Los Roques, The best reef in the Caribean? This is the conclusion from a study by professors Howard Choat from the AUSTRALIAN JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY, Dr, Ross Robertson from INSTITUTO SMITHSONIANO DE INVESTIGACIONES TROPICALES from Panamá. and Dr. Juan M. Posada from the UNIVERSIDAD SIMON BOLIVAR of Venezuela.
This study published their conclusions, on August, 2.001, took the basis on the marking and mediation of populations and size and growing rate of: doctor fishes, parrot fishes, big parrot fish, snappers and groupers. It allows the evaluations of the conditions of the reef , comparing them with other reefs of the Caribbean, ensuring that: THE ARCHIPIELAGO DE LOS ROQUES, with an extension of 220.000 acres and 800 Kilometers of marines habitats, represents the last intact reef system in the Caribean.
It is important to state, that if taking into account the rate of growth and population levels, and that in many cases are overtaking the reefs like in Bonaire National Park, This is all due to the fact that it is not permited to engage in any fishing activities for the past 20 years. In Los Roques however there are different practices of controlled fishing , being one of the most important economic activities of the native population. It allow us to show that with a good control and right mentality of the people, it s possible to develop this activity with low impact to the reef.
Even more, this study confirms: Los Roques due to its big size and the diversity of marine habitats, is a very important to be used like a mulit use marine park. This kind and quality for the marine life allows the invironment to protecting the reef, return benefits in short time, with the tourism of sea lovers and divers, who like to look for places to see and species that can't see in others Caribbean reefs.
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