Conservation of Corals in the Colombian Caribbean

The Colombian Caribbean possesses one of the most biodiverse marine areas in South America, but there is a high coral loss in this region through bleaching, unsustainable fishing practices, coral mining, uncontrolled tourism and sedimentation, among other natural and human-related causes. The aim of this chapter is to portray the ethnobiology of coral conservation in the Colombian Caribbean, by reflecting on the evolution of how scientific research incorporates and contributes to the understanding of the relationships between people and corals in coastal societies. This chapter documents the most common threats affecting corals in the Colombian Caribbean, examines research conducted on coral ecosystems in the region, and presents an overview of major local conservation efforts aimed at countering coral degradation and loss, with a major focus on the participation of local stakeholders. For that, a review of all publications available online on coral conservation in the Caribbean region of Colombia (n = 33) and main institutions working on coral conservation in the region (n = 20) was conducted.