Several hundred years ago, the coral reefs of the Caribbean had up to six times more fish than they have today, according to a study published on Wednesday. The estimate is made by American scientists poring over the fate of the Caribbean monk seal, a fish-loving mammal driven to extinction in 1952.

In times of economic uncertainty, recession fears can become self-fulfilling prophesies: cautious strategies edge over from prudence into phobia, and the capitalist conga line slows to a crawl.

Former federal reserve chair, Alan Greenspan, is set to address Caribbean Tourism officials in June at a conference in Washington, D.C. But some top Caribbean analysts on Wall Street say they doubt Greenspan can really deliver a message the region can actively benefit from.

Rising gasoline prices that are expected to approach $3.50 per gallon by the summer and even $4 soon after could have a negative across-the-spectrum impact on the U.S. tourism market, experts say. “It’s not a fun situation,” said Dawn McLaren, a research economist with the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University.

A forecast calls for the Caribbean’s travel and tourism sector to generate approximately $57 billion in revenue this year, according to research by Tourism Satellite Accounting for the World Travel & Tourism Council.

According to a new study, e-commerce satisfaction in the online travel industry falls for a second straight year. The three major online travel sites all suffered drops in satisfaction, as they continue to have difficulty differentiating their services.