Biodiversity of the Saba Bank supports status of Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA)

Abstract:

This report contains a study regarding the biodiversity of the Saba Bank, one of the three largest atolls in the world. All scientific and anecdotic evidence suggests that the area is a hot spot of biodiversity and one of the few areas in the Caribbean that is still in a relatively pristine condition. The atoll is likely also important as a source of larvae for other areas in the region because of its enormous dimensions and diverse habitats. Major damage however may already be inflicted by the anchoring of large oil tankers. More scientific research is necessary with regards to the damage inflicted by anchoring and to the sustainability of current fishing practices, but to date there is already sufficient data to call for strong protection of the Saba Bank as soon as possible.
Therefore, an application to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to designate the Saba Bank as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) in order to prevent possibly irreversible damage to the ecosystem and to enable sustainable protection of it’s vulnerable resources seems crucial and urgent.

This research is performed within ‘Beleidsondersteunend Onderzoek’ (BO-11), cluster NLP of LNV-programs.

Findings:

The main conclusion from this study is that the Saba Bank is a hot spot of biodiversity and one of the few
areas in the Caribbean that is still in a relatively pristine condition. The Bank is likely also important as a source of
larvae for other areas in the region because of its enormous dimensions and diverse habitats.

  • Scientific evidence that the Saba Bank constitutes a major hot spot in marine biodiversity in the Caribbean region has strongly increased over the last couple of years and is now overwhelming.
  • All studies to date express surprise and wonder at the number of different habitats and species within the Saba Bank.
  • With limited sampling effort new species have already been found within the Bank and more are to be expected.
  • The Bank is likely be one of the very few places in the Caribbean that as yet has largely escaped human related pressures and may still be considered as being in a relatively pristine condition.

There is to date already sufficient data to call for strong protection of the Saba Bank as soon as possible. Designating the Saba Bank as a
Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) in order to prevent possibly irreversible damage to the ecosystem and to
enable sustainable protection of its vulnerable resources seems crucial and urgent.

Management Recommendations:

  • Study the effects of fishing to ensure that it remains at a sustainable level.
  • Draft and implement a management plan as soon as possible. At present anchoring outside the 12 miles zone is not regulated and anchor damage could be devastating to the whole ecosystem.
  • Carry out more research about the ecological processes of the Saba Bank so as to protect it in the most effective way.

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