Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic

The report provides economic valuations of coastal ecosystem services in the Dominican Republic, highlighting the financial risks of beach erosion to the hotel industry and the decline of reef-dependent fisheries. It argues that protecting coral reefs and mangroves is more cost-effective than temporary engineering solutions like beach nourishment. Case studies demonstrate the potential for dive tourism in La Caleta National Marine Park to provide alternative livelihoods for fishermen and the significant domestic spending generated by the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve.

• The degradation of coral reefs significantly increases beach erosion; ten years after the disappearance of live corals, erosion rates could rise by more than 100 percent on eastern beaches and more than 65 percent in the south.
• Gross income for local fishermen from reef-dependent fisheries has fallen by nearly 60 percent over the last decade, dropping from over $41 million to under $17 million, likely due to overfishing.
• In La Caleta National Marine Park, the revenue-maximizing fee for a two-dive trip is estimated at $53 for local visitors and $59 for international visitors.
• Fishermen in La Caleta could potentially earn 90 percent of their current income in the short term by transitioning to dive tourism operators.
• The Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve generates over $1 million annually in economic benefits for roadside communities through domestic visitor spending on food, gas, and lodging.
• Domestic visitors to the Jaragua-Bahoruco-Enriquillo Biosphere Reserve spend approximately $523,000 on stopovers and $511,000 on lodging annually, with an additional $136,000 paid in park fees.

APA

WIELGUS, J., COOPER, E., TORRES, R., & BURKE, L. (2010). Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic. World Resources Institute. http://pdf.wri.org/working_papers/coastal_capital_dominican_republic.pdf

Chicago

WIELGUS, JEFFREY, EMILY COOPER, RUBEN TORRES, and LAURETTA BURKE. Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic. World Resources Institute, 2010. http://pdf.wri.org/working_papers/coastal_capital_dominican_republic.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=WIELGUS |first1=JEFFREY |last2=COOPER |first2=EMILY |last3=TORRES |first3=RUBEN |last4=BURKE |first4=LAURETTA |title=Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic |publisher=World Resources Institute |date=April 2010 |url=http://pdf.wri.org/working_papers/coastal_capital_dominican_republic.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wielgus2010coastal, author = {WIELGUS, JEFFREY and COOPER, EMILY and TORRES, RUBEN and BURKE, LAURETTA}, title = {{Coastal Capital: Dominican Republic}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2010}, month = apr, url = {http://pdf.wri.org/working_papers/coastal_capital_dominican_republic.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }