Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database | Central repository for biodiversity related research and monitoring data from the Dutch Caribbean

Media Blue Marine Foundation launches new partnership with Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance

Nederlands, Papiamentu and Papiamento below Ocean charity makes initial grant of $90,000 to marine parks on six Dutch Caribbean islands. Award will...
Monitoring protocol A stranding guide to the marine mammals of the wider Caribbean region

Accurate species identification of marine mammals is key to improving our knowledge about them, including their distribution, natural history and the...
Research report Marine mammals in the Wider Caribbean – Current research and priorities for future studies

Summary: Information on the distribution, abundance and ecology of marine mammal in the Wider Caribbean Region is scarce. This report aims at...
Scientific article Attitudes towards marine mammal conservation issues before the introduction of whale-watching: a case study in Aruba (southern Caribbean)

1. Effective conservation management requires a solid understanding of social and economic factors, in addition to biological factors affecting what...
Other resources St. Eustatius joins Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary

Excellent news: St. Eustatius has now become part of the “Yarari” Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary. St. Eustatius joined Bonaire and Saba when the...
Monitoring protocol Marine Animal Monitoring Form

In an effort to gather much needed information on local populations of whales, dolphins, manatees, sharks, rays and large groupers STINAPA Bonaire...
Other resources St Maarten Marine Park Management Plan 2007

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...
Research report Aerial surveys of marine mammals and other fauna around Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, November 2013

Summary: In November 2013 aerial surveys were conducted for the first time in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire to evaluate...
Research report St. Eustatius National Marine Park Management Plan 2007

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....
Portal SPAW-RAC MARINE MAMMAL MAPPING APPLICATION

Project "Broad-scale marine spatial planning of mammal corridors & protected areas in Wider Caribbean & Southeast & Northeast Pacific" (...
Media The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) Organise Marine Management Workshop in Aruba

Dutch, Papiamentu and Papiamento below From the 21st to the 23rd of November 2022, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) together with...
Media BioNews special: Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary

The Dutch Caribbean is an important area for marine mammals, sharks and rays. More than twenty marine mammal and thirty shark and ray species are...
Other resources Report on observations of coral bleaching St Eustatius Marine Park, Saba Marine Park, St Maarten Marine Park

Coral bleaching has been observed in the Windward Islands since late August 2005. Reports and observations have been received from marine parks and...
Research report A Proposal Towards a Dutch Caribbean Marine Mammal Sanctuary

Abstract: Based on the goals set forth in the Dutch Biodiversity Policy Programme, The Netherlands has a traditionally strong commitment to protect...
Media Research Expedition for Lesser Antillean Sperm Whales

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and World Wide Fund for Nature Netherlands (WWF-NL) are proud to support Caribbean Cetacean Society’s (CCS...
Research report The potential Outstanding Universal Value and natural heritage values of Bonaire National Marine Park: an ecological perspective

The Southern Caribbean forms a separate biogeographic province for marine mollusks and marine fish faunas. The terrestrial desert and xeric...
Scientific article The marine mammals of the Dutch Caribbean: a comparison between EEZ sectors, contrasts and concerns

We here provide a synoptic overview and preliminary update of the marine mammals of the Dutch Caribbean EEZ based on 279 cetacean sighting and...
Other resources Bonaire national marine park management plan 2006

The Bonaire National Marine Park was first established in 1979. It surrounds the island of Bonaire and includes the satellite island and the waters...
Other resources Project CARIPES: Quantification of ecosystem services provided by marine protected areas in the Caribbean with a view to their payment

By assessing the value of ecosystem services generated by some specific marine protected areas (MPAs), project CARIPES aims to increase fishermen’...
Research report Evaluating the Effectiveness of Marine No-Take Reserves in St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Marine reserves, in which exploitation of marine organisms and other human activities are restricted or prohibited, can be valuable tools...
Scientific article Marine Mammals of the Northeastern Caribbean Windward Dutch Islands: Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten, and the Saba Bank

Abstract: At least 33 native species of marine mammals have been documented from the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). For many of these species, the...
Research report An Inventory of the Geographical Distribution and Conservation Status ofMarine Turtles and Sharks in the Wider Caribbean andRelationship to Fisheries

Findings on Marine Turtles · Migration routes to and from nesting sites (typically index beaches) are variously known in the Caribbean,...
Research report Nature Foundation Marine Park, Reef & Marine Research Assessments Post Hurricane Irma

On the 6th of September powerful category five storm Hurricane Irma struck Sint Maarten with 185 MPH winds, causing widespread damage to the island...
Research report Marine Area Survey: an inventory of the natural and cultural marine resources of St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles

The purpose of this survey was to describe and map the natural and cultural resources of the marine environment with a view to sustainable...
Media Caribbean Marine Park Managers Dive into Fisheries Management

Representatives from 15 Caribbean marine national parks recently met on the island of Saba in the Caribbean Netherlands to focus on their role in...
Scientific article Establishing a marine conservation baseline for the insular Caribbean

Abstract Marine protected areas are a primary strategy for the conservation of marine habitats and species across the globe. In small island...
Research report Preliminary overview of exotic and invasive marine species in the Dutch Caribbean

The marine exotic species of the Dutch Caribbean are less well-known than its terrestrial exotics. So far, only 27 known or suspected marine exotic...
Other resources Using Sound to Track Marine Mammals in Saba Bank

Since 2011, the Saba Bank noise logger research project has been collecting acoustic data of marine mammals, fish and man-made noises within the Saba...
Research report Seabirds, marine mammals and human activities on the Saba Bank

During the HNLMS 'TYDEMAN' bathymetric expedition on the Saba Bank, April - May 1996, two observers spent 7 weeks on board and to collect data on the...
Research report To what extent are marine conservation and economic development reconcilable in Bonaire National Marine Park?

Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) is a marine protected area (MPA) surrounding Bonaire, a small coral island in the Caribbean. Its purpose is to...
Scientific article User fees as sustainable financing mechanisms for marine protected areas: An application to the Bonaire National Marine Park

Marine protected areas (MPAs) have proliferated globally in the past three decades. However, inadequate funding often prevents these management...
Other resources Identifying the cultural value of Bonaire’s marine resources

The island of Bonaire in the lesser Antillean islands is economically dependent on the tourism industry. A majority of tourists who visit the island...
Research report Description of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the Proposed Marine Nomination Properties of the Bonaire and Curaçao Marine Parks (BCMP

This report describes the possible Outstanding Universal Value of the potential World Heritage nomination that combines the Bonaire National Marine...
Other resources Mapping Benthic Habitats for Representation in Marine Protected Areas

Virtually all marine conservation planning and management models in place or proposed have in common the need for improved scientific rigour in...
Research report The economics of expanding the Marine Protected Areas of the Cayman Islands

Quantification of the benefits humans obtain from Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) supports decision-makers by elucidating the link between the...
Research report Tanker Anchoring Impact Study and Recommendations St Eustatius Marine Park

Abstract: St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) is the only active environmental non-government organization on St. Eustatius, and was...
Research report Ecologyand Microeconomics as "Joint Products": The Bonaire Marine Park in the Caribbean

FOREWORD Many countries are strugglingwith the task of meeting ecological and economicgoals associated with the establishment and management of...
Research report Priorities in management implementation for marine mammal conservation in the Saba sector of the Yarari sanctuary

The Yarari Marine Mammal Sanctuary (hereafter simply referred to as the Yarari Sanctuary, or Yarari) was formally established on September 2, 2015....
Media Marine mammals in the Caribbean: a threatened treasure in our waters

Nederlands and Papiamentu below. Over the last two years, the Caribbean Cetacean Society (CCS) has been studying cetaceans (whales and dolphins) in...
Scientific article Status and Range of Introduced Mammals on St. Martin, Lesser Antilles

Abstract: The introduction of mammals to islands is one of the leading causes of extirpation of native biota worldwide. Data gaps in the introduction...
Scientific article Marine molluscs from the island of St. Eustatius, Eastern Caribbean: results of the Statia Marine Biodiversity Expedition 2015

A baseline record of the marine fauna of St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands, was established during the Statia Marine Biodiversity Expedition in...
Other resources Bonaire National Marine Park Management Plan 2022-2028

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Bonaire National Marine Park was established in 1979. The marine park protects 2,700 hectares of coral reefs, seagrass beds and...
Scientific article Important foraging areas of seabirds from Anguilla,Caribbean: Implications for marine spatial planning

Marine spatial planning(MSP) has become an important tool to balance the needs of commercial,economical and recreational users of the marine...
Scientific article Marine Biodiversity in the Caribbean: Regional Estimates and Distribution Patterns

This paper provides an analysis of the distribution patterns of marine biodiversity and summarizes the major activities of the Census of Marine Life...
Research report CARI'MAM Scientific Survey 2021 Final Report

The CARI’MAM project More than 30 species of marine mammals inhabit the waters of the Caribbean,which makes it a world hotspot. These highly mobile...
Research report From Ocean to Aquarium. The global trade in marine ornamental species

Abstract: Between 1.5 and 2 million people worldwide are believed to keep marine aquaria. The trade which supplies this hobby with live marine...
Media Naturalis Marine Expedition: Results marine biodiversity of St. Eustatius

In September, a report on the preliminary results of the Statia Marine Biodiversity Expedition (from June 2015) was published. This expedition served...
Research report Results of Nature Foundation Marine Mammal Monitoring Project Jan-May 2011

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation conducted a Marine Mammal Census project which lasted from February until May 2011. The goal of this project was to...
Research report Social and Economic Impacts of Marine Protected Areas: A Study and Analysis of Selected Cases in the Caribbean

The four marine protected area (MPA) cases treated in this study have a number of features in common They are relatively small in size, they are...
Research report A Case Study in the Effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): the Islands of Bonaire and Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean

The islands of Bonaire and Curaçao, Dutch Caribbean, were both mapped along their leeward coasts for dominant coral community and other benthic cover...
Media Is there a future for artificial reefs?

