavily protected marine conservation park, and has been since the early 90s. There are strict rules and limits created and enforced by the local tourism industry and government as to how many sport fisherman (catch release only), divers, and tourists can visit. Food fishing in the area is only allowed for spiny lobster. There are also limits on what development is allowed on the coast near it, as the building of new infrastructure is considered a major threat to reef ecosystems.
Now, hopefully without any sort of political fights starting in the thread, there is also the U.S. blockade. As a result of the long-standing sanctions imposed on Cuba, very few U.S. tourists visit, which keeps the amount of development in the tourism industry lower than popular spots like Jamaica or Puerto Rico.
Whether the conservation efforts here could survive a lifting of the blockade remains to be seen, but I hope this wonderful jewel serves as an example that conservation of our wild reefs is possible. Similar conservation efforts are now spreading to other island nations in the area.
