Can Cruise Ships and Coral Coexist?
By Andrew C. Revkin
The cruise ship industry, Mexican government, and Conservation International have announced a plan to try to protect coral reefs and other ecosystems in Cozumel, the world’s most-visited cruise destination.
In a joint news release, the industry, environmental group, and government officials said their goals are to boost environmental education of passengers, cruise operators, and local communities, curb traffic and waste-disposal problems, boost protection of the barrier reef, and work to more effectively enforce environmental laws and regulations.
Could this mean that all cruises will slowly become more like eco-tourism operations, where passengers don’t merely come ashore to buy trinkets and get sunburns, but to learn something about a barrier reef or mangrove forest?
The plan doesn’t have much in the way of specifics (or commitments of money) to limit the direct environmental impacts of having more than 1,000 huge vessels arriving and departing each year, disgorging 10,000 passengers on peak days and streams
story continued
The cruise ship industry, Mexican government, and Conservation International have announced a plan to try to protect coral reefs and other ecosystems in Cozumel, the world’s most-visited cruise destination.
In a joint news release, the industry, environmental group, and government officials said their goals are to boost environmental education of passengers, cruise operators, and local communities, curb traffic and waste-disposal problems, boost protection of the barrier reef, and work to more effectively enforce environmental laws and regulations.
Could this mean that all cruises will slowly become more like eco-tourism operations, where passengers don’t merely come ashore to buy trinkets and get sunburns, but to learn something about a barrier reef or mangrove forest?
The plan doesn’t have much in the way of specifics (or commitments of money) to limit the direct environmental impacts of having more than 1,000 huge vessels arriving and departing each year, disgorging 10,000 passengers on peak days and streams
story continued
posted by anthony m, at 4:15 PM
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