The illegal use of corals in a 600-foot coral seawall has come under strong criticism from non-government organizations who say the incident could have been averted months ago had the Department of the Environment (DOE) taken the necessary actions.
According to reports received, the DOE and the Fisheries Department had received information earlier this year regarding the alarming case of a development project on South Long Coco Caye (SLCC), where the developer was digging up live coral to build a seawall.
Reports are the seawall was only 60 feet long when the matter was first reported to the Fisheries Department and the DOE, but the lax approach had given the unyielding developer ample time to add roughly 540 feet to the same seawall for which he was to be charged.
The Fisheries Department had initiated the legal proceedings, but because they lacked the jurisdiction to prosecute; the case was handed over to the DOE. The case has gone dormant since then.
Representatives from the Southern Environmental Association (SEA), based in Placencia, informed The Reporter that they first learnt of the incident in October 2010, and compiled an assessment report.
SEA’s report stated, “On the 12th of October, 2010, at approximately 8:00 am, reports were received of an incident involving five individuals, found in the vicinity of South Long Coco Caye, removing coral reef from a shallow sea bed, with intentions of constructing a sea wall from said coral pieces.”
The individuals had illegally removed approximately 150 feet of coral reef from a shallow reef system of approximately 350 feet, about half of the area’s reef system.
The developer also dredged the area to build a walkway system to link his two cayes. The “road”, which goes through the same reef system, is enclosed by coral and is made up of the dredged sand.
The mangroves, that were in the area, had been cleared and replaced by the seawall.
Clearly, it is a compounding case of environmental injustices; but sadly, it isn’t an isolated matter.
Representatives from the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Initiative had informed the media of an equally appalling case on Cockroach Caye, located in Turneffe Caye Atolls, where the owner of the island built a coral house—literally made out of coral!
Cockroach Caye also sports a coral seawall, though much smaller than the one on SLCC. Dredging had also been done; the incoming waves reveal the area scarred by the dredging which is easily seen.
Healthy Reef representatives had also pointed out a similar incident on Hatchet Caye, just offshore from Placencia.
In 2009, it was the case at Bread and Butter Caye, near the Stann Creek district, that infuriated environmentalists. The island’s owner, Duane Miller, along with his watchman, Delbert Cansino, was fined a mere $900, after it was discovered that they were using coral as land fill.
The increasing number of cases of illegal coral use prompted the DOE to issue a press release earlier this week reminding the public that such practices are illegal.
The DOE press release reminded developers and owners of islands or cayes “that the use of live or dead corals...is prohibited under the Environmental Protection Act.”
The DOE also reminded that the “Illegal use of corals is destructive and threatens the stability of the entire coral reef system. By removing live corals from the reef, it creates great impact to the larger reef system as they are susceptible to even the smallest changes in their environment.”
Whether or not the warning will deter any future violation is anyone’s guess, if the SLCC case is to serve as the precedent.
Nevertheless, the unfortunate reality remains. Corals continue to be very popular with developers who find the material abundant, cost effective and durable.
Colonial corals, which form coral reefs, are the building blocks of our already suffering barrier reef.
Last year, the Healthy Reefs Initiative completed its 2010 Reef Report Card, which showed that only one percent of the world’s second largest barrier reef is in ‘very good’ condition. It also revealed that eight percent is in ‘good’ condition; twenty-one percent of it is ‘fair’; forty-percent is ‘poor’; and thirty percent is ‘critical’.
The Reporter tried to speak to DOE officials earlier this week to discuss this matter, especially since the release said the DOE “is becoming increasingly concerned over the practice of using corals for filling of cayes or land or as construction material for infrastructure.” However, those who were authorized to comment on the release’s background were unavailable.
Reporter

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