In the Atlantic Ocean are about 9% of world's coral reefs. Their total area is 50 thousand km ², with the majority located off the coast of the Caribbean and Central America. One of the most studied in the recent events in the region has coral bleaching. Until the 1980's in the Caribbean were widespread md, for the next 20 years for man-made and natural reasons, their population has decreased, while the number of marine algae has increased. In 1983, this process exacerbated the massive loss of sea urchins, which feed on algae. Research reefs were from 1995 to 1998 off the coast of Belize in the Northern Hemisphere's largest coral barrier reef, and in 2005 the reefs in the eastern part of the sea. The warming of the Caribbean (as a result of global climate change) threaten the fragile ecosystems of coral reefs - the excess of long-term water temperature values of 29 ° C leads to loss of microscopic algae zooxanthellae. These plants provide food and color of corals, so their death leads to coral bleaching and the violation of the entire ecosystem of reefs.
In 2000, about 30% of Caribbean reefs are destroyed or are at serious risk of human-induced causes. In 2005, the bleaching process has accelerated - some of the Caribbean coral colonies completely lost the color, and 95% were bleaching processes. It is expected that in the absence of further action to protect over the next 10-30 years will die and 20% of coral reefs.
The inhabitants of reefs are important for these types of tourism activities such as fishing and diving, which was estimated in 2000 brought the region 3,1-4,6 billion dollars annually.