First Name:
Leah
Last Name:
Weatherman
Major Department:
Global Studies
Thesis Director:
Rene Horst
Date of Thesis:
May 2012
In the La Moskitia region of Honduras, boom and bust have dominated the economy since the 1600's. The most recent of the cycles is driven by the lobster-diving industry. This industry has not only become unsustainable, but has had many negative social, economic and environmental impacts. The Honduran government has set a goal of phasing out lobster-diving in La Moskitia by 2013 but have been unable to provide sufficient alternatives in the region. This thesis analyzes the role of the lobster-diving industry in La Moskitia and examines possible alternative economic opportunities in the region. These alternatives fall into three categories: fishing, agriculture, and ecotourism.