The construction of docks for cruise ships off the Caribbean coast of Honduras poses a serious threat to coral reefs, warn environmentalists. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment needs to exercise greater control and supervision, because docks are being built without construction permits, said former environmental prosecutor Clarissa Vega, who is now the director of the Environmental Law Institute of Honduras.

The construction of these docks implies the removal of large segments of coral reef, she told Tierramérica.

“This destruction will have major repercussions, because the regeneration of the reef is a very slow process, and the proper mitigation measures are not being taken by the Ministry of Environment,” stressed Vega.

The reefs most exposed to this threat are those off Roatán Island and Trujillo. Honduras has 144.9 sq km of coral reefs and only 13.9 sq km are totally protected, while the rest are covered by partial protection programs, she added.