wave action, and the illegal but common practice of mining sand from beaches has exacerbated the problem. Both recreational and fishing beaches have been fouled by the pileup of refuse, debris and fish offal, as well as by occasional offshore and nearshore oil spills. The quality of the water around several recreational beaches is deteriorating due to pollution, particularly from human waste, which makes sea bathing unpleasant. The importance of sea grass beds in the growth cycles of fish, lobsters and other commercially important species is recognized by scientists but has not been fully explored. Indeed there is very little information available on the extent and location of sea grass beds on Jamaica's coastal shelves and (inshore and offshore) banks. Jamaica's marine environment is notoriously overfished; indeed the CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management The importance of sea grass beds in the growth cycles of fish, lobsters and other commercially important species is recognized by scientists but has not been fully explored. Indeed there is very little information available on the extent and location of sea grass beds on Jamaica's coastal shelves and (inshore and offshore) banks. Jamaica's marine environment is notoriously overfished; indeed the CARICOM Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management