Manmade structures such as seawalls, breakwaters, and jetties are increasing in frequency in marine coastal environments. Overtime, these structures...
Scientific article Spatially explicit dispersal dynamics and equilibrium population sizes in marine harvest refuges

For marine reserves to function as effective harvest refuges for exploited species, the reserve must protect a substantial proportion of the...
Scientific article Synchronous marine pelagic regime shifts in the Northern Hemisphere

Regime shifts are characterized by sudden, substantial and temporally persist- ent changes in the state of an ecosystem. They involve major...
Research report An Economic and Social Study of the Saba Marine Park, Saba, Netherlands Antilles.

The Dutch island of Saba in the North Eastern Caribbean has been surrounded by a protected area since 1987. This area known as the Saba Marine Park...
Research report An Economic and Social Study of the Saba Marine Park, Saba, Netherlands Antilles.

The Dutch island of Saba in the North Eastern Caribbean has been surrounded by a protected area since 1987. This area known as the Saba Marine Park...
Research report Fisheries Baseline Assessment of Statia Marine Park, St Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: St. Eustatius Marine Park was established in 1996 and became actively managed in 1997 to conserve and protect the marine environment. It...
Scientific article Patterns, causes, and consequences of marine larval dispersal

Quantifying the probability of larval exchange among marine populations is key to predicting local population dynamics and optimizing networks of...
Research report CARI'MAM Scientific Survey 2021 Final Report for Saba's Waters

The CARI’MAM project More than 30 species of marine mammals inhabit the waters of the Caribbean,which makes it a world hotspot. These highly mobile...
Other resources Parke Marino Aruba 2019-2021 Preliminary Management Plan

In 2016 the Government of Aruba in partnership with TNO Caribbean was awarded the BEST 2.0 Program grant to establish Marine Protected Areas (...
Other resources 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) Book of abstracts

Abstracts: TOURISM IN THE CARIBBEAN: CHALLENGES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FISHERIES & CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS (Sponsored by CORALINA & GCFI) Kyne,...
Media Special Edition Bionews: Caribbean Cetacean Society Expedition

Whale and dolphin research expedition 2022 This year, the third and sixth joint scientific expeditions of the Ti Whale An Nou program took...
Media Saba Bank: marine mammals

The Northern Caribbean is a well-known breeding and calving ground for North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) and considerable ...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 1

This is the first part of the Marine Scientific Assessment The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 2 click here, for part 3 here ...
Scientific article Coral diversity matches marine park zonation but not economic value of coral reef sites at St. Eustatius, eastern Caribbean

A B S T R A C T Stony corals play a key role in the marine biodiversity of many tropical coastal areas as suppliers of substrate, food and shelter...
Scientific article Dissolution of a submarine carbonate platform by a submerged lake of acidic seawater

Abstract. Submarine sinkholes are found on carbonate platforms around the world. They are thought to form and grow when 15 groundwater interactions...
Portal Reef.org

Protecting Marine Life Through Education, Service, and Research REEF was founded in 1990, out of growing concern about the health of the marine...
Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance facilitates platform for investigation of marine protected areas in the Caribbean

Willemstad – The 2021 Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) Convention began with a workshop on climate change resiliency. The workshop served as a...
Media Molluscs of the Dutch Caribbean Islands

The journal of the Netherlands Malacological Society, Vita Malacologica, dedicated its December 2017 edition to the malacofauna of the Dutch...
Research report A Willingness to Pay Study for Park Fees: Quill/Boven National Park, St. Eustatius Marine Park, St. Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Organisations designed to manage and maintain Protected Areas are often faced with limited financial resources to maintain and monitor...
Media Old Power Plant on Saba to be converted to Marine Research Station

On January 17th, 2022, Mark Zagers, Managing Director of the Saba Electric Company (SEC), officially handed over the keys to Peter Johnson, President...
Media Marine biodiversity research expedition on Bonaire

An international research team will come to Bonaire from 21 October to 9 November 2019 to investigate its marine biodiversity. Although Bonaire’s...
Portal Ocean Biogeographic Information System

History: The concept of OBIS was first developed at a conference sponsored by the Census of Marine Life (CoML) in 1997. At the time, a comprehensive...
Other resources Systematic investigation of the coral-inclusive potential of marine infrastructure

Abstract Ecosystems are under pressure worldwide, due to both natural and anthropogenic stresses. Stresses on ecosystems can cause a decline in...
Book The Marine Algal Vegetation of St. Martin, St. Eustatius and Saba

Although algology deals with a large group of plants, widespread and of great morphological diversity, the history of this branch of botany is fairly...
Other resources Towards Marine Ecosystem- based Management in the Wider Caribbean

Introduction Countries of the Wider Caribbean have committed to principled ocean governance through several multilateral environmental and fisheries...
Monitoring protocol Marine mammal (catacean) stranding form

Form to report on marine mammals (cetaceans) landings. The form is based on material from Eastern Caribbean Cetacean Network (ECCN). See here for the...
Research report MARINE BIODIVERSITY OF BONAIRE: A BASELINE SURVEY

Abstract The Bonaire Marine Biodiversity Expedition (2019) was organized by Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden (the national museum of natural...
Other resources A self-financing marine park: the Saba case

Short case study prepared for the CANARI Workshop on Revenue Generation for Protected Areas, Saba, Netherlands Antilles, June 5-9, 1995. The Saba...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 4

This is the last part of the Marine Scientific Assessment The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 1 click here, for part 2 here &...
Scientific article Occurrence of Vibrio Species in Marine Sources Surroundings Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

ABSTRACT There is a lack of information on presence of vibrios in the marine environment in the Caribbean. The aim of this study was to determine the...
Maps and Charts Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary

The populations of sharks worldwide are in sharp decline and therefore in urgent need of protection from illegal fishing and fisheries by-catch.The...
Research report Depth matters: (anti) microbial diversity of marine sponges

https://research.wur.nl/en/publications/depth-matters-anti-microbial-div... Abstract This thesis aims to investigate the impact of depth on...
Other resources Categories of habitat and depth are structuring reef fish assemblages over no-fishing and fishing zones in the Saba Marine Park (Caribbean Netherlands)

Reef fish assemblages are structured by many factors like depth, habitat and zonation’s in marine protected areas (MPAs). These fish assemblages can...
Other resources Field guide to the marine life of St. Eustatius

This guide is intended to give an overview of the diversity of the marine life of St. Eustatus. But to show and describe all the species living in...
Other resources Bonaire National Marine Park—Algal Survey and Inventory

The Littler’s team [including Barrett Brooks, Don Hurlbert, Barbara Watanabe and Larry Gorenflo (Conservation International)] traveled to the island...
Scientific article Conflicts and solutions related to marine turtle conservation initiatives in the Caribbean basin: Identifying new challenges

Highlights • We identified up to 161 human-derived conflicts which are related to marine turtle conservation initiatives. • We found that each...
Scientific article Uncovering cryptic diversity of Lyngbya: the new tropical marine cyanobacterial genus Dapis (Oscillatoriales)

Cyanobacteria comprise an extraordinarily diverse group of microorganisms and, as revealed by increasing molecular information, this biodiversity is...
Scientific article Post-breeding migration routes of marine turtles from Bonaire and Klein Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

The management of small rookeries is key to conserving the regional genetic diversity of marine turtle populations and requires knowledge on...
Scientific article The marine fishes of St Eustatius Island, northeastern Caribbean: an annotated, photographic catalog

Sint Eustatius (Statia) is a 21 km2 island situated in the northeastern Caribbean Sea. The most recent published sources of information on that...
Research report Monitoring Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas. A practical guide on how monitoring can support effective management of MPAs

Abstract: Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are an important tool for marine conservation and management; monitoring plays a critical role in managing...
Research report Inventory of the Fishery sector of St. Eustatius

Abstract: There are about 25 fishermen on the island of St. Eustatius. Considering the small scale island economy this is a significant social...
Research report Population Assessment of Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, in the St. Eustatius Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Queen Conch, Lobatus gigas, is a large, herbivorous, marine gastropod found primarily in the Western Atlantic Caribbean region. Adult conch...
Media Second whale and dolphin research program in the Caribbean

Nederlands and Papiamentu below The whale and dolphin research program Ti Whale An Nou started March 25, 2022 and the objective is to study the...
Other resources Molluscs of St. Eustatius

Molluscs are one of the largest phyla in the animal kingdom. They make up a large part of marine faunas worldwide (Appeltans et al. 2012), and have a...
Other resources Effects of sediment grain size on abundance of marine nematodes in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Free-living marine nematodes are a functionally and morphologically diverse group of animals. They have important ecological functions, many of which...
Media Grant from the European Union to enhance nature protection and sustainable tourism

Nederlands and Papiamentu below. Lac Bay is a unique tourism hot spot which boasts a wide array of habitats from fringing coral reefs to expansive...
Research report Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) op weg naar werelderfgoed

Het Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) staat sinds 2011 op de Nederlandse Voorlopige lijst van het Werelderfgoed. Dit betekent dat een nominatie kan...
Scientific article Marine turtles of the Leeward Islands, Lesser Antilles

Although marine turtles are conspicuous members of the Caribbean fauna, significant gaps remain in our knowledge of their distribution and status...
Maps and Charts Vulnerable marine areas of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba

Vulnerable marine areas of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (GIS). Based on RAMSAR sites, important Bird Areas and Marine Park boundaries. See this...
Scientific article Range-wide population genetic structure of the Caribbean marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum

Many marine species have widespread geographic ranges derived from their evolutionary and ecological history particularly their modes of dispersal....
Scientific article Range‐wide population genetic structure of the Caribbean marine angiosperm Thalassia testudinum

