Smith, M.

The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) and Wolfs Company have composed this report in collaboration with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) to review the current status of sustainable finance in the Caribbean, including analyses of trends, obstacles, interventions and opportunities. Sustainable finance is the ability to secure a stable, sufficient and diverse mix of financial resources, and to allocate them in a timely manner and appropriate form, to cover the full costs of sustainable management of natural assets and biodiversity conservation. This ensures protected areas and other conservation programmes are managed effectively and efficiently, and guarantees the provision of goods and benefits to local stakeholders.

Sustainable finance is a critical component of nature conservation in the Caribbean, and this report defines the different mechanisms available to provide finance, alongside relevant examples and case studies in the Caribbean. The review of sustainable finance mechanisms and their applications is used to form recommendations and suggestions for improving financial sustainability in Caribbean Overseas Territories and other Caribbean islands. Though there is no ‘one size fits all’ or standard blueprint for optimal implementation of sustainable finance mechanisms, research suggests that community-centric approaches increase support and improve chances of stakeholder buy-in. Additionally, on a regional level there are many benefits to Caribbean islands working collaboratively and utilising an island network to pool resources and capacity. Finally, working on standards to monitor, measure and communicate impacts is an opportunity to improve investment in nature management. 

Abstract:

Biodiversity surveys were conducted on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, to assess ichthyofaunal richness and to compare with published surveys of other Caribbean localities. The primary objective was to estimate the total species richness of the Saba Bank ichthyofauna. A variety of sampling techniques was utilized to survey the fish species of both the visually accessible megafauna and the camouflaged and small-sized species comprising the cryptic ichthyofauna. Based on results presented herein, the number of species known on Saba Bank is increased from 42 previously known species to 270 species. Expected species-accumulation curves demonstrate that the current estimate of species richness of fishes for Saba Bank under represents the actual richness, and our knowledge of the ichthyofauna has not plateaued. The total expected fish species richness may be somewhere between 320 and 411 species. The Saba Bank ichthyofaunal assemblage is compared to fish assemblages found elsewhere in the Caribbean. Despite the absence of shallow or emergent shore habitats like mangroves, Saba Bank ranks as having the eighth highest ichthyofaunal richness of surveyed localities in the Greater Caribbean. Some degree of habitat heterogeneity was evident. Fore-reef, patch-reef, and lagoonal habitats were sampled. Fish assemblages were significantly different between habitats. Species richness was highest on the fore reef, but 11 species were found only at lagoonal sites. A comprehensive, annotated list of the fishes currently known to occur on Saba Bank, Netherland Antilles, is provided and color photographs of freshly collected specimens are presented for 165 of the listed species of Saba Bank fishes to facilitate identification and taxonomic comparison with similar taxa at other localities. Coloration of some species is shown for the first time. Preliminary analysis indicates that at least six undescribed new species were collected during the survey and these are indicated in the annotated list.