Author(s)

Andreas Haiduk

Abstract

Jamaica's coasts are an important economic factor. They attract thousands of tourists every year. But the coastal environment is also under permanent stress as a result of the discharge of millions of litres of primary treated or untreated wastewater. Several legislative tools are implemented to protect the coastal zone such as the Natural Resources Conservation Authority Act (NRCA Act) of 1991 which empowers the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) among others to request Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and issue licenses for the discharge of effluents, giving notices to abstain from agricultural practices where the pollution of a receiving waterbody is likely, and carry out operations to prevent any pollution or to remedy or mitigate any pollution.

Keywords