Overseeing the marine ecosystem 9/24/2012 Ocean Health Index is published for the first time.

Latin America and the Caribbean are not taking good care of their marine ecosystems, revealed the Ocean Health Index, which was released in August. Dominica, Nicaragua, Peru, and Haiti, in this order, are the worst offenders of the region. Nevertheless, most of the Latin American and Caribbean nations that were evaluated did not exceed the world average, indicating that these nations do not utilize the ocean in a sustainable fashion.

A total of 171 countries — 31 Latin American and Caribbean — were evaluated with a rating between 0 and 100, with 100 being the best rating. The world average was 60.

Completed by experts of a variety of academic and environmental institutions — including Conservation International and National Geographic Society — the study defines a healthy ocean as one that “can maintain or increase benefits (food and services) in the long term, without jeopardizing the health or function of the web of life that underlies the ocean”.

The parameters used for the evaluation included coastline protection, cleaning of waters, impact of tourism, ocean biodiversity, sustainable extraction of food, and artisan fishing, among others.

“The ocean is our most valuable asset,” said the study. “It holds more than 98% of the space where life exists, 97% of the planet’s water, produces more than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere, and regulate   s the earth’s climate.”

“The sheer number of people who use and depend on the ocean, coupled with unwise practices we adopt, have caused problems such as overharvesting of resources, reduction in biodiversity, degradation of marine habitats and risk of extinction of species, among others. We jeopardize the very ecosystems on which our survival depends,” the study addsl. —Latinamerica Press.

LATIN AMERICA / THE CARIBBEAN Ocean Health Index Country Position Rating Antigua and Barbuda 8 71 Suriname 11 69 Bahamas 14 67 Saint Kitts and Nevis 26 63 Trinidad & Tobago 26 63 Brazil 35 62 Costa Rica 38 61 Guatemala 51 60 Ecuador 51 60 Chile 51 60 Dominican Republic 64 58 Guyana 76 56 Mexico 79 55 Barbados 87 53 Cuba 94 52 Colombia 94 52 Argentina 94 52 Belize 105 51 Santa Lucia 114 50 Granada 129 48 Saint Vincent and the Grenadinas 129 48 Panama 129 48 Jamaica 129 48 Uruguay 136 47 Honduras 142 46 Venezuela 142 46 El Salvador 147 45 Haiti 152 44 Peru 152 44 Dominica 157 43 Nicaragua 157 43 Fuente: Conservation International

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