MacRae, D.

This list of species of conservation interest has been developed as part of a project 'Using management effectiveness to strengthen species conservation in the Caribbean' funded by SPAW-RAC. A first list was developed in 2005 as part of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Management Success initiative. This updated conservation species list adds significantly to the original dataset and includes for the first time species which are protected by local legislation as well as updated lists of species protected by regional and international conventions.  It is intended to provide a greater understanding and to focus more attention on these 'special' species.

The list containes the following fields:

• Name
• Presence
• ImportantBirdArea
• IUCN class
• CITES class
• CMS class
• Endemism
• SPAW class
• Named in local legislation
• FLAGSHIP species
• habitat

The list has been compiled using the following sources:

• Nature & Environment Policy Plan Caribbean Netherlands 2020 -2030
• Dutch Caribbean Species List developed for The Management Success Project (2015 update)
• St Maarten Nature Policy Plan species 2020-2030, St Maarten updated flagship species 2020
• Aruba Legislation: AB2017 no. 48
• Curaçao legislation: Juli 1926 (P.B. No. 60)
• CITES trade database
• SPAW listed species
• Red List species
• Dutch Caribbean Species Register
• Preliminary checklist of extant endemic species and subspecies of the windward Dutch Caribbean (St. Martin, St. Eustatius, Saba and the Saba Bank), Bakker, P.J.A. / Bos, O.G. / Henkens, R.j.H. / De Freitas, J.A. / Debrot, A.O.(2018)
• Preliminary Checklist of Extant and Fossil Endemic Taxa of the ABC Islands, Leeward Antilles, CARMABI Foundation, Curaçao, Adolphe O. Debrot (2006)
• Important bird Areas (IBA), BIrdLife International
• Bonn Convention / Convention on Migratory Species (CMS)
• Bon Berde, Quirijn Coolen
• Wild Conscience, Fernando Simal
• John De Freitas (CARMABI retired)

The Bonaire National Marine Park was first established in 1979. It surrounds the island of Bonaire and includes the satellite island and the waters around Klein Bonaire. Bonaire lies in the Southern Caribbean approximately 100km (60 miles) north of Venezuela and 12’ north of the equator. Bonaire is unusual in that it is a true oceanic island, separated from the South American mainland by a deep water trench. Bonaire is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is regarded by the European Union as an Overseas Territory. The marine park falls entirely within the territorial waters and jurisdiction of the Island of Bonaire and is protected by the Marine Environment Ordinance (A.B 1991 Nr.8). The marine park was declared a National Park by the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles in November 1999. For issues related to World Heritage, Ramsar wetlands, threatened and endangered species, migratory species and marine pollution the Central Government Department of Nature and the Environment (MINA) also has jurisdiction.

The marine park includes 2,700 hectares of coral reef, seagrass and mangrove ecosystems and provides habitat for a diverse range of marine species including over 50 species of stony coral and more than 350 species of reef fish. Sea turtles nest on the shores of Klein Bonaire and forage in Lac, a semi enclosed seagrass and mangrove bay located on the islands windward shore. Bottlenose and Spinner dolphin as well as various species of whale can be found seasonally in the seas around Bonaire. Bonaire is regularly visited by migratory birds.

Bonaire has a well deserved international reputation for excellence in the field of SCUBA diving and is routinely listed in the top five destinations for the Caribbean.

The Bonaire National Marine Park consists of the waters around Bonaire from the high water mark to the 200’ (60m) depth contour, the island of Klein Bonaire and its surrounding waters and the mangrove, seagrass and coral reefs of Lac. The park is managed by a local non governmental, not for profit foundation, STINAPA Bonaire which has a co-management structure with stakeholders, conservationists and local interest groups represented on the Board. The day to day management is carried out under the supervision of a Director but the Marine Park manager, Chief Ranger and Rangers employed by STINAPA Bonaire.

The marine park is managed predominately for biodiversity conservation, the promotion of sustainable use and for the protection of cultural and historical sites within the park with the aim of providing protection for the island’s unique marine resources whilst allowing appropriate recreational and commercial use to be made of the park.

