Miami, July 31 (EFEUSA).- The National Marine Reserve of Florida Keys It contributes $4.4 billion and 43,000 jobs to the state's economy, all the more reasons to invest in protecting and restoring this ecosystem with more than 6,000 species, according to a study by a specialized organization.
The National Foundation of Marine Reserves, created in 2000, commissioned TBD Economics to analyze the economic results of tourism, recreational and sports activities related to the Keys reserve.
The researchers found that without the marine reserve, the Keys, a string of islands between the continental United States and Cuba, in the Caribbean Sea, would not be such an attractive destination.
With only 75,000 permanent residents, the Keys annually receive about three million visitors who spend the night there and more than 400,000 who are visitors who spend the day in the area.
Key West alone receives about 750,000 cruise passengers each year, the study highlights.
54% of jobs and 60% of all spending in the Florida Keys is related to tourism.
"The reserve and its underwater wonders are what make the Keys a place apart and a tremendous tourist destination. In light of the impact the reserve has on the state of Florida as a whole, the protection and restoration of its valuable resources is an important priority," said Kris Sarri, president and CEO of the Foundation who authored the study.
The Foundation lists in its study some of the threats that weigh on the Keys Marine Reserve: increasing use, stranded ships, waste, pollution, more intense storms, diseases, rising sea temperatures and acidification.
"The reserve is an irreplaceable treasure that requires careful management and community support to maintain and enhance its splendor," the study says.
Stacey Mitchell, director of the Monroe County Tourism Development Council, agrees with the idea that the marine reserve is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Keys and promotes the need to protect it, also among visitors.
According to the study, the reserve's contribution to Florida's economy increased from 4.2 billion in 2015 to 4.4 billion in 2017, and jobs from 38,000 to 42,900 in the same period.
Furthermore, the reservation not only benefits Monroe County, which depends greatly on the goods and services provided by other counties.
In Miami Dade, Broward and Palm Beach, the next counties north on the East Coast, there are more than 1,300 jobs and $214 million dependent on the reserve, according to the study.
On the southwest coast of Florida it also produces jobs and businesses, although in smaller quantities: 161 jobs and 42 million dollars.
By indicating that tourism related to the sea is generally not prone to economic fluctuations, the study highlights that at the same time it is highly dependent on the environmental conditions of the place being optimal.
In this regard, it stands out that if the proliferation of algae of different types that is affecting areas of the Florida coast reaches the Keys marine reserve, it could have a negative economic impact of 389 to 1.5 billion dollars, depending on its severity. EFEUSA
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