Climate Action Dominican Republic Project #31133

Transforming Local Fishermen Into Coral Gardeners

by Fundacion Grupo Puntacana

Transforming Local Fishermen Into Coral Gardeners

Summary

This project trains and certifies local fishermen as coral gardeners, boat captains, scuba divers and artisans.Its continued expansion in the country will provide a positive example for replication in other tourism destinations.Our goal is to reduce over-fishing on the reef while providing stable tourism jobs for local fishermen and their families.Corals are one of the species most affected by climate change.By reducing fishing pressure and increasing coral cover,we help build reef resiliency.

$500,000
total goal

$137,053
remaining

79
donors

1
monthly donor

2
fundraisers

4
years

Challenge

Coral reefs have suffered from degradation and decline worldwide. The Punta Cana region, one of the most important tourism destinations in the Caribbean, has some of the lowest coral cover and fish densities in the Dominican Republic. Overfishing is one of the primary causes of the reef degradation. The Foundation is seeking to integrate a significant number of local fishermen, which have a negative impact on the reef, into conservation and tourism-based activities, such coral as reef gardeners.

Solution

By providing alternative income opportunities for local fishermen, the Foundation will be able to expand our coral reef restoration activities, recover local fish stocks, and provide viable livelihoods for local people. With increased resources, we will be able to expand our restoration efforts in the Punta Cana region and then share our expertise with other tourism destinations and countries, providing training and research opportunities for students.

Long-Term Impact

The Grupo Puntacana Foundation has worked for over a decade in restoration activities in the Dominican Republic. Our goal is to restore endangered coral reef populations on the local reef in Punta Cana until they become stable, healthy and ecologically functional. We are seeking to create a positive example of tourism industry contributing to the health and well-being of the local ecosystem and replicating that example in other destinations.