Oceans cover about 71% of the Earth’s surface and contain 97% of its water. So, how is our “Blue Planet” doing—especially the Caribbean Sea? The concept of a blue economy is presented as a sustainable solution to the region’s challenges, but is it merely a slogan, or could it be the Caribbean’s last hope?

The theme of World Oceans Day 2021 was “Life and Livelihoods.” Although it represents only about 1% of the world’s ocean area—roughly 2.6 million square kilometers—the Caribbean Sea is an essential resource for its population. In coastal areas, 70% of the population relies on the sea for their livelihood. One way or another, it is clear that the Caribbean depends on the sea and its coasts to survive.

The region’s marine environment faces a long list of challenges, including all kinds of pollution: plastics and other forms of waste, abandoned fishing gear, and runoff from pesticides and other chemicals used in agriculture, much of which is unregulated. To accommodate tourism development, island coastlines have undergone drastic changes. The construction of hotels, marinas, and cruise ports has resulted in the removal of vital coastal habitats such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. Oil exploration and drilling are also growing concerns in some areas of the Caribbean.

Another issue not to be overlooked is the poaching and hunting of important marine and coastal species, including endangered sea turtles and marine mammals. The United Nations Environment Programme for the Caribbean (UNEP/CEP), headquartered in Kingston, Jamaica, focuses on this topic for a month starting on World Oceans Day (June 8) to raise awareness about the region’s marine mammals, including whales, sharks, and the endangered West Indian manatee:

Our marine mammal campaign starts tomorrow #WorldOceansDay2021 🌊 until July 7!

Learn interesting facts about marine mammals 🐬🐳 in the Wider Carib, the threats they face, conservation efforts being undertaken to protect them & how YOU can help!

…because #MarineMammalsMatter!

The UN agency is also currently running a campaign addressing another challenge: sargassum algae, which have spoiled some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful beaches and harmed the tourism industry in recent years.

As the region marks World Oceans Day, two urgent and seemingly intractable problems stand out: the impacts of the climate crisis and overfishing, including illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing by both local and foreign fishers. These concerns, among others, were central to discussions on June 8, as they are unfortunately not unique to the Caribbean.

After a series of devastating hurricanes in recent years, including the deadly Hurricane Dorian in 2019, the Caribbean has proven extremely vulnerable to climate change. Its impact on the marine environment progresses subtly and manifests in various ways, notably through the severe degradation of coral reefs, which host over 60 coral species and 1,500 fish species, supporting much of the tourism industry. Rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification make corals more fragile and trigger dramatic declines. Coral reefs and mangroves, which act as protective barriers and breeding grounds for marine life, have been damaged by the increasing number of high-intensity storms. According to a 2020 report by the National Environment and Planning Agency of Jamaica, none of the island’s coral reefs are in good condition, and 36% are classified as critical.

Local NGOs are working to restore balance. In Jamaica, several community groups meticulously restore corals using various “gardening” methods, replanting young corals cultivated on dead reefs. In Grenada, a “biorock” material is also used to restore corals. The results of these innovative efforts are still awaited.

Meanwhile, Sustainable Grenadines (SusGren), a cross-border NGO focused on coastal and marine environment protection and sustainable livelihoods for the Grenadines’ residents (between Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), is engaged in a sea moss cultivation project. One of its main initiatives has been the restoration of Ashton Lagoon, a failed marina project rehabilitated into a successful coastal ecotourism attraction.

All issues surrounding the Caribbean Sea are interconnected. The Caribbean is one of the most overfished regions in the world, and the overexploitation of marine resources—particularly the global problem of illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing—serves both regional and foreign interests. Caribbean coral reefs are also affected by this overfishing, and, by extension, the livelihoods of local fishing communities.

On World Oceans Day, a webinar organized by the Earth Journalism Network brought together regional experts to discuss fishing subsidies and the potential impact of ongoing World Trade Organization (WTO) treaty negotiations.

Regardless of NGO efforts, often supported by multilateral grants, it is now up to regional governments to work closely with their citizens to protect the sea and all the creatures living in it. Some countries are faring better than others: Belize, for example, has expanded its marine protected areas (MPAs) to protect its thriving coral reefs.

Ratification and adherence to key international agreements, such as the SPAW Protocol—which countries like Jamaica have not ratified—and the Cartagena Convention on Biodiversity would also provide training, technical assistance, funding, and encourage the creation of more MPAs.

Political will and action, informed and guided by local scientists such as climate change specialist Professor Michael Taylor and marine biologist Professor Mona Webber from the University of the West Indies, would help Caribbean leaders implement a feasible emergency protection plan. On a daily basis, strict enforcement of environmental regulations and increased vigilance against illegal fishing in coastal waters and surrounding areas must be strengthened.

The beautiful turquoise waters of the Caribbean, which have been so generous to its people and so beneficial to their economy, deserve nothing less.