Roatan coastline

Could Cleaner Water Mean Farewell for Coral Disease?

Lea esto en español When improperly treated sewage enters the marine environment, it can have devastating effects on a coral reef. Not only does it bring bacteria that can pose a threat to human health, but it also brings nutrients that fuel the growth of algae—a fierce competitor in the coral reef ecosystem. Algae compete… Continue Reading →

Working group meeting in Tela

Want to Protect Fisheries? Involve the Community.

Lea esto en español During a recent interview, Dr. Antonella Rivera, CORAL’s Principal Investigator in Honduras, perfectly summed up our approach to conservation: “If we really want to make a difference with science, we have to involve the people who are most affected.” People and communities are always at the forefront of our work to… Continue Reading →

Honduras coastline

Making the Case for a Biological Corridor

In 2018, a law passed that opened up parts of the Honduran North Coast to commercial fishing—prior, only artisanal fishers were able to fish within certain areas. While some of the coastline lies within marine protected areas (MPAs), we suspected that fish populations along the coastline were all connected. If the MPAs weren’t somehow connected,… Continue Reading →

Paula Urrutia takes a water sample from the aquaculture system

Aquaculture: An Alternative to Overfishing in Honduras

Lea esto en español Could aquaponics and aquaculture be a sustainable alternative to overfishing? According to Julio San Martin Chicas, our Principal Program Coordinator in Tela Bay, Honduras, the answer is yes: If specific fish can be adequately and competitively farmed using small-scale aquaculture, then we can alleviate fishing pressure on the reef. Aquaculture refers… Continue Reading →

Roatán Marine Park: A Year of Strength

Over the last 15 years, we’ve stood alongside the Roatán Marine Park (RMP) as they’ve grown into the model marine management organization that they are today. They set the standard for how a marine protected area should be managed, and we’ve been honored to partner with them to build capacity and ensure they have the… Continue Reading →

Dr. Antonella Rivera

There’s Nothing Romantic About Sewage

There’s a certain romanticized notion of what it must be like to be a coral reef scientist: living in a tropical environment with beautiful white sand beaches, snorkeling and diving every day, surrounded by colorful wildlife and pristine turquoise waters. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? And for Dr. Antonella Rivera, Principal Investigator for the Coral Reef… Continue Reading →

boats parked off the coast of Roatan, Honduras

Finding Resilience in Honduras

As Executive Director of the Roatán Marine Park, Francis Lean can relate to her tourist clientele—she used to be one of them. Originally from Tegucigalpa, the capital of Honduras, Lean used to join the 1.6 million people who visited Roatán on vacation each year. Roatán is one of the three main islands that make up… Continue Reading →

Paola Urrutia tests water samples in Tela Bay

The Women Behind the Science

It’s 6:45 a.m. when Paola Urrutia arrives at Tela Bay. She makes her way down to the water, finds the spot where the fishermen will disembark after their morning catch, and sits down to wait. On the northern Caribbean coast of Honduras, Tela Bay sits at the bottom of a gently sloping tropical forest, marked… Continue Reading →

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