Postcards from Utila

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

WORLDWIDE | Tuesday, 8 November 2011 | Views [227]

Overpopulation is placing increased strain on both marine and terrestrial ecosystems in Utila. To satisfy the demand for sustenance, Utilian waters are being overfished at alarming rates; indiscriminate of species. Those species with long reproductive cycles do not get a chance to rebound their numbers before being fished out again, resulting in the depletion of fish stock throughout Utilian waters.

Barrio Camponado was created by clear-cutting lush mangrove areas and filling in the swamp water with cliff rocks and garbage. Amongst other forms of structural violence, the Camponado residents experience lack of; education, crime-free living environment, adequate sanitation, and nutritious food. They are increasingly marginalized and face added discrimination due to their Ladino heritage.

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Overfishing for tourist consumption further adds to the problems of overpopulation and the commodification of the marine environment, and is vastly exacerbated by the tourists’ lack of knowledge surrounding these issues. The appalling lack of fish species in the Utilian Coral Reef system – also the island’s main source of revenue – is threatening the viability of both the reef and the tourism industry itself.

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Postcards from Utila

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

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