Many marine species have widespread geographic ranges derived from their evolu-tionary and ecological history particularly their modes of dispersal....
Scientific article Biogeographic patterns in major marine realms: function not taxonomy unites fish assemblages in reef, seagrass and mangrove systems

We examine the effects of different biogeographic histories on assemblage composition in three major marine habitats in two biogeographically...
Media New marine biodiversity discoveries from Bonaire

An international research team has investigated the marine biodiversity of Bonaire from 21 October to 9 November. Although Bonaire’s reefs have been...
Research report Cruise report seabird and cetacean survey Saba bank expedition October 2011

Abstract: In October 2011 an expedition took place to the Saba Bank, on board of the ship the Caribbean Explorer II. Main aim of the expedition was...
Scientific article Marine debris in mangroves and on the seabed: Largely-neglected litter problems

While the scarcity of up-to-date data on beach litter contamination in the Caribbean has been stressed in several recent studies, we here point to...
Other resources Beach debris on Aruba, Southern Caribbean: Attribution to local land-based and distal marine-based sources

Abstract Accumulation of marine (plastic) debris from local land-based and distal marine-based sources along coastlines is a pressing modern issue....
Scientific article Charging for Nature: Marine Park Fees and Management from a User Perspective

User fees can contribute to the financial sus- tainability of marine protected areas (MPAs), yet they must be acceptable to users. We explore changes...
Scientific article Community Change within a Caribbean Coral Reef Marine Protected Area following Two Decades of Local Management

Structural change in both the habitat and reef-associated fish assemblages within spatially managed coral reefs can provide key insights into the...
Research report A Management Capacity Assessment of Selected Coral Reef Marine Protected Areas in the Caribbean

Abstract: This report presents the findings of an assessment of capacity building needs for the management of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of St. Maarten

Marine park map of St.Maarten
Scientific article The Reef Fish Assemblage of Bonaire Marine Park: An Analysis of REEF Fish Survey Data

Abstract: The REEF/TNC Fish Survey Project is a volunteer fish monitoring program developed by the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF)...
Scientific article Variability and sustainability of the Southern Subarea of the Caribbean Sea large marine ecosystem

The Southern Subarea of the Caribbean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem encompasses most of the continental and island coasts of Venezuela, as well as...
Research report Coral bleaching in the Bonaire National Marine Park 2016-2020

STINAPA report Mass coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and widespread and poses a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Mass coral bleaching...
Scientific article Change detection in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) over three decades on Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The island of Bonaire is a long-established Marine Protected Area (MPA), the reefs of which were extensively mapped in the early 1980s. Satellite...
Other resources Coral Bleaching in the Bonaire National Marine Park 2016-2020

Abstract Mass coral bleaching is becoming more frequent and widespread and poses a major threat to coral reefs worldwide. Mass coral bleaching is a...
Research report Lac Bay: Then and Now… A Historical Interpretation of Environmental Change During the 1900s A Site Characterization of Lac Bay for Resource Managers and Naturalists prepared for Bonaire Marine Park

Executive Summary This Site Characterization report provides a comprehensive coverage of past and present scientific research that had been conducted...
Research report Coral Reef Resilience Assessment of the Bonaire National Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Although Bonaire’s coral reefs remain among the healthiest and most resilient in the Caribbean, this IUCN report based on the IUCN...
Research report Quantifying the state of the coral reef ecosystem in relation to biophysical benthic and pelagic indicators and biological drivers of change in the Saba National Marine Park, Dutch Caribbean

Abstract Coral reefsare experiencing large scale degradation. Motivated by the need for regular data monitoring and forquantification of the state...
Media Importance of Yarari Sanctuary for Minke Whale

A new collaborative study provides new insight into how two species of minke whales utilize the Caribbean and neighboring Atlantic waters throughout...
Other resources Monitoring Statia’s marine ecosystems

CNSI continues to monitor the vulnerable ecosystems of St. Eustatius coordinated by Data Monitoring Officer (DMO) Kimani Kitson-Walters. Coral reef...
Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Lobbies Internationally for Increased Support for Nature Conservation in the Dutch Caribbean

Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below. DCNA has been actively promoting a nature focused agenda both within The Netherlands and...
Research report Cetaceans of Saba, Sint Eustatius & Sint Maarten: current knowledge and future monitoring

Abstract: In December 2012 IMARES conducted workshops on the identification of whales & dolphins in the Caribbean on the islands of Sint Maarten...
Other resources Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) nests: Possible nutrient sources and drivers of community structure in a tropical marine system

Beach environments are considered nutrient poor systems that support limited abundances of life due to the lack of attainable nutrients. Since the...
Media Sixth Caribbean marine expedition ‘Ti Whale An Nou 2022’ taking place this month

Nederlands and Papiamentu below. Organized by CCS with the support of WWF and DCNA As of August 15th through August 30th, the sixth joint scientific...
Research report Saving sharks through a fishermen’s agreement

Background. For the Save our Sharks project of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance, 7Senses conducted Participatory Action Research on Saba for 7...
Other resources Physis XII - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XIII - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis VI - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XI - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of Saba

Marine park map of Saba (GIS)
Other resources An Economic and Ecological Analysis of the Bonaire Marine Park

This case study of the Bonaire Marine Park (BMP) in the Caribbean is a combined ecological and economic analysis. It has become increasingly obvious...
Other resources Physis XIX - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Scientific article Seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality under the rise of a flagship marine megaherbivore

Abstract Large grazers (megaherbivores) have a profound impact on ecosystem functioning. However, how ecosystem multifunctionality is affected by...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of Bonaire

Marine park map of Bonaire
Maps and Charts Economic value of marine ecosystems surrounding Saba

Map (GIS) showing the economic values of marine ecosystems on Saba for: Carbon sequestration Cultural and local recreational value Tourism See this...
Research report Sustainable boat-based marine wildlife

Convention on migratory species 12th MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF THE PARTIES Manila, Philippines, 23 - 28 October 2017 Agenda Item 24.4.5 CMS...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 2

This is the second part of the Marine Scientific Assessment The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs document. For part 1 click here, for part 4 here....
Research report Saba Bank - Special Marine Area Management Plan 2008

Findings A management plan was prepared in close consultation with a considerable number of stakeholders and stakeholder group representatives. The...
Portal World Register for Marine Species (WoRMS)

The aim of a World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms, including...
Scientific article Caldora penicillata gen. nov., comb. nov. (Cyanobacteria), a pantropical marine species with biomedical relevance

Many tropical marine cyanobacteria are prolific producers of bioactive secondary metabolites with ecological relevance and promising pharmaceutical...
Scientific article A power analysis of a transforming marine community around oil transshipment at St. Eustatius

The strategic location of small islands in the Caribbean, close to the United States of America (USA), and their historical trade roots as former...
Scientific article Abundance and population structure of queen conch inside and outside a marine protected area: repeat surveys show significant declines

ABSTRACT: Effectiveness of a marine protected area (MPA) in supporting fisheries productivity depends upon replenishment patterns, both in supplying...
Maps and Charts Marine habitat map of Saba

Marine habitat map of Saba (GIS) See this report for more info.
Other resources Marine biodiversity survey of St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean, 2015.

The Statia Marine Biodiversity Expedition (2015) was organized by Naturalis Biodiversity Center in Leiden (the national museum of natural history of...
Media Marine Protected Areas - a new interactive online map

The Dutch Caribbean has a new way to access marine protected area (MPA) information focused on ease of use for boaters, fishermen, and the public....
Scientific article A critical checklist of the non-marine molluscs of St. Martin, with notes on the terrestrial malacofauna of Anguilla and Saint-Barthélemy, and the description of a new subspecies

Summary - The non-marine malacofauna of St. Martin is critically revised. Forty-seven terrestrial taxa and 7 freshwater taxa are accepted as being...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of St. Eustatius

Marine park map (GIS) constructed by "hydrografische dienst" from 30m depth line (2009-2013)
Scientific article Caribbean parrotfish density and size inside and outside marine protected area

The direct and indirect impacts of the increase in human population, in particular the growing demand for food, as well as various aspects of climate...
Other resources Physis XV - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Portal Malacolog - A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca

Malacolog is a database for research on the systematics, biogeography and diversity of mollusks. Malacolog attempts to document all names that have...
Maps and Charts Economic value of marine ecosystems surrounding St. Eustatius

Map (GIS) showing the economic values of marine ecosystems on St.Eustatius for: Carbon sequestration Cultural and local recreational value...
Other resources Annual Report 2008 Nature Foundation St Maarten

Throughout 2008 the staff and board of Nature Foundation St. Maarten undertook a range of activities addressing both core management of the Marine...
Maps and Charts Marine habitat map of St. Eustatius

Marine habitat map of St. Eustatius (GIS) See this report for more info.
Media Dutch Caribbean: “home” of unique, and likely vulnerable, populations of Bryde’s and humpback whales

During the last decade several marine areas in the Wider Caribbean have been awarded extra protection as “marine mammal reserves”, such as the the...
Book A new approach to monitoring marine protected areas management success in the Dutch Caribbean

Chapter 20 in Marine Protected Areas: Science, Policy and Management There is ample evidence to show that Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s) are an...
Scientific article A comparison of fish communities of subtidal seagrass beds and sandy seabeds in 13 marine embayments of a Caribbean island, based on species, families, size distribution and functional groups

Differences in fish community structure between different estuaries, lagoons and bays can be very large, and generalisations are complicated by the...
Scientific article A global compilation of U-series-dated fossil coral sea-level indicators for the Last Interglacial period (Marine Isotope Stage 5e)

