Marine Debris and Biodiversity in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Latin American and Caribbean region is an important biodiverse region containing over 50 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Within the region, key ecosystems of biodiversity importance include mangroves, seagrass and coral reefs while key fauna of biodiversity importance include marine mammals, sea turtles, fish, and birds.
This research paper focuses on countries in Latin America and the Caribbean where United States Agency for International Development (USAID) works bilaterally or regionally, including Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Peru, and Colombia. Given the paucity of information regarding country-specific impacts of marine debris, the issue is presented from regional and global perspectives, highlighting evidence from targeted countries, as available.