This is the first management plan for the Bonaire National Marine Park. Rapid changes in management over the past six years have highlighted the need for a strategic document to guide management decision making and to better define the mission, goals and objective of the park. It is also a prerequisite for Bonaire’s World Heritage Site nomination and essential if the park is going to begin monitoring its own effectiveness.

This document has been prepared in close consultation with STINAPA Bonaire, their management and staff and a considerable number of stakeholders and stakeholder group representatives.

The plan specifies management goals and strategies for the Bonaire National Marine Park related to the park’s mission, which is to conserve and manage the natural, cultural and historical resources within the park, allowing their sustainable use for the benefit of current and future generations. It also identifies the major existing and potential threats and issues facing the park from ecological, social and cultural perspectives and includes substantial input from stakeholders. It is designed to be an adaptive management tool.

Chapter 20 in Marine Protected Areas: Science, Policy and Management

There is ample evidence to show that Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) are an effective and preferred tool for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. Current efforts to demonstrate Protective Area Management Effectiveness (PAME) rely heavily on assessments of the state of biological resources within the Protected Area. Where they do address MPA’s effectiveness as “governance tool” the outputs are largely narrative or rely heavily on subjective assessments of MPA performance.

With the SCUBA diving industry growing at a reate of 7% per annum and a major qualifying agency havig just certified its 10 millionth diver, an increasing amount of direct pressure is being placed on marine organisms. In many tropical areas, diving tourism is concentrated in a small area and is often seen to be having an impact on bethic organisms....This study looks in detail at the role of SCUBA activity in coral divesrity maintenenace, and assesses its significace as a disturbance to the reefs of Bonaire

The St Maarten Marine Park was first established in 1997. It surrounds the Dutch side of St Martin
from the average high water mark to a depth of 20m on the east coast and a depth of 30m on
the south coast. St Martin lies in the North Eastern Caribbean (63º N, 18º W) within the Lesser
Antilles island group. St Maarten is situated upon the Anguilla Bank, a geological formation
including Anguilla and St Barthélemy. The island is the smallest island in the world to be shared
between to sovereign states – French St Martin to the North and Dutch Sint Maarten to the South.
St Maarten is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is regarded by the European Union as
an overseas territory. The marine park falls entirely within the territorial waters and jurisdiction of
St Maarten and is expected to be protected by a Marine Park Ordinance by early 2007. For issues
related to international treaties, threatened and endangered species, migratory species and
marine pollution the Central Government Department of Nature and the Environment (MINA) also
has jurisdiction.
The marine environment of St Maarten includes more than 15km2 of globally threatened coral
reef as well as seagrass and mangrove ecosystems. St Maarten’s marine environment is a home,
migratory stop over or breeding site for 3 IUCN Red List Species, 10 CITES Appendix I species
and 89 Appendix II species. The beaches and waters attract in the region of 2 million visitors a
year, creating employment for 85% of the islands population. Tourism and the marine industry
contribute $500 million and $30 million to the economy respectively and both depend on the well
being of St Maarten’s marine resources.
The Marine Park is managed by a local non-profit, non-governmental organisation called Nature
Foundation St Maarten which has a co-management structure with stakeholders, conservationists
and other interested parties on the board. The management of the marine park is carried out by
the Marine Park Manager and the marine park ranger. An office manager also works on the
marine park administration and organisation and an education and outreach officer is shared with
the nearby Dutch Islands of Saba and St Eustatius.
The mission of the marine park is to manage, conserve and restore St. Maarten’s marine natural,
cultural and historical resources for education, ecological functionality and sustainable use with
continued stakeholder participation, for the benefit of current and future generations.
This is the first management plan for the St Maarten Marine Park. Recent changes in
management and staff members have highlighted the need for a strategic document to guide
management decision making and to better define the mission, goals and objective of the park.
Management planning and a clear strategy for management is a prerequisite if the park is going
to begin monitoring its own effectiveness.
This document has been prepared in close consultation with Nature Foundation St Maarten, their
management and staff and a considerable number of stakeholders and stakeholder group
representatives. The plan specifies management goals and strategies for the St Maarten Marine
Park related to the park’s mission and goals. It also identifies the major existing and potential
threats and issues facing the park from ecological, social and cultural perspectives. It is also
designed to provide a framework for adaptive management.
 
