The road is not too bad Texas Bill, but I cannot see that it will last without serious upgrading when oil trucks start using it.
The other issue is that the complete coastal area from Manzanillo right down to Luperon has some of the most well preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean - this is on the one hand. We believe (information from divers but not from marine biologists), that there are coral species that have become extinct or dead from reef bleaching in the rest of the Caribbean, still existing and even flourishing in the area. No doubt the low tourist numbers have contributed to leaving this underwater paradise quite undisturbed. On the other hand, fishing is another issue. Some reefs have abundant fish species of the right nature, but some reefs are denuded. The reefs that the tourists visit, are usually left alone by the fisherman. Other reefs are just simply fished out and you see these ghostly reefs that are busy decomposing, as the sealife, shrimp type creatures and reef fish form a necessary part of the ecosystem of a reef and is necessary for healthy preservation of the reef. I have snorkeled and dived just about everywhere in the Caribbean. If there is anywhere that an underwater coral park can be done with great success, and can be used to preserve some of the reef structures and ocean life, it is on that stretch of beach.
Manzanillo is the only port where shrimp fisherman still go out of on that coast. The rest of the stretch has no more shrimp .. in fact, the shrimp has been 'eaten up'. Some of the old folks there still remember the area being a paradise for shrimp and can tell stories of how many they caught, and how easily. Now, West of Manzanillo, fishermen are having a really hard time, to the extent of fishing on the Caicos Banks in boats that defy description and having to run from the Turks and Caicos authorities. On that island, they have strong protective measures in place, as well as enforcement. I have heard that money changes hands sometimes for the Turks and Caicos authorities to look the other way.
I would put forward that for all the advantages of the site (relatively hurricane free, deep water, etc.,) the ecology in the area remains sensitive and is under extreme stress at the moment, in terms of its ability to feed its local people, and to remain viable environmentally. I heard a scary statistic and would certainly not support this number, but somehow it feels right to me. The estimate is that the DR can only supply 25% of its own seafood needs. Good Heavens, we live on an island close to some of the richest banks for seafood in the world and we can only supply 25% of what the island needs? What is wrong with this picture?
Local people in the area live rural lives, and they estimate that at least 80% of their staple food comes from the ocean.
Like other areas, the main forests on this stretch that ensure a good level of topsoil so that the the ground remains fertile and the water table is preserved, were clear cut and logged, with wood going to Europe. I think the Hillbilly remembers the people that had the logging concession in the area. Certainly there are old local people that tell stories about the logging. This is still in current memory. Add to that current slash and burn agriculture, some shortage of fresh water (this is easily solved but no-one is really doing anything) and you have an area that is going to look like Haiti if nothing is done to preserve it, and further ecological stressors are added.
Can the economic advantage of a refinery preserve an area that is under extreme threat environmentally? I don't know the answer, but I would surely like someone to pay attention to this question.
