CORAL Unveils Sustainable Marine Tourism Standards

The Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) today announced the release of their "Voluntary Standards for Marine Recreation in the Mesoamerican Reef System." This guide provides marine tourism businesses, bulk purchasers of visitor excursions, and tourists with tested standards that will prevent recreational overuse and misuse of coral reefs. "These are the first set of marine tourism standards to apply to an entire region. The Mesoamerican Reef is a single ecosystem spanning four countries: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. CORAL involved every group that uses this reef in the creation of these standards and then field tested their efficacy," says CORAL Program Director Rick MacPherson. "These standards are affordable, attainable, and effective."...