What is the greatest source of pollution in the Caribbean Sea?
The Caribbean Sea borders most of Latin and South America to the South and the Greater and Lesser Antilles to the north. Communities in these countries are dependent on the ocean for their livelihood. Many have seen fish stocks become depleted thanks in part to pollution and the destruction of the coral reefs. The Pan American Health Organization in 1993 estimated that only about 10 percent of the sewage from the Central American and Caribbean Island countries is properly treated before being released into the Sea. Cruise ships, a major component of the Caribbean’s tourism market, were singled out as being major polluters because they release sewage offshore. The capacity of Caribbean countries to treat sewage has not kept up with the large numbers of tourists, according to the report by the World Resources Institute group. Additionally, fertilizer from farms has contaminated mangrove and coral reef areas, and the reefs have been further degraded by human contact and destructive fishin
