Risking the Atoll: Analysis of the Environmental and Economic effects of improperly regulated development at Turneffe Atoll. That's the main report that was launched today at the Radisson. It is a wordy title but the Turneffe Atoll Trust team says that every word is important in highlighting the message of protection and sustainability. Courtney Weatherburne has more.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
Turneffe Atoll stands out as one of the most popular sport fishing and scuba diving destinations in Belize. But apart from that, it is the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Caribbean - contributing significantly to economic, social and environmental sustainability.
Valentino Shal, Consultant, Turnoffe Atoll Trust
"The economic value of Turneffe is over $500 million dollars a year, Belize dollars and this is from tourism, fishing, commercial fishing, conch and lobster. It supports over 950 fishers from Belize City and northern communities and it has this immense value that we need to make sure we keep protecting so we can keep benefitting from it."
And the Turneffe Atoll Trust team says this new report entitled "Risking the Atoll" can help in protecting it by highlighting the do's and don'ts.
Valentino Shal, Consultant, Turnoffe Atoll Trust
"What it is a case study on some of the developments that have taken place on Turneffe that we feel have been done improperly and it is threatening the sustainability of the area so we think it is important to document these things and present it with to the media and the public but it not just to complain about these issues but we also developed a guide for developers so in the future anybody who is interested in doing development on the Turneffe can have something to work with so you know what the rules and regulations are and what is expected of them in terms of ensuring that they are working with environmentally sustainable principles."
"Some of the main issues the report highlights are the dredging of back-reef flats which is a type of reef which has been significantly damaged, we have clearing of mangroves without the proper permits, so we have the clearing of littoral forests and we have just general misuse of the area, discharge of brine from desalination plants directly into the open and other types of dredging, dredging of canals and stuff like that that we shouldn't be doing there."
"We can't take all Belizeans there but at least we can bring these reports to them so they can see what is happening."
Turneffe Atoll is about 30 miles east of Belize City.
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