Why is the Caribbean sea so polluted?

Several pathways and types of land-based pollution contribute to the environmental issues within the Caribbean Sea. Sewage is one of the most significant pollutants affecting the coastal environments of the Caribbean Sea, especially in the developing nations.



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The region is extremely vulnerable to the impacts of marine pollution due to the dependence of its people on natural resources in combination with its vast exposed coastlines.

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Pollution, including marine litter, plastics, sewage, oil and chemicals, impacts the value of the goods and services provided by the oceans, including quality of fisheries and the pristine marine environment highly valued by the tourism sector.

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For a region that relies on the Caribbean Sea for more than $400 billion in income per year, the 18 billion pounds of plastic pollution that are disposed into the ocean each year is a real and dangerous threat.

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This MODIS image of blue water in the Caribbean Sea looks blue because the sunlight is scattered by the water molecules. Near the Bahama Islands, the lighter aqua colors are shallow water where the sunlight is reflecting off of the sand and reefs near the surface.

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The good news is that cruise ships will rarely travel through a rough sea. They are equipped with the latest in weather tracking information and navigation systems so they can avoid any potential storm or heavy seas.

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Rising price levels and challenging global environment pose significant challenges as countries work to strengthen fiscal balances, revitalize growth and build resilience against natural disasters and to help cope with climate change. Caribbean countries are extremely vulnerable to climate change and natural disasters.

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Expect Rougher Caribbean Seas in the North and East Rough Waters: When one body of water runs into another, waves tend to be higher and rougher. Although the Caribbean is generally known for smooth sailing, it can get choppy in areas where it meets up with the Atlantic Ocean.

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South Pacific currents dump as many as 40 million items of plastic and rubbish on the shores of Henderson Island each year, earning it the name of the most polluted island in the world.

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Trinidad & Tobago produces the largest amount of waste at 1.5 kilograms per person per day, the most in the world. They estimate that at least 0.19 kg of plastic waste per person is almost guaranteed to end up in the ocean.

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Beneath The Caribbean (22 Min) The water is clear due to the absence of plankton and suspended particles. Plankton is the base of the food web in all oceans and, because there is little plankton in the tropics, tropical ocean water is nearly sterile in comparison with the fertile waters of the temperate oceans.

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The Weddell Sea has been claimed by scientists to have the clearest waters of any ocean in the world. Described by a historian as “the most wretched and dismal region on earth”, due to the flash freezes that caught Shackleton's ship, its clarity is only belied by the sheer depth of the ocean below.

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Without question, the Island of Aruba has maintained its reputation for the best quality drinking water in all the Caribbean.

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The vast majority of the Caribbean does not have a problem with clean drinking water, but on most islands you wouldn't want to drink it anyway because it's produced from desalinization plants and doesn't taste very good. So most people just drink bottled water, which I recommend.

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