Small-scale fishing is an important supplement for family incomes. Crocodiles and caiman are caught for their skins which are sold to manufacture leather goods. In Honduras, shrimp fishing is the third largest earner of foreign exchange. Large wetlands support underground aquifers during the dry season and play a critical role in maintaining hydrological systems. They also neutralize waste waters by absorbing their contaminants.
Wetlands provide habitat for a multitude of animal and plant species.
Few other habitats in North or South America contain such rich biological diversity. The future of these species depends on conserving both their northern and southern habitats. If properly managed, these resources can continue to make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of Central America. Central American wetlands are under ever-increasing pressure from human exploitation. Most of the loss occurs along the densely populated Pacific coast where population growth rates are in excess of four percent in some areas.