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Posted on December 5, 2008
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Environment
Coastal Capital: Belize
A new report from the World Resources Institute's Coastal Capital project finds that three key benefits provided by coral reefs and mangroves in Belize are worth an estimated $395 million to $559 million per year. Released in partnership with WWF, the report, Coastal Capital: Belize (6 pages, PDF), estimates the annual economic value of coral reef- and mangrove-associated tourism in Belize at between $150 million and $196 million, accounting for between 12 percent and 15 percent of the nation's GDP, while benefits from reef- and mangrove-dependent fisheries contribute an additional $14 million to $16 million to the economy. The report notes that despite growing recognition of their economic importance, reefs and mangroves face growing threats from unchecked coastal development, over-fishing, and pressure from tourism.
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