Page 69 - Dive the Seas and More-2

Coral Reef Teacher’s Guide Benefits, Threats, and Solutions

Misquito NGO (non-governmental organi-
zation), to promote safe diver training and
ef fective marine resource management. To
initiate the program, MOPAWI established
an extensive diver training school to edu-
cate and train local lobster divers and dive
boat operators. In 1996 alone, 1,600 divers
were trained and certified in advanced scu-
ba diving techniques and 6 new diving in-
structors were certified. Boat captains and
dive boat operators also received training
in emergency decompression techniques
and proper diving safety and first aid pro-
tocols. As part of its continuing education
program, the dive school organized a se-
ries of training workshops and discussions (a)
with injured divers to encourage safe div-
ing practices and minimize diving acci-
dents. After only the first year of the pro-
gram there was a drastic reduction in the
number of diving accidents, and serious
injuries were minimized with proper emer-
gency treatment.

In addition to the diver training program,
MOPAWI is exploring economic alterna-
tives to lobstering to help ensure a sus-
tainable harvest level and to protect the
marine ecosystem. Studies into the mar-
ketability of alternative marine resources,
which would reduce the pressure on lob-
sters, are being planned and strategies for
more ef fective marine resource manage-
ment are being developed. In the upcom-
ing years there is interest in expanding the (b)
diver training and resource management Figure 3‐20. (a) One of the islands of Kuna Yala, and (b) Puksu Igualikin‐
program throughout Hondu- ras and into ya. (Photos: Marianne Hegeman)
neighboring Nicaragua.
THE KUNA OF KUNA YALA, PANAMA several hundred years ago to escape the severe outbreaks
Off the Caribbean coast of Panama, the of malaria transmit- ted by mosquitoes. Today, the Kuna
Kuna live on many small islands surround- fish the coral reefs for their primary source of food, but they
ed by coral reefs (Figure 3-18a). They call still go daily into the rainforest for fresh water, plants for
these islands Kuna Yala, although they are healing, tree trunks for canoes, and land for fruit trees and
identified on most maps as the San Blas veg- etable gardens.The Kuna have successfully fought to
ar- chipelago. The Kuna sailed to these off- preserve their rainforests from destruction which has also
shore islands from the coastal rainforest helped to preserve their reefs. However, they are now being
threatened from the oceanside. The drug trade in the

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