Retrieved from http://www.naturefoundationsxm.org on April 13, 2015

NAFSXM would like to secure a long term management agreement to protect the environment of
the entire Dutch side of the island. The proposed St. Maarten Land Parks will offer protection to
the island’s indigenous terrestrial flora and fauna while allowing sustainable recreation. There is
currently no management of the catchments on St. Maarten that drain into the marine
environment. Integrated catchment and coastal management is essential for the future well-being
of St. Maarten’s natural resources since activities on land directly affect the water around St.
Maarten.
This document clearly defines the Vision, Mission and Goals of the St. Maarten Land Parks,
identifies the main values and issues and states the key management strategies required to
manage the proposed areas. This provides a framework to develop clear objectives for the
manager and staff, which will aid the evaluation of management successes. For this management
plan to serve the needs of St. Maarten Land Parks, it is vital that it is periodically reviewed and
updated. The plan provides detailed background information about the status of the human and
physical landscapes of St Maarten. This acts as a contextual reference for any users, a tool for
lobbying stakeholders and as a resource for education.
As the St. Maarten Land Parks become realised this plan should form the basis of detailed action
plans for each of the proposed Land Parks
 
Retreived from http://www.naturefoundationsxm.org on April 13, 2015

Abstract:

The St. Eustatius Marine Park was created in 1996 and extends around the entire island from the high water line to 30m depth contour. St. Eustatius lies in the North Eastern Caribbean (17o 49’N, 62o 98’W) within the Lesser Antilles island group. The island is volcanic, and ancient weathered volcanic cones dominate the landscape including The Quill (600m) in the South and Boven (289m) in the North West. St. Eustatius is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and is regarded by the European Union as an overseas territory. The marine park falls entirely within the territorial waters and jurisdiction of St. Eustatius and is protected by the Marine Environment Ordinance which was passed in 1996. For issues related to international treaties, threatened and endangered species, migratory species and marine pollution the Central Government Department of Nature and the Environment (MINA) also has jurisdiction.

The St. Eustatius Marine Park covers an area of 27.5 km2 and protects a variety of habitats, including pristine coral reefs (drop off walls, volcanic ‘fingers’ and ‘bombs’, spur and groove systems), 18th century shipwrecks and modern-day artificial reefs to promote fishing and dive tourism (including a 100m cable-laying ship). Within the Park are two actively-managed Reserves in which no fishing or anchoring is permitted to conserve marine biodiversity, protect fish stocks and promote sustainable tourism. In addition to regular mooring maintenance (dive, snorkel and yacht sites), patrols and research, the Marine Park works closely with three local dive centres to ensure that diving practices minimise impact on the reef. Statia’s marine environment is a home, migratory stop over or breeding site for 4 IUCN Red List Species, 10 CITES Appendix I species and 98 Appendix II species.

The Marine Park is managed by a local non governmental, not for profit foundation (‘stichting’} called St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) incorporated in the Netherlands Antilles on 21st November 1988 and first registered with the St Maarten Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the 28th August 1995 (registration #80371). STENAPA has a co-management structure with stakeholders, conservationists and other interested parties on the board. The management of the marine park is carried out by the Parks Manager and the park rangers. Two office administrators also work on the marine park administration and organisation and an education and outreach officer is shared with the nearby Dutch Caribbean islands of Saba and St. Maarten.

The mission of the marine park is to manage and conserve natural, cultural and historical marine resources of St. Eustatius for sustainable use with continued stakeholder participation, for the benefit of current and future generations.

This is the second management plan for the St. Eustatius Marine Park. The first management plan was written in 1997 by The CARMABI Foundation and Marine and Coastal Resource Management Saba with financial support from the KNAP fund. The rapid development of the Marine Park and the successes in management have highlighted the need for a strategic document to consolidate management decision making and to define the mission, goals and objectives of the park.