Abstract. This dataset is a comprehensive, global compilation of published uranium–thorium (U-series) dated fossil coral records from ∼ 150 000–110...
Other resources Nearshore, slope and deepwater sediment transport mechanisms: Combining novel and legacy open source seismic datasets in marine Bonaire

We utilize a high-resolution marine seismic dataset off leeward Bonaire in the South Caribbean to show sedimentary pathways between terrigenous and...
Scientific article The importance of the marine ornamental reef fish trade in the wider Caribbean

Abstract: The marine ornamental fish trade began in the 1930s in Sri Lanka, spread to Hawaii and the Philippines in the 1950s, and expanded to a...
Other resources Sharks, rays and marine protected areas: A critical evaluation of current perspectives

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are increasingly advocated for the conservation and management of sharks and rays. However, substantial uncertainty...
Media NICO Expedition: Mesophotic reefs, Cyanobacteria mats and Submarine Groundwater Discharge around the ABC-islands

After setting sail from Texel, The Netherlands in December 2017, the research vessel Pelagia travelled to Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao where a multi-...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2007

Abstract: The St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme was initiated in 2001 due to concerns that the island’s sea turtle populations were...
Research report In-water monitoring of sea turtle aggregations in St. Eustatius National Marine Park

Abstract: All species of sea turtles in the Caribbean have come under threat in recent years due to a multitude of factors. Habitat destruction and...
Research report Quantifying the state of the coral reef ecosystem in relation to biophysical benthic and pelagic indicators and biological drivers of change in the Saba National Marine Park, Dutch Caribbean

Student Report Coral reefs are experiencing large scale degradation. Motivated by the need for regular data monitoring and for quantification of the...
Media St. Maarten: Post Hurricane Coral Assessment

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation scientifically researched the impacts of Hurricane Irma on St. Maarten coral reefs using Global Coral Reef...
Research report Saba Bank research expedition 2011 – Progress Report

Abstract: The Saba Bank is a large submerged carbonate platform of approximately 2,200 km2 in the Caribbean Sea which lies partially within the...
Other resources Bioaccumulation of run-off pollutants: An evaluation of marine sponges as bioindicators

Runoff and sewage discharge present serious consequences if left unchecked in coral reef ecosystems. Eutrophication and the introduction of harmful...
Other resources Coastal marine water quality based on the presence of Polychaetes, coliforms,

A lack of sufficient wastewater treatment practices on the island of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean suggests that contaminated groundwater seepage or...
Research report Quick scan environmental impact assessment of the St. Eustatius harbour extension

At St. Eustatius a project has started for the improvement and expansion of the Seaport St. Eustatius. The planned activities related to the project...
Other resources Diver impact on coral and fish communities: A comparison of sites with varying intensities of diving at Yellow Submarine, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

SCUBA diving on coral reefs is a beneficial economic option for small tropical islands, that can have a lower impact on the environment than...
Other resources Baited Remote Underwater stereo0Video (stereo0BRUV) survey as a basis for elasmobranch conservation and management on Sint Maarten, Dutch Caribbean

Elasmobranch populations (sharks, rays and skates) worldwide have declined drastically over the past decades and the situation in the Dutch Caribbean...
Other resources Expedition Discovers Marine Treasures

An underwater mountain that forms the world's third-largest atoll has some of the richest diversity of marine life ever found in the Caribbean,...
Research report Marine Communities. Governing oil, gas activities and cruise tourism in the Arctic and the Caribbean

This PhD thesis includes the following chapters: - A power analysis of a transforming marine community around oil transhipment at St. Eustatius. -...
Other resources Physis XVIII - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Caribbean coastal marine productivity program: 1993-2003.

The Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity (CARICOMP) Program is a regional scientific effort to study land-sea interaction processes, to monitor for...
Research report Preliminary Checklist of Extant and Fossil Endemic Taxa of the ABC-Islands, Leeward Antilles

The literature on the endemic flora and fauna of the Dutch Lesser Antilles is scattered and often difficult to find. An initial compilation amounts...
Other resources Physis VII - Journal of marine research

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Scientific article Life in the unthinking depths: energetic constraints on encephalization in marine fishes

Abstract Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain the limitation of brain size in vertebrates. Here, we test three hypotheses of brain size...
Scientific article Assessment of the degree of mercury contamination of marine fish around Bonaire

Many reports indicate that the levels of mercury (Hg) contamination of marine fish in other regions are above the United States Food and Drug...
Other resources Physis X - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Media BioNews 11 - December 2013

This month’s issue focuses on the Audubon’s Shearwater. Despite its resounding and unique call, this threatened bird often goes unnoticed on our...
Other resources Bonaire National Marine Park Hurricane Matthew – Reef Damage Assessment

On the evening of the 29th September 2016 Hurricane Matthew passed north of Bonaire by approximately 240km, with maximum sustained wind speeds over...
Media Statia Marine Expedition

In June 2015, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, in collaboration with “Anemoon Foundation”, launched a new initiative in the Dutch Caribbean with the...
Media Marine Species discoveries Curaçao

Curaçao has a remarkably long and rich history of marine species discoveries. This is reflected by a high number of species descriptions in which...
Other resources Marine interstitial crustaceans of St. Eustatius

This article was published in the following report: MARINE BIODIVERSITY SURVEY OF ST. EUSTATIUS, DUTCH CARIBBEAN 2015 by Naturalis Biodiversity...
Other resources Physis VIII - Journal of marine research

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XX - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Media Manatee sighting on Bonaire

manateeBonaire.mp4 Manatee in the Bonaire National Marine Park On July 10th, STINAPA ranger Luigi Eybrecht filmed...
Other resources Physis I - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Media Post-breeding migration routes of marine turtles from Bonaire and Klein Bonaire

News items on: Becking, L.E.; Christianen, M.J.A.; Nava, M.I.; Miller, N.; Willis, S.; van Dam, R.P. (2016) Post-breeding migration routes of marine...
Other resources Marine fishes of St. Eustatius

This article was published in the following report: MARINE BIODIVERSITY SURVEY OF ST. EUSTATIUS, DUTCH CARIBBEAN 2015 by Naturalis Biodiversity...
Other resources Physis IX - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XXI - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Marine Scientific Assessment: The State of Curacao's Coral Reefs Part 3

For part 1 of this document click here. WAITT Institute identified eight distinct zones of Curaçao’s nearshore environment. This document contains...
Other resources Marine Litter in the Caribbean

How can we reduce marine litter? Check out this Fact Sheet by Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) for the UN Environment - Caribbean...
Other resources Integrating economic, environmental and social issues in an evaluation of Saba Marine Park, N.A., Caribbean Sea
Scientific article Marine Macroalgal Diversity Assessment of Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles

Background: Located in the Dutch Windward Islands, Saba Bank is a flat-topped seamount (20–45 m deep in the shallower regions). The primary goals of...
Other resources Physis II - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Physis XIV - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Scientific article Additions to the marine mollusk checklist for the island of Saba, Leeward Islands, West Indies

Forty-one species of marine mollusks are added to the checklist for Saba island. The majority of records are from Rüdiger Bieler, who observed and...
Other resources Physis III - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Other resources Picture Guide to Common Stony Corals of Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

This picture guide will help with the identification of stony coral species in the Caribbean. Pictures originate from the Flower Garden Bank Marine...
Scientific article Surviving in a Marine Desert: The Sponge Loop Retains Resources Within Coral Reefs

Ever since Darwin’s early descriptions of coral reefs, scientists have debated how one of the world’s most productive and diverse ecosystems can...
Scientific article Deepwater marine litter densities and composition from submersible video-transects around the ABC-islands, Dutch Caribbean.

Baseline data on anthropogenic seafloor debris contamination in the year 2000 is provided for 24 submersible video transects at depths of 80-900 m,...
Other resources Marine (meta) barcoding of St. Eustatius

To develop our knowledge about Dutch biodiversity in the overseas territories, we performed a barcoding project embedded in the baseline biodiversity...
Other resources Physis IV - Journal of marine sciences

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Research report Bonaire National Marine Park. Tropical Storm Omar; Report of Reef Condition

Abstract: On October 14 and 15, 2008 Tropical Storm Omar reached Bonaire. Wind speed averaging 18 to 20 knots from SW started at 3 am on October 14...
Scientific article Cell turnover and detritus production in marine sponges from tropical and temperate benthic ecosystems

Abtsract This study describes in vivo cell turnover (the balance between cell proliferation and cell loss) in eight marine sponge species from...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of Curacao (2011)
Media Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean meeting, Curaçao

18 to 22 May 2015, the Association of Marine Laboratories of the Caribbean (AMLC) held its 37th Scientific Conference on Curaçao. The conference was...
Other resources A Review of the Ecology and Economics of Curaçao’s Marine Resources

This report contains information on: General Description of Curacao Physical description Marine Ecosystems: Descriptions, Status and Threats Seafood...
Other resources Physis XVI - Journal of marine sciences

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Scientific article e evolution of the Caribbean Marine Protected Area Management Network and Forum (CaMPAM): 20 years of the Regional Multidimensional Program for Strengthening MPA Practitioners

In 1997, the United Nations Environment’s Caribbean Environment Program (UNEP-CEP) convened a meeting of 50 MPA managers from which CaMPAM was born....
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean (CARIPES)

Report 2.1 – Tropical Marine Ecosystem Services This report is part of the CARIPES project
Media Tropical sea urchins move from a marine lab in Leeuwarden to the Rotterdam Zoo

At Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences (HVHL) in Leeuwarden, the sea urchin Diadema antillarum has been cultivated to help restore the...
Research report Fisheries Baseline Assessment of Statia Marine Park, St Eustatius, Netherlands Antilles
Research report Saba National Marine Park Management Plan
Other resources Physis V - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Maps and Charts Marine park map of Curacao (2014)
Media 8th meeting of the Dutch Caribbean Committee for Marine Biodiversity and Fisheries

