For sharks, turtles and rays in the Caribbean, the Mesoamerican Reef – which spans more than 600 miles from Mexico to Honduras – is a busy highway. As the second-largest barrier reef in the world, marine species use it to navigate north and south, and its rich tapestry of coral, seagrass and mangrove forests provide vital food and habitat.
But as with highways on land, this marine corridor can be dangerous. Overfishing, commercial development and the illegal practice of finning is endangering species such as whale sharks, reef sharks and manta rays. These creatures are already in a fragile state, with more than a third of sharks and rays threatened with extinction worldwide.
“We’re seeing a continued decline of many sharks and shark populations in most countries where there is monitoring taking place,” says Rachel Graham, founder of MarAlliance, a non-profit focused on protecting sharks and rays throughout the Americas. “Our goal is to reverse that decline,” she adds.
By monitoring threatened marine life in the region, MarAlliance is able to glean important knowledge on populations that can help to inform conservation and push for political action. But rather than acting in opposition to the local fishing community, the NGO enlists their help.
“They are the ones who are on the sea every single day,” says Graham, “and they are the ones who are going to decide the long-term fate of sharks and of fish.”
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