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Combining Culture and Sustainability in the Mexican Caribbean

Nicolas F. Carpenter

Global Studies and World Languages Academy

Tallwood High School

14 December 2016
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Table of Contents

Abstract3

Introduction..4

Limitations.......6

Literature Review.....8

Research.....11

Conclusion.....19

References......21

Abstract
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The world is facing a crisis of increasing urgency as the human population grows and the

effects of human activity are more deeply felt. It is clear that the longevity of fragile and highly

important marine ecosystems is decreasing. Efforts to revive and preserve such environments,

most of which are located in less developed countries, have been blocked by conflicts between

outside influences and local communities. This paper aims to provide the solution of culture and

involvement of local peoples in underdeveloped areas as a crucial part of taking action in

countries outside of the more developed and Western sphere. Models found in the Mexican

Caribbean help illustrate this concept as well as ultimately answer the question of how the world

can combine culture and the promotion of sustainability in order to form a balance of respect for

one another and the earth. Through academic journals, databases, articles, an interview with a

marine biology expert of the Caribbean Sea, and personal experiences from academic travels to

Mexico, the author will explain and support the necessity for the world to utilize culture in

efforts to restore and maintain the environment for generations to come.

Introduction
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If there exists an everlasting truth about our earth, it is that the world is incredibly

dependent on the fragile interconnected systems society and nature creates. Upsetting this

balance, of course, has consequences. It remains clear that human activity has caused an

increasing amount of detrimental effects on the environment-- specifically the worlds marine

ecosystems. Coral Reefs, beautiful structures that can take hundreds of years to create yet

seconds to destroy, are decreasing around the world due to human activity: fishing malpractices,

overfishing, climate change, removal of structure for touristic purposes, and much more

destructive actions. Along with the loss of this crucial part of the marine environment comes the

disparity of marine biodiversity and overall upsetting of the ecological community as a whole.

The increasing amount of cases resulting in these harmful conditions raises questions in

the scientific and international community over how these activities can be prevented and how

their effects can be reversed. The answer is not simple in any sense as there are major

considerations necessary to take into account. A majority of the worlds marine biodiversity is

found on the coast of less developed countries, which often do not have the resources or

economic ability to promote sustainable practices. In addition, unlike in the more developed

parts of the world, the locals of such countries often do not have the luxury of being concerned

about sustainability due to the fact that they are more worried about doing enough to support

their own livelihoods. While these factors certainly complicate how environmental protection

can be implemented in these areas, perhaps the solution lies in the interconnected systems of

society and the environment. This leads to the conclusion that in order to combat the destructive
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effects of human activity on the marine environment in less developed countries, it is necessary

to implement localized cultural practices as well as the understanding of culture in discussions

and actions meant to foster sustainable development.

Limitations
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A few factors may inhibit the study, as the researcher is not a profound expert of his

topic. The author of this paper will be using his own experiences from their travels to Mexico

with The Experiment in International Living as a source. During these travels the author was able

to have first hand experience and integration with the culture and livelihoods of the peoples of

Mexico as well as study the marine biology of the region. However, while the researcher lived

with a host family on the island of Cozumel, his time there was limited to two weeks before

traveling to the Baja Peninsula for one week and concluding his studies in Mexico City.

Several features also make it difficult for even experts to fully comprehend and manage

marine ecosystems. These include the need to consider both living and nonliving marine

resources, land based activities significantly affect marine environments yet the understanding of

their relationship is weak, and the scale at which management is necessary is difficult to identify.

There is also a limited amount of data on coastal regions available as the Mexican government

does not prioritize research.

The concept of culture, additionally, is a broad concept and difficult to pinpoint as

communities are not homogenous. Interests, concerns, and priorities vary based on demographics

such as age, sex, economic status, and other factors. This causes the integration of certain ideas

and concepts to be very difficult to implement. This difficulty reflects the nature of the

communities and the divide between the locals and the outsiders. Ultimately the various

aspects of the issue could not have been fully explored by the author and therefore they are only
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able to view certain parts of the problem through scientific journals, photographs, and news

articles.
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Literature Review

The specifics of the incorporation of culture into sustainable development and

environmental conservation projects must be addressed in order to understand what is considered

a threat to the marine environment. Writer for Scientific American Alanna Waldman (2013)

identifies human activities such as population growth, fishing, climate change, tourism, and

transportation as having a negative impact on the worlds marine environments. Modern

development in the humid tropics has caused devastating environmental effects accompanied by

worldwide deforestation, the drying up of wetlands, and reduction of biodiversity. Moreover, it

has been increasingly evident that the fate of much of the Earths biological wealth lies in the

hands of the poor in less developed regions of the world (Western, Wright, & Strum, 1994).