On November 24th 2015, the Committee for the joint management of Marine Biodiversity and Fisheries (CMBF) of the Dutch Caribbean (aka EEZ Committee)...
Other resources Economic Valuation of Curaçao’s Marine Resources

This report contains information on: Value of Curaçao’s Fisheries Value of Marine Tourism and Recreation Habitat Valuations Ocean Zoning Potential...
Other resources Physis XVII - Journal of marine science

As part of CIEE's Bonaire semester programs, each student conducts an independent research project on a topic of their choice. The projects...
Research report Coral reef monitoring in St Maarten 2016 and 2017 Impact of Hurricane Irma on St Maarten Reefs and on the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area

Carnivorous fish biomass, with a focus on grouper and snapper biomass, varied the most amongst these reefs after the hurricanes. These carnivores...
Media Comparative Study on Artificial Reefs of the Caribbean

University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein and Wageningen University and Research recently conducted a comparative study of artificial reefs...
Scientific article Artificial reefs in the Caribbean: A need for comprehensive monitoring and integration into marine management plans

Caribbean coral reefs are in decline and the deployment of artificial reefs, structures on the sea bottom that mimic one or more characteristics of a...
Other resources Benthic Habitat Mapping in the coastal waters of Saba Dutch Caribbean

In this research benthic habitats of the Saba Marine Park were mapped. There were several reasons for an updated benthic habitat map: (1) to compare...
Media 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute

The 71st annual conference of the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) was held in San Andres, (Colombia) from 5–9 November 2018. This...
Monitoring protocol Invasive Lionfish - A Guide to Control and Management

The invasion of lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans) may prove to be one of the greatest threats of this century to warm temperate and tropical...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2003

Abstract: St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) is the only environmental non-governmental organization on St Eustatius. In 1996, the...
Other resources Hydrocarbons on coral reefs: An analysis of the presence of anthropogenic PAHs in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Phototoxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been welldocumented as major marine pollutants. While PAHs are known to have negative...
Media Exciting Rare Sighting in the Dutch Caribbean: the Antillean manatee

Exciting Rare Sighting in the Dutch Caribbean: theAntillean manatee Last month STINAPA’s ranger Luigi Eybrecht was diving near Playa in Bonaire when...
Research report Marine Turtle Trauma Response Procedures: A Husbandry Manual
Scientific article Baseline Study of Submerged Marine Debris at Beaches in Curaçao, West Indies

The objective of this study was to quantify the extent and nature of submerged debris at beaches in Curacao.
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean (CARIPES)

Report 2.3 – Quantification of Ecosystem Services and Users This report is part of the CARIPES project
Other resources Coral Reef Resilience Assessment of the Bonaire National Marine Park, Netherlands Antilles

Although Bonaire’s coral reefs remain among the healthiest and most resilient in the Caribbean, this IUCN report based on the IUCN Resilience...
Scientific article Creating landscape-scale maps of coral reef cover for marine reserve management from high resolution multispectral remote sensing

New methods are needed for the study of coral reefs, as they are changing rapidly. Satellite remote sensing has become a common method for benthic...
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean ( CARIPES)

Report 4.1 – Valorisation of fishermen’s knowledge Report 4.2 - Study of the knowledge of the fishermen relating to the capacity of resilience of the...
Scientific article Continued expansion of the trans-Atlantic invasive marine angiosperm Halophila stipulacea in the Eastern Caribbean

Abstract: Halophila stipulacea (Hydrocharitaceae) is reported for the first time from Aruba, Curaçao, Grenadines (Grenada), St. Eustatius, St. John (...
Research report Reconstructing the former Netherlands Antilles marine catches from 1950 to 2010

The former Netherlands Antilles consisted of Aruba, which became a distinct state in 1986, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, which became countries in 2010...
Scientific article Shell Lip Thickness Is the Most Reliable Proxy to Sexual Maturity in Queen Conch (Lobatus gigas) of Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize

Queen conch (Lobatus gigas) is an important food source and export product for Belize, where extraction is regulated by shell length (SL) and market...
Scientific article What constitutes essential nursery habitat for a marine species? A case study of habitat form and function for queen conch

ABSTRACT: There is increasing recognition that habitats should be managed as part of fisheries management. It is generally assumed that amount of...
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean ( CARIPES)

WP 4 : Valorisation of the fishermen knowledge This report is part of the CARIPES project
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean ( CARIPES)

Report 3.3 – Estimate of the willingness to pay of various users of the MPA This report is part of the CARIPES project
Other resources Characterization of Caribbean marine protected areas: An analysis of ecological, organizational and socio-economic factors
Research report Interactions between invasive mammals and their effects on Red-billed Tropicbird (Phaethon aethereus) nesting productivity

Abstract: Red-billed Tropicbirds (Phaethon aethereus) are cavity-nesting seabirds with important nesting colonies on Saba and Sint Eustatius in the...
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean (CARIPES)

Report 3.2 – Appreciation of the potential of the fishermen to work for conservation This report is part of the CARIPES project
Media New Study Sheds Light on Marine Traffic’s Impact on Whales

The Caribbean Humpback Acoustic Monitoring Program (CHAMP) used acoustic recorders to gain insight on local humpback whale populations, expanding...
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean (CARIPES)

Report 3.1 – Study of the mechanisms of financing This report is part of the CARIPES project
Research report Marine assessment guideline for BOPEC and Nustar operations

As part of the permit, Rijkswaterstaat requested an ecological monitoring and evaluation framework guideline to accompany the permit-application for...
Other resources Reconstructing the former Netherlands Antilles marine catches from 1950 to 2010

The former Netherlands Antilles consisted of Aruba, which became a distinct state in 1986, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, which became countries in 2010...
Other resources Quantitative tracking of the cellular and skeletal respose of the Caribbean coral orbicella annularis to gradients i marine sewage pollution

Msc. Thesis Abstract Orbicella annularis is an abundant framework-building Scleractinian coral that serves as an ecological cornerstone throughout...
Scientific article Marine gastropods from the ABC islands and other localities 14. The family Terebridae with the description of a new species from Aruba (Gastropoda: Terebridae)

The species of the family Terebridae occurring at the Dutch Leeward Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao), and other parts of the tropical western...
Other resources Payments for Marine protected area ecosystem services in the Caribbean (CARIPES)

Report 2.2 – Ecological assessment and health status indicators including: Habitat maps of the benthic communities of Sint Eustatius, Caribbean ...
Other resources St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2008

Abstract: The St Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme was initiated in 2001 due to concerns that the island’s sea turtle populations were...
Media Sharks found with dangerously high levels of heavy metals in The Caribbean

In a new study, researchers from the non-profit research institute Beneath the Waves (BTW) documented and revealed alarmingly high levels of 12 heavy...
Scientific article Patrimoine marin caribéen et perspectives écotouristiques : vers un développement durable des petites îles?

The Caribbean Sea is home to a diversity of coastal habitats that support the installation of three rich and complex ecosystems - coral reefs,...
Research report Diversity, abundance, distribution and habitat use reef-associated sharks in the Dutch Caribbean

Shark are in serious decline in the Caribbean due to fishing pressure and slow reproductive life-history. The Dutch Caribbean Nature Policy Plan in...
Other resources State of Nature in the Dutch Caribbean: Saba and the Saba Bank

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the state of nature for the three Dutch Caribbean islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
Media Recommendations for avoiding collisions with humpback whales in the Dutch Caribbean

A new study from the Aeres University of Applied Sciences combined expert knowledge and an analysis of historical data concerning whale ship strikes...
Other resources Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean - St. Maarten

St Maarten’s IBAs—the country’s international site priorities for bird conservation—cover 815 ha (including marine areas), and about c.36% of the...
Media 2022 promises new nature parks on Curaçao

The Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity (CARMABI) recently highlighted some big changes and impressive achievements for Curaçao during...
Research report St. Eustatius National Parks - Lionfish Response Plan

This document serves as a reference for the controlling and management of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans complex...
Media Mapping and Studying Changing Coral Reefs: Is the Saba Bank still growing?

Researchers aboard the Pelagia research vessel have been collecting invaluable data on the Windward islands in the Caribbean during the sixth leg of...
Scientific article Caribbean Sea Soundscapes: Monitoring Humpback Whales, Biological Sounds, Geological Events, and Anthropogenic Impacts of Vessel Noise

Assessing marine soundscapes provides an understanding of the biological, geological and anthropogenic composition of a habitat, including species...
Media FPNA hosts first coral reef monitoring workshop

Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) is proud to be hosting its first Coral Reef Monitoring Workshop this week, together with trainers – marine...
Media Expedition on the Saba Bank to Enhance Tiger Shark Protection

Starting August 1, 2021 a team of researchers will spend a week on the Saba Bank investigating the life-cycle of tiger sharks. Researchers will...
Other resources Sponges (Porifera) of St. Eustatius

This article was published in the following report: MARINE BIODIVERSITY SURVEY OF ST. EUSTATIUS, DUTCH CARIBBEAN 2015 by Naturalis Biodiversity...
Media BioNews 3 - March 2013

From a global perspective, March has been busy when it comes to regulatory affairs with the CITES meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, in which worldwide...
Scientific article Prevalence of External Injuries in Small Cetaceans in Aruban Waters, Southern Caribbean

Abstract: Aruba, located close to the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela, is one of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean and supports a...
Scientific article Demographic changes in Pleistocene sea turtles were driven by past sea level fluctuations affecting feeding habitat availability

Abstract Pleistocene environmental changes are generally assumed to have dramatically af-fected species’ demography via changes in habitat...
Other resources Coastal region and small island papers 3: Saba, Netherlands Antilles

