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Coastal and Marine |
 What is the general situation
with these ISSUES?
- The physical environment is being altered to provide facilities
for tourism and related uses. As a consequence, beach and coastline
erosion is accelerating, aggravated by mining of sea sand.
- Fish catches are being reduced by increasing numbers of fishermen,
poor fishing techniques such as use of fine mesh nets to trap
immature fish, as well as illegal dynamiting and poisoning.
- Coastal mangroves, wetland areas and seagrass beds which provide
breeding, feeding and nursery grounds for fish and shrimp are
being destroyed.
- A warmer global climate is expected to result in a rise of sea
level, as well as changes in weather patterns. The frequency of
hurricanes and tropical storms could change, loss of protective
coral reefs, and flooding of low-lying coastal communities.
- Coastal areas typically have complex land use and ownership
patterns, as well as overlapping of responsibilities for regulation
and management. Coordination of both development and protection
efforts can involve numerous stakeholders and take a considerable
amount of time and money.
- Both physical and visual access to the shoreline is decreasing
as a result of development activities. There is a perception that
the best beaches have been taken over by hotels for their exclusive
use.
- Rivers and coastal areas are at the receiving end of chemicals,
sediment, sewage and garbage released on the land. Managing these
problems requires actions within the entire watershed.
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