Ambergris Caye is one of the many islands off the coast of main land Belize. It is filled with Mango groves and beaches shielded by a reef. Flying into the little airport in San Pedro, crossing the tarmac and walking into town with the smell of salt air and the warm humid breeze, it is easy to relax and feel like a piece of paradise has been found. But out in the ocean, by the reef, a war is raging. The barrier reef is a fragile ecosystem. Belize has the second largest reef system in the world behind the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. This invitesvisitors, especially divers. A lot of visitorssnorkel and dive to explore the reef. Not everyone can appreciate the fragile habitat they are entering. Even careful divers can leave behind damage. Moving beneath a ledge can leave air bubbles that are abrasive to the habitat. Clueless or thoughtless visitors can easily kick out or brush up against the reef causing damage.
More threatening to reefs and black coral in particular, is commercial trade. This ebony coral creates amazingjewelry. It is elegant and striking. It is also endangered. In Belize there are government overseers that permit coral to be harvested by some commercial merchants. They are supposed to only pick up the dead coral that has fallen and lying on the bottom. While many of the merchants are vigilante and protective of the coral, there are still violations occurring. Most traders concur that preserving the reef is in their best interest. A unique commodity is worth more and claims a better price.
In Mexico, many of the commercial divers justify their harvest by saying that there are vast beds deeper down. The current research doesn’t back this up. It has found few beds with marginal health. In addition, different depths provide different habitats. Collecting shallow coral overwhelmingly affects a specific habitat. While black coral does well in the deep, it is still an important part of the reef eco-system.
One of the best ways to preserve black coral is to decrease the demand for it. Purchasing black coral is like buying poached ivory- it comes at a devastating price to the environment. Being aware of the origins of any thing may take some effort, but the effort could be saving a valuable natural wonder. Jewelry is a wonderful gift, a lovely thing to wear, but it can be more meaningful if it doesn’t harm the coral reefs.
Connor R. Sullivan recently purchased some black pearl jewelry for his wife on a cruise. He gave her a black pearl necklace which was stunning.
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