In comparison to other CARICOMP sites, the tiny island of Saba, in the Windward Islands arc of the Lesser Antilles, can be described as atypical in...
Other resources Saba Bank management Unit Activity Report 2016

The Saba Bank Management Unit (SBMU) is responsible for the operational management of the Saba Bank. Its current tasks are to perform scientific...
Other resources Protection of High Seas biodiversity in the Antilles, West Africa and Antarctica: inventory of EBSAs and VMEs

Abstract: To protect deep-sea biodiversity, the United Nations have adopted a number of resolutions that should protect vulnerable marine ecosystems...
Media Concerns about building plan in fragile coral reef

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-NL), STINAPA, Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire, The Caribbean Speleological Society, and the Dutch Caribbean...
Scientific article The Quaternary volcanogenic landscape and volcaniclastic sediments of the Netherlands Antilles: markers for an in-active volcanic arc

Abstract: The Quaternary volcanogenic landscape and the volcanogenic sediments of the Netherlands Antilles (NA) (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao) reflect the...
Scientific article Crude oil contamination interrupts settlement of coral larvae after direct exposure ends

Oil spills cause damage to marine wildlife that lasts well past their immediate aftermath. Marine offspring that must settle and metamorphose to...
Scientific article Global Analysis of Anthropogenic Debris Ingestion by Sea Turtles

Abstract: Ingestion of marine debris can have lethal and sublethal effects on sea turtles and other wildlife. Although researchers have reported on...
Media State of Nature: Bonaire

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Dutch Caribbean islands Bonaire, Saba and St....
Media New Coral Reef Breeding Nursery on Bonaire

A brand new, innovative floating coral fish breeding nursery is being tested at the Dive Friends Sand Dollar location on Bonaire. This project, led...
Research report The Hydrogeology of Curaçao: an electrical resistivity study

Abstract Worldwide, coral reef health is declining rapidly due to both global stressors (climate change) and local stressors (pollution). Reef...
Research report Water quality monitoring Bonaire. Identification of indicators, methods and locations

Abstract On the island Bonaire, eutrophication is a point of serious concern, affecting the coral reefs in the marine park. Eutrophication can cause...
Scientific article Saving Saba Bank: Policy Implications of Biodiversity Studies

Abstract: This paper provides a context for the results of recent biodiversity surveys of Saba Bank. Recent biological surveys of corals, fishes, and...
Media Rare nudibranch discovery highlights diversity of Bonaire’s reefs

In exciting news for the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP), a sighting of Aegires sublaevis, a rare nudibranch, was documented at the Cliff dive...
Research report Humpback and minke whale acoustic presence with reference to fish sounds and ambient noise levels at Saba Bank, Caribbean Windward Dutch Islands

The Antillean Island chain is a known breeding and calving ground for North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). However, while most...
Research report Humpback and minke whale acoustic presence with reference to fish sounds and ambient noise levels at Saba Bank, Caribbean Windward Dutch Islands

The Antillean Island chain is a known breeding and calving ground for North Atlantic humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). However, while most...
Research report St. Eustatius GCRMN Caribbean Final Report 2019

Twenty-two sites across four monitoring zones of St. Eustatius’ marine ecosystem within the national marine park were assessed using the Global Coral...
Research report Initial Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) studies on St. Eustatius

The large marine gastropod, Queen conch (Strombus gigas) was studied over a period of 3 months on the island of St. Eustatius. Strombus gigas are...
Portal Plants and Lichens of Saba. A Virtual Herbarium of The New York Botanical Garden.

Saba is a five square mile island with about 1200 permanent inhabitants located off the coast of St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles (go to map...
Research report Mapping the Economic Value of Ecosystems on Saba

This report will specifically focus on the spatial distribution of the ecosystem values and eventually visualize these values geographically in a...
Research report Influence of coastal economic valuations un the Caribbean: enabling conditions and lessons learned

Across the Caribbean, national economies are heavily dependent on coastal ecosystem services. Coral reefs, mangroves, and other coastal ecosystems...
Research report Climate change effects on the biodiversity of the BES islands

In this report we review and assess possible consequences of climate change for the biodiversity of the Dutch BES islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
Other resources Carimam Project - report on kick'off meeting

The Agoa Sanctuary (named after a Caribbean - Amerindian sea goddess) was established because of the abundance and diversity of cetacean species...
Media Obituary – Dr. Walter (Wòti) Bakhuis, Carmabi/Stinapa director 1981-2006

On the 25th of March this year, Dr. Walter L. (Wòti) Bakhuis passed away at the ripe old age of 80 in Maarssen, The Netherlands. With his passing,...
Research report St. Maarten Nature Foundation Lionfish Response Plan

This document serves as a reference for the controlling and management of the invasive Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois miles and P. volitans complex...
Scientific article Geographic coupling of juvenile and adult habitat shapes spatial population dynamics of a coral reef fish

Abstract: Marine spatial population dynamics are often addressed with a focus on larval dispersal, without taking into account movement behavior of...
Research report A Report on the Status of the Coral Reefs of Bonaire 2003 with Advice on the Establishment of Fish Protection Areas

Bonaire has long been considered to have amongst the healthiest reefs of the Caribbean. However, at the 2002 Annual Meeting of Pew Fellows for Marine...
Media NICO expedition: eddies

NICO expedition: eddies Rising ocean temperatures associated with global warming are changing our oceans and are projected to have a considerable...
Other resources Small-scale variation in coral reef quality on the leeward side of Bonaire

In the last three decades, Caribbean coral cover values have been declining from 50% to 10% cover Caribbean wide. Several studies have researched...
Other resources Preliminary checklist of extant endemic species and subspecies of the windward Dutch Caribbean (St. Martin, St. Eustatius, Saba and the Saba Bank)

Keywords: endemic species, Caribbean, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Marten, Saba Bank Endemic species and subspecies (or “taxa” for short) having...
Research report Research and Monitoring Results for the Size Class Distribution and Abundance of the Queen Conch, Strombus gigas, and Seagrass Characterization in Lac Bay, Bonaire

Executive Summary This report provides a comprehensive coverage of accomplishments completed to date by Environics for the Lac Bay queen conch (...
Other resources Impacts of cleaner shrimp, Ancylomenes pedersoni, density at cleaning stations on cleaner and client behavior

Mutualisms and symbiotic relationships are common in the marine environment. Relationships between cleaner species, their hosts, and their client...
Scientific article Pelagic movements of pacific leatherback turtles (dermochelys coriacea) highlight the role of prey and ocean currents

Abstract: Background: Leatherback turtles are renowned for their trans-oceanic migrations. However, despite numerous movement studies, the precise...
Other resources Biodiversity Monitoring on the BES-islands: …Past, Present and Future

Abstract With the transition of the islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES) from the former Netherlands Antilles to special municipalities...
Media A Decade of Lionfish Management on Bonaire

Lionfish were first spotted off the coast of Bonaire back in 2009. Since then, STINAPA has been working alongside a cast of dedicated volunteers to...
Media Exploring the Saba Bank’s Deep Sea

During the fifth leg of the NICO expedition researchers from NIOZ Sea Research, Wageningen Marine Research and Naturalis Biodiversity Center studied...
Other resources Anthropogenic influence on sedimentation and hydrocarbon concentration by terrestrial run-off near a drain in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The anthropogenic effect of terrestrial run-off on coral reef ecosystems is a topic of high concern to marine ecologists. In the Caribbean, coral...
Other resources Effects of pumping efficiency on the antibacterial properties of sponges Aplysina archeri and Aplysina lacunosa on Bonaire

The filter feeding mechanism of marine sponges exposes them to water-borne toxins and bacteria, forcing them to evolve immune systems effective in...
Other resources A comparison of cleaning stations operated by the cleaner shrimp Periclemenes pedersoni on host anemones Condylactis gigantea and Bartholomea annulata

Cleaner shrimp are commonly found throughout Caribbean coral reefs and can effectively reduce parasite loads on reef fish resulting in increased...
Other resources Spatial distribution and severity of dark spots disease in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Corals are the building blocks of coral reefs as they provide countless marine organisms with protection and habitat. However, coral diseases are...
Other resources Black spot disease of Ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus) population in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Diseases of oceanic species are difficult to research due to the ocean‟s vast size and the overall logistics involved in studying disease in...
Media Sunscreen Awareness Bonaire- Moving towards a oxybenzone free island

Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) and Boneiru Duradero (BD) supported by World Wide Fund for Nature the Netherlands (WWF-NL)organised a Sunscreen...
Other resources Reef fish assemblage and invertebrate cover in relationship to the degree of artificial reef isolation

Reef fishes and invertebrates are quickly losing their habitats due to widespread coral degradation. Artificial reefs are entering the spotlight as...
Research report 40 years of change on the coral reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire

Coral reef ecosystems Tropical coral reefs are among the most productive and biologically diverse ecosystems found on earth (Odum and Odum 1955;...
Other resources Structure and substratum preference of a schooling fish: observing the habitat use and nutrient input of smallmouth grunts (Haemulon chrysargyreum) in Bonaire

Various marine organisms are known to consciously select specific types of habitat that provide maximum shelter from potential predators. Reef fish...
Other resources Effects of elevated CO2 levels on Coryphopterus glaucofraenum response to injured conspecific chemical cues

Carbon dioxide levels in the ocean are predicted to double by the end of the century, making the marine environment more acidic than it is today....
Other resources Abundance and diversity of fluorescent anemone species across reef habitats off the coast of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Marine anemones influence oceanic food webs, partake in symbiotic relationships with many marine phyla, and can prove detrimental to coral reef...
Other resources Diel vertical migration and luminescent activity of bioluminescent dinoflagellates in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Bioluminescence is a cold-light produced by chemical reactions and has been observed in over 90% of marine organisms. The largely speculated adaptive...
Media The value of sharks

My name is Francois Mille, I am a Marine Park Ranger at STENAPA in Sint Eustatius. Sint Eustatius is a small volcanic island, 21km2, that belongs to...
Other resources Large scale, medium scale, and small scale patterns of benthic cyanobacteria & the possibility of groundwater association on a coral reef

Cyanobacteria presence in the marine ecosystem is biologically significant due to its versatile nature. This phylum is responsible for destructive...
Media Invasive Species Workshop on St. Eustatius

Twenty-five participants attended an informative workshop on invasive species on November 28th and 29th 2017. The Caribbean Netherlands Science...
Other resources Which is more attractive to juvenile fish: availability of food or the complexity of habitat in the mangroves of Bonaire, NA?