These regions are all the more sensitive to the effects of tourism, population growth, and urban

development in both the economic and biological sense.

The Mexican Caribbean region is one of the best examples of the detrimental impact of

modernization on the worlds tropical lowlands. While Mexican tropical areas have ecological

similarities to other humid regions of the world, they have unique social, demographic,

economic, and cultural features as a result of the long term presence of humans and processes of

recent modernization (Toledo, 2003). Since this biological wealth is located in a less developed

country, the regions economy and peoples are highly dependent on tourism (Godoy, 2012).

However, tourism, independent of overfishing and other factors, can degrade coral reefs and

biodiversity through coastal development as well as the presence of tourists. A study in the

Akumal Bay, Mexico indicated that coral reef coverage decreased by 79% from the summer of

2011 to the summer of 2014, periods in which monthly snorkelers (tourists) increased by over

400% (Gil, Renfro, Figuero-Zavala, Penie, & Dunton, 2015).

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Another structure crucial to the stability and longevity of the marine ecosystem is the

mangrove forest, coastal shrubs and vegetation that grow in brackish water. Mexicos National

Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) has stated that mangroves

provide a place for local and migratory birds, maintain water quality, retain organic matter, and

cushion the impact of tropical storms and hurricanes. Tourism is a threat to these mangroves, as

the construction of docks and hotels, filling of wetlands, pollution, and sewage actively destroy

them. Nearly 2,000 hectares of mangroves are located on Cozumel, Mexicos biggest and most

populated island of 100,000 people with a total territory of 47,800 hectares (Godoy, 2012). These

mangroves are especially at risk as the islands economy is almost entirely reliant on the tourism

industry.

The destruction caused by the development on this island as well as tourist cities like

Cancun has been opposed by tourists from the West. These travelers prioritize sustainability and

turn their backs on places that lack environmentally sustainable practices. According to the

tourism director for the national Secretariat of the Environment Gabriela Mercado, Mexico is

losing its appeal to tourists due to the absence of sustainable management of its natural

resources. This was reflected in 2008 decline of tourism from Europe, where many travellers

choose where to go on the basis of environmentally and socio-culturally friendly practices

(Favela, 2009).

Western ideals have sparked progress towards reversing marine environmental

destruction, however the local community has often been excluded from dialogue regarding what

actions would be implemented (Young, 1999). This leads locals to believe that a managed

environment is really an environment that is managed by outsiders for the benefits of outsiders

(Oriol, 2010). The lack of communication has inhibited the success of conservation projects not
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solely in the Mexican community, but in many other less developed tropical regions around the

world. Without consideration towards local communities and their cultural practices, the

restoration and protection of the marine environment is unlikely to succeed.

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Research

Cozumel is Mexicos largest and most populated island located off the coast of the

Yucatan Peninsula. It is also the location of the only operating pearl farm in the Caribbean Sea.

Implementing such farms in this region is extremely difficult, as water temperature, oyster

species, and climate create an unstable environment for pearl farming. In addition, pearl farms

and oysters are also highly sensitive to even the slightest environmental change. Despite these

complications, the presence of a pearl farm is highly beneficial to the ecology of the area and

promotes marine sustainability.

A study conducted by Laurent E. Cartier and Dr. Kent E. Carpenter in French Polynesia

found that the presence of oyster farms, when cultivating pearls in the correct manner, has a

positive impact on coral reef fish populations. This is largely due to the fact that the structures

used for pearl farming create a habitat in which fish and other marine organisms at all stages of

life (most importantly the larval and juvenile stages, when organisms are more likely to die

before reproductive adulthood) can find shelter. Oysters also produce additional biomass and

food for fish, promoting their abundance.

