• Welcome to BICA!
• BAY ISLANDS PROTECTED AREAS
  • ROATAN
  • UTILA
  • GUANAJA
• JOIN BICA!
• BICA'S MISSION
  • THE HISTORY OF BICA
  • BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• PROTECTING THE REEF
  • SEDIMENTATION
  • PLANT A TREE!
  • MANGROVES SAVE THE REEF
  • RECYCLING ON ROATAN
  • SEAGRASS
• THE MARINE RESERVE
• OUR SCHOOLS PROGRAM
• REPORT A VIOLATION
• ROATAN CLEANUP!
• GREEN BUILDER
• HOW YOU CAN HELP
• BICA BOOKSTORE
• Bay Island Photos
• RESOURCES

OUR REEF SYSTEM IS UNDER GRAVE THREAT FROM HUMAN ACTIVITY ON LAND AND SEA

ROATAN'S REEF WILL BE DEAD IN 10 YEARS IF CURRENT TRENDS CONTINUE

SEDIMENTATION: THE NUMBER ONE THREAT TO ROATAN'S REEF

PLANT A TREE TO SAVE THE REEF

SAVING THE MANGROVES PROTECTS THE REEF AND CONSERVES THE BEACHES

RECYCLING IS GOOD FOR EVERYONE

POISON THE SEA GRASS? GOODBY BEAUTIFUL REEF FISH, GOODBY BEAUTIFUL CLEAR WATER, HELLO SWAMPY MESS



???A recent report ??WHAT REPORT IS THIS? on the health of the reef is blunt and frightening: Roatan's beautiful reef will be dead in ten years if current trends are not reversed in the future it is estimated that in the future we are looking at a collapse of the reef system. (QUOTE THE SOURCE)


Sedimentation of our Coastal areas has been identified as the #1 problem that endangers our reef system. These problems were identified when the first studies took place in 1987. (QUOTE SOURCE HERE?) It has accelerated with the increased building activity as more and more areas near the shoreline are developed, and inland development dumps sediment into creeks that run into the sea.

ONLY YOU CAN HELP REVERSE THIS DECLINE.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE DANGERS OF SEDIMENTATION
VOLUNTEER to help BICA monitor sediment flow in our creeks during the rainy season.
We have been able to start modest qualitative surveys during the rainy season to identify critical areas (creeks) sedimenting our coastal areas  in the Marine Reserve  We are hoping to extend this survey to other communities for which we are in dire need of volunteers, donations, transportation  and hired staff.

•NEVER ALLOW YOUR DEVELOPER TO DESTROY MANGROVES. Not only is it a violation of Honduran law to destroy the mangroves, Mangroves are critical for the health of the reef. It is a nesting ground for fish: the drastic decline in the fish population on the reef has been caused in some part by mangrove destruction. Mangroves protect coastal areas from erosion. They filter the sediment from the land and help keep the water clear. When the mangroves die, the reef will eventually die. In the areas where mangroves have been destroyed, the beaches are eroding, destroying the coastal areas and causing sedimentation of the reef.
•DO NOT ALLOW YOUR DEVELOPER TO DESTROY THE SEAGRASS. Don’t listen to people who offer to poison the seagrass so you can have a “nice sandy bottom” of sand. Do you want to see fish when you snorkel? Sea grass attracts fish, providing them food and shelter. Do you want to see anything at all when you snorkel or dive? The seagrass holds the underwater beach together and gives us the beautiful clear water around Roatan. If you destroy the seagrass, you are destroying the reef and creating murky, muddy water (IS this true? Just a placeholder) It is not only illegal, it is one of the worst things you can do for the reef. You will also NOT get a nice sandy bottom. You will get a murky, slimy mess that you will sink into, like quicksand.
•DO NOT DUMP SAND ON YOUR BEACHFRONT.
This is not only illegal, it is responsible for destruction of the reef. Eventually, you will have no reef in front of your property, and the water in front of the beach will be murky and muddy. It’s not worth it.
•DON’T BURN TO CLEAR LAND. It causes runoff and sedimentation.

The other cause of reef deterioration is algae blooms caused by high nutrient input. Like  sediment, algae bloom blocks the sunlight needed for photosynthesis. The problem is caused by sewage and other solid waste from domestic, tourist and industrial sources that finds its way to the ocean. This problem also harms other coastal and marine resources, including fisheries. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP
•Put your trash in trash containers.
•Recycle
•Use reef safe products.
•Do not buy conch shells, black coral, turtle meat, eggs, or jewelry

The third source of damage to the reef system is physical damage caused by boat groundings, touching by snorkelers and divers; white and black band decease and coral bleaching, a natural phenomenon that affected reefs worldwide which is said to be linked to global warming. 

WHAT YOU CAN DO:
•Only use established mooring buoys
•DON’T TOUCH THE CORAL. Don’t stand on the coral. Don’t swim into shallow reef areas where you can’t get out without touching the coral.
•Don't use gloves while diving if you are tempted to touch the coral!
•Do not feed the fish!
ˆRemember: one boat per dive site!