Habitat selection is critical to the development, growth and reproductive success for most marine animals. Organisms select habitat based on food...
Media International Meeting on Protection of Sharks

From November 20-24th, 2017 a group of international shark experts gathered at Captain Don’s Habitat on Bonaire to discuss measures for the...
Other resources Using prey fish species as bioindicators of anthropogenic stress and predictors of predator density and diversity on coral reefs in Bonaire, N.A.

Bioindicator species have been used to determine changes in water quality and the effect of pollution at sites of environmental concern. Increasingly...
Other resources Impacts of sunscreens on coral reefs

Sunscreens contain organic (chemical) and/or inorganic (mineral) UV filters that absorb, reflect or scatter UV light. They also contain inactive...
Media Unexpected high number of endemics for the windward Dutch Caribbean Islands

In light of the mounting impact of humans on our planet, there is an urgent need to assess the status of all current living species so as to ensure...
Research report Management plan for the natural resources of the EEZ of the Dutch Caribbean

On the 10th of October 2010 the governmental entity known as the Netherlands Antilles is scheduled to cease to exist. Each island will aquire a new...
Media Call of action to salvage St. Maarten’s coral reefs from new disease

A new coral disease, Stony Coral Tissue Loss disease, is spreading throughout the Wider Caribbean region and causing high mortality amongst a number...
Media SPAW: new protected areas, new species!

In December 2014, the 8th SPAW (Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife) Protocol Conference of Parties (COP8) in Cartagena, Colombia, recognized...
Research report Using the perception of fishermen, residents and tourists to support sustainable fishing practices on the Saba Bank

Summary Saba is a tropical island in the Dutch Caribbean that is known for its unique ecosystems and rich biodiversity both above and below the...
Research report An assessment of sand quality and potential impacts on corals at the Chogogo Dive and Beach Resort artificial beach

Summary The Government of Bonaire has requested Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) to research the composition of the sand used to construct the...
Other resources Policy Letter: Creating effective, sustainable fisheries management in the Caribbean Netherlands

Throughout the Caribbean, like in the rest of the world, the abundance of marine fish species have been declining over the past decades. The health...
Scientific article Close encounters of the worst kind: reforms needed to curb coral reef damage by recreational divers

Abstract Intentional and unintentional physical contact between scuba divers and the seabed is made by most divers and multiple times per dive, which...
Media Scientific Assessment of Curaçao’s Reefs

Blue Halo Curaçao, a partnership between the Waitt Institute and the Government of Curaçao, in close cooperation with researchers from CARMABI and...
Scientific article First record of Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei for the Dutch Caribbean

A dead dolphin found on Bonaire in August 2011 is identified as adult Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei, a new species for the Dutch Caribbean. A...
Other resources Nomads in the Caribbean

Dr. Christianen is a postdoc in a project run jointly by Wageningen Marine Research (formerly IMARES), the Marine Animal Ecology group at Wageningen...
Media WWF Policy Brief: CREATING EFFECTIVE, SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES MANAGEMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN NETHERLANDS

Throughout the Caribbean, like in the rest of the world, the abundance of marine fish species have been declining over the past decades. The health...
Scientific article Multi-scale habitat occupancy of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in coral reef environments of Roatan, Honduras

The Indo-Pacific lionfish species [Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) and P. miles (Bennett, 1828): Family Scorpaenidae] are the first nonnative...
Scientific article Report of the Scientific Committee (Annual meeting 2011, 30 May-11 June 2011, Trømso, Norway)

...National Progress Reports presented at the 2002-10 meetings are accessible on the IWC website. Reports from previous years will also become...
Scientific article Additional Records and a Review of the Cetacean Fauna of the Leeward Dutch Antilles

Forty-one additional cetacean records are reported for the Leeward Dutch Antilles, expanding the list of documented records to 70 (53 sightings and...
Media Bonaire World Heritage Nomination Project

The Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) has received a number of international recognitions due to the outstanding biodiversity that it protects and...
Media The Humpbacks are Back!

We have some wonderful news to share! The magnificent humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) have returned for their four-to five-month long stay...
Scientific article The Role of Tourism and Recreation in the Spread of Non-Native Species: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Managing the pathways by which non-native species are introduced and spread is consid- ered the most effective way of preventing species invasions....
Media AcroporaNet Symposium

AcroporaNet Symposium University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein (HVHL) invites you to the third annual AcroporaNet Symposium to be held in...
Research report The influence of terrestrial erosion on Acropora palmata occurrence on Saba, Dutch Caribbean

A high influx of sediment resulting from terrestrial erosion, imposes a major threat on coral reef ecosystems worldwide by inducing sedimentation and...
Other resources Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

A new guide from MPAConnect, a partnership between GCFI and NOAA Coral Program, seeks to help Caribbean marine natural resource managers who are...
Research report Habitat diversity and biodiversity of the benthic seascapes of St. Eustatius

Quantitative habitat mapping and description form the basis for understanding the provisioning of ecosystem services and habitat connectivity, and...
Research report Habitat Surveys of Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles: An Assessment of Benthic Communities and Fish Assemblages

Saba Bank is a large and completely submerged carbonate platform in the northeastern Caribbean Sea located approximately 4 km southwest of Saba...
Research report Water quality monitoring Bonaire. Results monitoring November 2011 and recommendations for future research

Abstract On the island Bonaire, eutrophication is a point of serious concern, affecting the coral reefs in the marine park. Eutrophication can cause...
Research report Exotic and invasive terrestrial and freshwater animal species in the Dutch Caribbean

We here provide an overview of 72 invasive animals of the terrestrial and freshwater environments of the Dutch Caribbean, eleven of which are no...
Media Successful first in-person summit for the Caribbean Shark Coalition

Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below. The Caribbean Shark Coalition (CSC) met for their first in-person summit in St. Maarten from September...
Research report Water quality of the coastal zone of Bonaire Results field monitoring 2011-2013

Approach: Eutrophication is a common threat to the integrity of coral reefs as it can cause altered balance and integrity of the reef ecosystem. On...
Research report WIDECAST Sea Turtle Recovery Action Plan for the Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: The Netherlands Antilles consists of five Caribbean islands. The leeward islands are Curaçao and Bonaire, close to the mainland of...
Scientific article Human Pathogen Shown to Cause Disease in the Threatened Elkhorn Coral Acropora palmata

Abstract: Coral reefs are in severe decline. Infections by the human pathogen Serratia marcescens have contributed to precipitous losses in the...
Research report Atlas of the Living Reefs of Curaçao and Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles)

The importance of reefs for man is multilateral and ranges from age-old functions, such as acting as a rampart preventing shore erosion, to modern...
Media NICO Science Expedition to the Dutch Caribbean

December 13th marked the beginning of an incredibly exciting and ambitious research expedition organized by the Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea...
Media Population Structure and Connectivity of Reef-building Corals in the Southern Dutch Caribbean

A new study will examine the genetic connectivity of corals located around the ABC islands. The goal is to find a link between the spatial...
Research report Chapter 12. Status and trends of coral reefs of the Caribbean region

Regional Context: The Caribbean Region represents only 1% of Earth’s marine surface but hosts 10% of the world’s coral reefs, including fringing...
Other resources Tunicates of St. Eustatius

Tunicates belong to the subphylum Tunicata in the phylum Chordata, which includes all animals with dorsal nerve cords and notocords. Some tunicates...
Research report Report on the Economic Valuation of St. Eustatius’ Coral Reef Resources

Abstract: The St. Eustatius National Marine Park conducted an Economic Valuation of St. Eustatius’ coral reef ecosystems in the fall of 2009. This...
Research report Baseline assessment of the coral reef fish assemblages of St. Eustatius

The shallow marine habitats surrounding St. Eustatius fulfil critical ecosystem services in terms of fishery production, recreation, dive tourism and...
Book Saba Bank Research 2011-2016

This book will let you dive into the underwater worl of the Saba Bank and gives you an introduction to its amazing biodiversity. At the same time you...
Research report The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity, Aruba

Aruba’s natural capital value for tourism, culture, fishing and carbon exceeds US$ 287.3 million per year. ARUBA, an island of 115,000 human...
Media Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Management Update for the Dutch Caribbean

Since 2014, a new coral disease has been spreading through the reefs of the Caribbean. Known as Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), this disease...
Research report Working paper on the economic valuation of country St. Maarten's coral reef resources

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation conducted an Economic Valuation of St. Maarten’s coral reef ecosystems in the fall of 2010. This attempted to put a...
Other resources Pelagic plankton diel vertical movement, diversity, and density in relation to nitrate concentration in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Plankton are the base of the marine food web and are studied for a broad range of research relating to diversity and ocean health. These organisms...
Other resources Investigations of an unidentified benthic cyanobacterial species on Bonaire, N.A.