Management planning and a clear strategy for management is a prerequisite if the park is going to begin monitoring its own effectiveness.

Extensive stakeholder consultation identified key external and management issues which need to be addressed within the timeframe of this management plan:

External Issues:

• Artisanal fishing
• Bleaching
• Commercial shipping
• Development
• Diving/snorkelling

Management Issues:

• Sustainable financing
• Stakeholder owne rship
• Presence and enforcement 

This document has been prepared in close consultation with STENAPA, their management and staff and a considerable number of stakeholders and stakeholder group representatives. The plan specifies management goals and strategies for the St. Eustatius Marine Park related to the park’s mission and goals. It also identifies the major existing and potential threats and issues facing the park from ecological, social and cultural perspectives. It is designed to provide a framework for developing transparent adaptive management processes. 

Abstract:

St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) is the only active environmental non-government organization on St. Eustatius, and was legislated in 1996 with a mandate from the Island Government to protect and manage the island’s marine resources. St. Eustatius Marine Park was established in 1996 and became actively managed in 1997 to conserve and protect the marine environment surrounding the island from the high water line up to and including the 30 meter (100 feet) depth contour. The marine environment of St. Eustatius supports 27.5 km2 of biologically diverse coral reef, seagrass, sandy seabed and open ocean communities. The Marine Park is one of the top 5 sites in the Caribbean to see healthy coral and fish populations. The 2 reserves have 43% hard coral cover and the Protected Area is a home, migratory stop over or breeding site for 14 IUCN Red List species, 10 CITES Appendix I species and 98 Appendix II species.

St Eustatius Marine Park attracts around 500 yacht visitors and 2500 diving/snorkeling visitors per year contributing to income for the 70% of the islands population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services1. Other uses of St Eustatius Marine Park are for Fisheries (25 fishermen use the waters of St Eustatius) and in excess of 1000 tankers a year using the oil storage facility at Statia Terminals NV. Anchoring is the main threat to the marine resources caused by the operations of Statia Terminals NV, although pollution is also an important issue with sewage and other wastes including ballast waters entering St Eustatius Marine Park waters from vessels.

Field work carried out involving survey dives, stakeholder consultation and photographic records found that significant damage has been done to the reefs within and beyond the designated anchoring zones for the vessels using Statia Terminals NV. The main impacts of the damage are:

Direct impacts:

• Broken individual coral colonies
• Structural damage to the reefs
• Sedimentation

Secondary impacts:

• Decreased fisheries production for subsistence, commercial and sport fishing.
• Decrease in dive tourism, and related activities.
• Change in community structure
• Ciguatoxic (poisonous) fish
• Decreased recruitment and coral larvae survivorship

Management Recommendations:

Recommendations to manage the anchoring issues are:

• Install a Vessel Monitoring System with alerts to unsustainable practices.
• Monitor the current status, ongoing damage and recovery of the coral reefs
• Establish a protocol for response and restoration after damage has occurred. 

This document will clearly define the V ision, Mission and Goals of The Quill/Boven National Park and Botanical Garden, and s tate the management s trategies which will allow The Q uill/Boven National Park and Botanical Garden successes to be highlighted and its management effectiveness to be assessed. It will also assis t both staff and Board by providing a solid framework for re ference, decision making and planning . The management plan will also ensure continuity of management effort and allow s takeholders and other interest groups to understand and participate in the planning process. According to IUCN , management plans are an essential s tep towards ensuring the proper management of protected areas .

This is the second management plan for The Quill/Boven National P ark and Botanical Garden. The firs t management plan (for the Q uill/Boven National Park) was written in 1999 by Staatsbosbeheer for the period 2000-2004. The rapid development of The Q uill/Boven National Park and Botanical Garden and the suc cesses in management have highlighted the need for a strategic document to consolidate management decision making. M anagement planning a nd a clear s trategy for management is a prerequisite if management is going to begin monitoring its own e ffec tivenes s .