Brown pelican monitoring on St.Maarten

As the national symbol of St. Maarten, the Brown Pelican is a culturally important species. The pelican lends its name to various businesses and institutions on the island. The health of St. Maarten’s pelicans also reflects the general health of the marine ecosystem.
Each year around St.Martin's Day (November 11) pelicans are counted. At each location different observers stay still for 15 minutes and count all pelicans that come into view, both on land and sea.
Anecdotal evidence has shown that the pelican population has severely decreased over the last few decades. The primary threat is habitat destruction coinciding with the building boom during the sixties and seventies. Fish reduction and marine debris are important other threats.