Riding a jet ski while on a tropical vacation is a common occurrence and often not thought of as harmful. Many tourists forget about the habitat living underneath them. Coral reefs and other aquatic life are just beneath the waves jet skis are crashing over. The jet ski itself is not the problem though. Oil is the main problem. Negril's water is becoming more and more polluted with oil from jet skis. This increase of oil in the water is having a catastrophic effect on the coral reef. If the problem is not addressed, it could cause the death of all the coral in the area. This would affect the fish that often swim in this tropical region. I think every company that rents jet skis out to tourist should be required to give the riders a brief description on where they can ride and for how long. This would insure that they would not run over coral habitats and less oil will be released to pollute because the jet skis would be in the water less. A problem with this is that many tourists will not like the idea of a time limit on how long they can ride a jet ski. I feel Negril's government should look into this matter. If the coral reefs around Negril are destroyed, it will not only affect the sea life, but also the number of tourists that come to visit.
David is right it is true that if jet skis are driven in certain parts of the Negril's water it will affect the sea life. This causing all the oil to spill in areas we do not need them will then cause pollution. Pollution is bad enough today and we do not need to continue it because sooner or later it is going to be hard to stop. It is very wise for people that want to rent a drive Jet Ski’s only drive in certain areas, like David said. Oil does not need to ruin our waters especially if it is preventable. This problem needs to be addressed and fixed soon because the coral reefs could be in danger of being destroyed, not only coral reefs but the lives of creatures under the water. It is important for us to take care of our ocean waters and make sure that our plant survives.
ReplyDeleteIf the coral reefs of Negril are destroyed the sea life would be crushed. Coral reefs play a huge role in the sea’s ecosystem. Fish stay in reefs for protection and without the fish, large predators such as sharks or dolphins would not have much to eat. I agree with you David that this situation needs to be looked into by the Negril government. Tourists should be educated on how the reefs are affected by jet skis and what they should do on their part to protect the reef. I believe the companies who supply the jet skis are as much to blame as the people who rent them. I suggest that the companies put regulations in to help prevent the reefs and limit the human footprint on Negril’s coral reefs. Another solution that could be added to the previous one listed would be to manufacture a jet ski that is not so harmful to the environment. Either way the reefs need to be protected.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting post in that it relates so much to people and how much they care about the environment. If people are well educated on the negative effects of their vacation activities and still choose to ride the jet skis in a way that hurts the coral, it shows how much disregard they have for the natural world. Also, like many places on our planet, I'm sure that there are at least a few species that are specific to the reefs of Negril and may someday become extinct because their homes are being destroyed. Lastly, as mentioned in the article, tourism overall could indeed decrease because Negril is very attractive to tourists for its snorkeling and free diving. If the Jamaican government doesn't look into solving this problem, they would not only be hurting Negril and its tourism industry, but Jamaica as a whole.
ReplyDeleteDavid I completely agree with you solution to this problem. Oil spilled into the ocean is bad for the ecosystem and harms the area where it is spilled. Negril’s surrounded water is being polluted by the jet skis rented to the tourists visiting. When the jet skis are rented, they are given an area specifically to use. If the jet skis were to be used on the same spot continuously, then that area’s ecosystem would be harmed maybe even destroyed. Lowering the amount of time spent in an area can decrease the oil leaked into the water. The less oil leaked, the better the chance of the ecosystem’s survival. I believe that an action should be done to help prevent further destruction of the ecosystems.
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