Pearl farms are widespread throughout the Pacific Ocean with the dominant part of

industry located in French Polynesia (Raper 2013). As the Caribbean Sea is not ideal for setting

up pearl farms, the Caamao family, owners of the only operating pearl farm in the Caribbean,

did extensive environmental research along the coasts of the region as well as studied the pearl

cultivation process from experts in the South Pacific before basing the farm in the north of the
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island of Cozumel ("Did You Know? Cozumel Has Only Caribbean Pearl Farm," 2012). Despite

the initial success of the pearl farm, the Caamao family was faced with challenges that the

Caribbean Sea presented. The first setback occurred on October 20, 2005 when Hurricane

Wilma, the most intense hurricane recorded in the Atlantic, destroyed all land and sea facilities of

the Cozumel Pearl Farm. In spite of the devastation, the family did not give up and instead

started over, this time using construction techniques that would help resist the impact of

hurricanes.

The Cozumel Pearl Farm was then able to take on the challenges of Mother Nature, but it

was less than prepared for the challenges of the locals. The Caamao family were not locals;

rather they were from Mexico City and were seen as outsiders by the fishermen of Cozumel.

Distrustful of the actions of the Pearl Farming project, local fishermen sabotaged and destroyed

the underwater structures of the pearl farm, including the oyster larval collectors and rearing

towers which were necessary to cultivate oysters. In order to prevent this vandalism from

occurring in the future, the family did something unexpectedthey sunk a life sized statue of the

Virgin Mary.

The familys solution to this problem does not seem conventional on the surface, but

there is very important reasoning behind this. Mexicos population is predominantly Roman

Catholic and an important part of Latin American Catholicism is the primary focus on the Virgin

Mary during worship. Since Mary is seen as the universal mother, people in Mexico tend to be
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on their best behavior in front of images and statues depicting Her. People watch their words and

actions when they are near Her, in a similar manner one behaves in front of their own mother as

well as out of respect and devotion. This also means that there is less graffiti and vandalism

under Her watch.

Marys presence in the waters of the Cozumel Pearl Farm proved effective in preventing

further man made damage to the pearl farm. Her statute remains underwater full time for

scientific purposes as well since the family studies the growth of corals and algae on the statue.

The farms largest pearl harvested was even found in an oyster that was growing right above

Marys heart. Perhaps this is a symbol of Marys influence and protection over the pearl farm as

well as Her power to resolve conflict.

The use of the Virgin Mary as a link between two groups also does well in providing an

important lesson regarding what needs to be recognized when implementing conservation

projects in less developed countries. Efforts to promote sustainability could generate the desired

outcome through necessary means in a theoretical sense, but failure to communicate with the

communities and consider their cultural aspects could ultimately render these efforts in vain.

This is why international organizations have made efforts to promote the use of culture in

sustainability projects. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO) highlighted the need to take into account culture when attempting to foster

sustainable development in article 2 paragraph 6 of the Convention on the Protection and

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Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, which states that cultural diversity is a rich

asset for individuals and societies. The protection, promotion and maintenance of cultural

diversity are an essential requirement for sustainable development for the benefit of present and

future generations. UNESCO once again brought up these ideas when creating the Post-2015

United Nations Development Agenda, classifying culture as a driver and as an enabler of

sustainable development.

Culture acts as a driver of sustainable development by setting up models of how

resources can most efficiently be utilized. Studies such as those conducted by renowned

researcher Vctor M Toledo of La Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico have found that

the environmental management and knowledge systems of indigenous groups provide tools and

insight to reduce environmental degradation, face ecological challenges, promote biodiversity,

and ultimately reverse the effects of climate change. These models are in high contrast to

modernization, which include more specialized, ecologically disruptive, and unsustainable

systems of production.

The proper understanding of culture also acts as an enabler of sustainable development in

the context of facilitating intercultural dialogue. This type of communication is a necessary link

between cultures and different entities in a sense that it creates mutual understanding that ensures

success. With a human rights based approach presented by UNESCO, dialogue between cultures

helps prevent conflicts and protects the rights of marginalized groups, thus creating optimal

conditions for achieving sustainable goals.

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In Mexico, the tourism industry is the main culprit for the degradation of marine

environment. Like in many other less developed countries, tourism has been a tool in promoting

growth and development at the expense of the well being of the environment. The industry is

ranked as the third most important in Mexico with a majority of it being concentrated in coastal

areas (Rivera-Arriaga & Villalobos 2001). It has transformed the poorer and formerly jungle-

ridden areas of Mexico into world class tourism destinations such as Cancun, which generates

one fourth of the all tourism revenue of Mexico (Juarez 2002). Despite its economic benefits,

tourism has been proven to cause a great amount of negative environmental impacts, namely in

the forms of water and air pollution, the threatening and altering of aquatic and terrestrial

ecosystems, creation of waste, and contribution to global climate change (Padilla 2015).

