Megatourism, intensive fishing, and sewage, sewage, sewage

To help save the reefs of Honduras, get active with these groups:

Bay Islands Conservation Association

Center for Coastal and Watershed Systems, Yale University

Institute for Marine Sciences

Society for Environmental Education

Rocked Lobster: A researcher maps a stretch of Roatan reef that's heavily impacted by native divers hunting lobster, in the Bay Islands, Honduras. Photo: Joseph Dougherty/SEE

Tourist-driven coastal development has depleted mangroves and threatens Honduran coral reefs as well; other stressors are coastal pollution from sewage, oil, farm runoff of fertilizers and pesticides, and industrial wastes. In June 1997, Honduras joined Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico in a pact that calls for protecting the countries' massive Pacific coral reefs.