Importance of the Caribbean Sea

The Caribbean Sea is the body of water adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean contained within the ring of Caribbean islands. For many, the Caribbean is primarily a place to spend time on a white sandy beach.

 

For the Caribbean people, the Marine biologists across the globe and researchers, however, it is much more than just a place for rest and relaxation. The Sea is literally the lifeblood of the Caribbean economy, supporting the transportation of goods and people through shipping, providing food from fisheries, and supporting tourism.

 

Let's analyse the importance of the Caribbean by looking at some key numbers:

 

  1. The Caribbean Sea accounts for 14% to 27% of the global ocean economy. This includes tourism, oil and gas, transport, and environmental services.

 

  1. Studies show that 22 of the 25 member states of the Association of Caribbean States have more ocean area than land area. This means that some countries are not small islands, but in fact the states.

 

  1. With an area of over 2.7 Mn km2, the Caribbean Sea makes up less than 1% of the world's oceans. However, it accounts for 10% of the world's coral reefs.

 

Coral reefs support incredible biodiversity and play a critical role in sustaining tropical fisheries.  Coral reefs not only provide food and home for a variety of marine species, but directly support commercial or recreational fisheries.

 

For example, the Parrotfish accidentally swallows pieces of coral, after which they are released through its digestive process, forming a brilliant, crystal-white sand, which in turn adorns many tropical beaches. Sponges and corals filter solid particles from the water column and increase its transparency.

 

Talking about the reputation of the Caribbean as a great fishing destination, is not surprising given that it is also a great diving destination. Latin America and the Caribbean currently produce 2.7 Mn tons of aquaculture fish and consume about 11.7 Mn. However, the region's average per capita consumption is only ten kilograms of fish per year, half of the global average.

 

The Caribbean has a complex structure of trade and communications. The volume of trade per capita is high, but most of the trade takes place outside the region.

 

Intra-Caribbean trade is quite small. There are relatively few goods exchanged within the economies of these countries - rice from Guyana; lumber from Belize; refined oil from Trinidad and Curaçao; salt, fertilisers, vegetable oils and fats from the eastern islands; and some manufactured goods. Markets for most products are in the US and Canada, which import bananas, sugar, coffee, rum, and butter. It is important to note that all Atlantic-Pacific traffic on the Panama Canal passes through the Caribbean Sea.

 

So, the Caribbean Sea is an extremely important resource for local people. It represents a huge economic asset for the region, not only in terms of valuable natural resources, but also as a global hotspot for marine diversity and tourism.