Fortunately, a modern trend is rising in the west that values sustainability when choosing

a travel destination. This has encouraged hotels and tourism based businesses to implement more

environmentally friendly practices. Some hotels even go as far as to get sustainable tourism

certifications to increase the number of patrons, which over sixty Cancun hotels received in 2009

from the Australia-based Green Globe (Favela, 2009). These western ideals have also

encouraged outside influences to begin conservation projects in the region. Although these are

steps in the right direction, the fact that they are being implemented by outsiders creates an issue

that localized culture could solve when acting as a driver and enabler of sustainable

development.
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When it comes to reforms done for the tourism industry, native communities in Mexico

feel marginalized. Often times discussion about what actions will be taken exclude these people,

making them feel as though their own environment is not for their use, but managed by outsiders

solely for the benefit of outsiders. This is particularly evident when researchers from foreign

countries visit to collect data and begin projects to rejuvenate the marine environment in the area.

Typically, the local community becomes suspicious of scientists who arrive without any

explanation as to what they are doing. It is also very rare that scientists will inform the

community of the results or reports of what they have studied in the area (Danielsen, Burgess, &

Balmford, 2005). Due to this, it is crucial to not only establish proper communication with

locals, but also their integration into the projects themselves. In this way, locals can see first hand

the improvement and recuperation of the ecosystem and feel as though they are part of the

solution to the problems of overfishing, misuse of resources, and the degradation of the marine

habitat (Fulton et al., 2014).

An important model for implementing culture in the context of marine conservation

projects is the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) and the improvement of fisheries

along Mexicos coast (Linardich 2016). MPAs are designated territories typically modified by

humans for the purpose of protecting the ecological community and reducing the impacts and

pressures on the environment caused by human activities (Ginsburg & Waldman, 2013). They are

key for the survival of the marine ecosystems, maintenance of genetic and marine biodiversity,

protection of threatened species, promotion of sustainable use of the area, encouragement of

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scientific research, and preservation of the indigenous area for cultural importance. Fisheries,

places that cultivate fish for commercial, touristic, and subsistence purposes, also provide these

benefits with proper regulations.

The success of both MPAs and local fisheries, however, lies in the hands of the

community they are built in. The government of Mexico, similar to other less developed

countries, often does not have full or proper control of MPAs and fisheries. The lack of

enforcement of the western standards of sustainability thus allows for the overfishing and

overexploitation of marine resources. Local inhabitants are crucial in the process of creating

MPAs and fisheries as their localized knowledge helps in forming advisory councils that put

forward more appropriate and suitable management strategies as well as evaluate and add on to

such plans, involve the public with conservation and restoration efforts, let opinions on certain

projects be known, find financial support, collaborate to solve issues, and promote research

(DOF 2007). Those who live in the area are experts on the area, which is why it is necessary that

they are consulted in order for marine conservation projects to be successful. Indigenous people

ultimately create more effective environmental regulation because they are highly

knowledgeable and experienced with the relationship and interactions with humans and their

environment as well as how to coexist sustainably.

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Conclusion

With the growing urgency to take action against climate change and the degradation of

the worlds marine ecosystems, it remains clear that effective sustainable development strategies

are a necessity. In order to ensure the success of such projects, it is critical to take localized

culture into consideration especially when in a less developed country. Culture thus powers

conservation projects by yielding models that have been historically proven to efficiently and

sustainably utilize the environment. It also promotes intercultural dialogue and communication

that prevents the conflict between outside influences and the local community, a main barrier for

implementing conservation strategies in the countries that need it most. This empowers local

people, giving them the tools, ability, and knowledge to be part of the solution in the

environment they live in and know most about.

Mexicos efforts toward sustainable regulation of the marine environment has

exemplified this paradigm by reflecting what needs to be done in other less developed countries

as well as ways culture must be included in discussions of marine conservation. The effects of

tourism, climate change, and development on the marine environment as well as conflict

between outsiders and locals is extremely evident in this region, displaying the exigency to

intervene. Conservation projects in Mexico has proven that culture has the unique ability to solve

these issues efficiently and in a manner that can be implemented not only in Mexico, but in

actions towards sustainable development around the world.

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