Ningbo Textiles

There is something about the color black. Black gowns, black and white balls, Johnny Cash, black pearl jewelry and a black pearl necklace. Black is classic. Black is hip. Except if the black is black coral. Black coral has been harvested to decimating levels. Black Coral can be found in the Caribbean waters off of Mexico and Belize. Mexico and Belize are starting to protect the coral, but it is still being poached and decimated.

Ambergris Caye is one of the many islands protecting main land Belize. It is a resort destination off the beaten path and protected by a reef. Flying into the little airport in San Pedro, crossing the tarmac and walking into town with the smell of salt air and the warm humid breeze, it is easy to relax and feel like a piece of paradise has been found. But out in the ocean, by the reef, a war is raging. The coral reef is a delicate environment. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world behind the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. This invitesvisitors, especially divers. Many peoplesnorkel and dive to see the reef. Not all the tourists appreciate the delicate world they are entering. Even cautious divers can cause damage. Passing under a ledge can leave air bubbles that are abrasive to the habitat. Careless divers and people with snorkels can easily bump up against the reef causing damage.

More threatening to reefs and black coral in particular, is commercial trade. Black coral makes stunningjewelry. It is elegant and striking. It is also threatened. In Belize there are government overseers that allow coral to be harvested by some commercial merchants. These merchants are supposed to only collect the dead coral that has fallen and lying on the bottom. While many of the merchants are vigilante and protective of the coral, there are still violations occurring. Most traders concur that preserving the reef is in their best interest. A unique commodity is a more valuable product and claims a better price.

In Mexico, many of the commercial divers justify their harvest by saying that there are vast beds deeper down. The current research doesn’t support this. It has found few beds with marginal health. In addition, different depths provide different habitats. Collecting shallow coral overwhelmingly alters a specific habitat. While black coral tends to be a deeper living coral, it is still an important part of the reef eco-system.

One of the best ways to preserve black coral is to decrease the demand for it. Purchasing black coral is similar to purchasing poached ivory- it comes at a devastating price to the environment. Being aware of the origins of any thing may take some effort, but the effort could be saving a valuable natural wonder. Jewelry is a wonderful gift, a lovely thing to wear, but it can be more meaningful if it doesn’t harm the coral reefs.