An unidentified benthic cyanobacterial species has been documented growing on the reef system of Bonaire, N.A. Despite their role as nitrogen fixers...
Research report ANALYSIS OF THE SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAIN ON BONAIRE, SABA AND ST. EUSTATIUS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Fisheries on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius (Caribbean Netherlands) are important for the local economy and food provision on the...
Other resources Roadmap towards effective fisheries management of the Caribbean Netherlands

For the special municipalities of the Netherlands, Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is...
Media Aruba’s Value of Nature

There is strong link between economy and nature in the Dutch Caribbean due to our economic dependence on nature-based tourism. TEEB Aruba - The...
Media Special Edition Bionews: 2021 DCNA Convention

Between November 23rd and the 27th, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) held its annual Nature Convention on Curaçao. Due to covid-19...
Other resources Using Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Improve the Accuracy and Efficiency of Managing the Invasive Pacific Red Lionfish in the Caribbean

Abstract The Pacific Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans) was introduced to the Atlantic Ocean in the 1980’s. Since their introduction the lionfish have...
Other resources Invasive lionfish obesity in Bonaire

Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois spp.) have spread to and established sufficient numbers throughout the Caribbean. They are extreme generalists that...
Research report Cultural Ecosystem Service (CES) for Local Community in Aruba

This research is based on the TEEB framework- The Economics of Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity.TEEB is a branch in United Nations Environment...
Other resources The effects of the lunar cycle on plankton density, diversity, and diel migration in the coastal waters of Bonaire, N.A.

The lunar cycle is a key environmental factor influencing the feeding, reproduction, and migration of many marine organisms, including fish,...
Other resources Night ecology and fluorescence of the fireworm, Hermodice carunculata

The marine bearded fireworm, Hermodice carunculata, is a highly mobile polychaete that is abundant on the coral reefs of Bonaire and is active at...
Other resources Examining the effect of different grazers on algal biomass

Herbivory drives ecosystem dynamics in both terrestrial and marine habitats, controlling type and biomass of vegetation. In tropical coral reefs,...
Other resources Investigating effects of depth and size on pumping rate and filtering efficiency of the Caribbean reef sponge Aplysina lacunosa

Marine sponges provide an important link between the benthic and pelagic environments of coral reef ecosystems, yet there is relatively little known...
Media Microplastic Contamination on Beaches of the Lesser Antilles

Plastic pollution is one of today’s most pressing global challenges. An estimated 4-12 billion kg of plastic enter our oceans annually, where it is...
Other resources A study of succession in algal communities on coral reefs

The transition in the Caribbean Sea from coral dominated reefs to algal dominated reefs poses a serious risk to the current existing community....
Other resources The distribution of black band disease on Bonaire corals in relation to environmental factors

In the 1970s, black band disease (BBD) emerged as a mass coral killer and caught the attention of scientists. Although BBD has been studied for more...
Research report Saba Bank Research Expedition 2013 - Progress Report

The Saba Bank is the largest submerged carbonate platform of 2,200 km2 in the Caribbean Sea, which lies partially within the Exclusive Economic Zone...
Other resources Vibrio communities associated with the azooxanthellate coral Tubastraea coccinea as compared to zooxanthellate shallow sea corals

A coral is made up of key associations between endosymbiotic zooxanthellae, protists, bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. These microbe-coral...
Other resources Sediment rates and composition surrounding a disturbed outlet in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The small island of Bonaire has seen a dramatic increase in visitation due to diving tourism. The economy of Bonaire depends on this influx of...
Other resources Changes in the healing rate of Ventricaria ventricosa in acidified ocean water

Given the amount of CO2 currently being absorbed by the ocean, there is a great deal of research studying the effects of ocean acidification on a...
Other resources Parrotfish mucus cocoon production at night in Bonaire, N.A.

Many marine organisms use mucus to catch food, clean themselves, or for protection from predators. Some species of parrotfish (Family Scaridae) use...
Other resources Incidence of disease in Acanthurus bahianus population, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Disease in the ocean is difficult to study because of the logistics involved in conducting marine research. This in turn has resulted in a lack of...
Other resources Parrotfish abundance and corallivory at the Yellow Sub dive site in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Parrotfish are some of the most widely recognized reef fish in the world. They occupy almost every tropical reef on the planet, and through their...
Other resources Infection frequency and species identification of the black spot causing parasite found commonly on ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus tractus) in Bonaire

Diseases, pathogens, and parasites in marine ecosystems are difficult to research and understand. Tracking the health of ecosystems, such as tropical...
Other resources Fluorescent patterns, size, and abundance of the bearded fireworm Hermodice carunculata in the intertidal zone on Bonaire

Hermodice carunculata, commonly known as the Bearded Fireworm, is a corallivorous Polychaete found throughout the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean...
Other resources Effects of structural complexity on Sharpnose Pufferfish, Canthigaster rostrata (Tetraodontidae), abundance and size in the shallows of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The Sharpnose Pufferfish, Canthigaster rostrata, as well as other species within the Tetraodontidae family are common reef fish found in tropical and...
Other resources Interactions among sponges, algae, and coral in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean: an analysis of sponge and algae prevalence in relation to coral abundance and health

Stressors causing coral reef degradation are making reefs susceptible to domination by other organisms. One documented phase-shift is increased...
Other resources To eat or be eaten: Consumer induced behavior in variegated feather duster worms (Bispira variegata)

Predator-prey interactions are a driving force for many identifying features of ecosystems. Predation pressure not only strongly influences...
Other resources Antibacterial effects of three Caribbean sponges from areas of varying pollution

Sponges are sessile marine organisms that have developed efficient defense mechanisms against microbial pathogens. These organisms are one of the...
Other resources Temporal use of two artificial reef morphologies by coral reef fishes

Coral reefs are important marine ecosystems with high biodiversity that provides food and socioeconomic benefits to people in tropical regions around...
Other resources Traditional datu cactus (Ritterocereus griseus) fences reduce runoff rates and transport of sediment and nutrients on hillsides in Bonaire, N.A.

Most hard corals require seawater with low nutrients and sediment loads to thrive. Unfortunately, on a global scale, increases in both are currently...
Other resources Feeding ecology and twilight interspecific interactions of lionfish (Pterois spp.) in Bonaire, N.A.

Bioinvasions are defined as the establishment of a species in an area where it has not existed previously. Usually the result of an anthropogenic...
Other resources Cleaner-client interactions and depth distributions among three cleaner species: Bodianus rufus, Elacatinus evelynae, and Anclyomenes pedersoni

Cleaning is a symbiotic behavior that has been observed in many animals, including both terrestrial and marine species. Cleaner species and their...
Other resources Algal cover and the effects of various nutrient levels on Bonaire's coral reefs

A reoccurring problem facing a majority of the coral reefs in the Caribbean for the past few decades has been the fear of a changing community...
Scientific article Long-term movements of an adult male Kemp's Ridley sea turtle (Lepidochelys kempii) in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico

LONG-TERM MOVEMENTS OF AN ADULT MALE KEMP’S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE (LEPI- DOCHELYS KEMPII) IN THE NORTHWEST- ERN GULF OF MEXICO—Despite recent insights...
Other resources Tubastraea coccinea: Distribution and substratum preference of an exotic coral in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The study of introduced species has gained popularity in recent years. A species introduced to a new area can have negative effects on the native...
Other resources Effects of shore proximity and depth on the distribution of fish larvae in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

A vast majority of marine fish species, both reef and pelagic, are bipartite, meaning that they have a pelagic larval stage distinctly separate from...
Other resources Enterococci, a bacterial fecal indicator, and its correlation with coral disease abundance in Bonaire

Coral reef environments are diverse and productive ecosystems that supply a variety of benefits to marine species and humans alike. Unfortunately,...
Other resources Circadian rhythms and food entrainment of lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Circadian rhythms are common in many organisms and provide an organism synchrony with its environment, which is vital for survival. Entraining...
Other resources Utilization of smaller grouper species (Cephalopholis cruentata, Cephalopholis fulva, Epinephelus guttatus, Epinephelus adscensionis) densities as a coral reef health indicator

Serranidae, the grouper family, are common carnivorous fish that inhabit Bonaire’s coral reefs. Smaller grouper species are commonly spotted along...
Other resources Assessment of local lionfish (Pterois volitans) densities and management efforts in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The Indo-Pacific lionfish Pterois volitans is an invasive species that was released along the U.S. Atlantic coast and spread to the Caribbean....
Other resources Population demographic of Pomacanthus paru (French angelfish) in comparison to seafloor rugosity

Species conservation is becoming an important aspect in marine environments. Climate change and anthropogenic interactions have had a direct impact...
Other resources Effects of Nutrient Enrichment and Water Quality on Coral Disease Prevalence in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Trying to understand the extent to which anthropogenic stressors impact coral reefs globally has led to an increase in studies which analyze the...
Other resources A comparative study of benthic and coral reef fish communities on artificial versus natural reefs of Bonaire, N.A.

Caribbean coral reef ecosystems are threatened by anthropogenic impacts such as pollution, overfishing, and habitat destruction. In an effort to...
Other resources Inorganic nutrients, photosynthetic pigments, and zooplankton species richness and species diversity in the surrounding waters of urban Kralendijk, Bonaire

Excess nutrients as a result of agricultural, urban, and industrial runoff are major causes to increases in plankton. Coral reefs are nutrient poor...
Research report Proceedings of the Technical Workshop on Mitigating Sea Turtle Bycatch in Coastal Net Fisheries

Abstract: Sea turtles are adversely affected by a range of factors, some natural and others caused by human activities, such as fishing operations....
Other resources Frequencies of coral disease in areas suspected of sewage-contaminated groundwater outflow in Bonaire N.A.

Anthropogenically induced stressors are degrading coral reefs globally. Nutrients and bacteria present in wastewater increase the frequency and...
Other resources Physical and spatial differences between the three color morphologies of the Atlantic trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculates

Mimetism allows organisms to blend into the environment and avoid detection by both predators and prey. The Atlantic trumpetfish, Aulostomus...
Other resources Distribution and abundance of spatial competition between scleractinian corals and sessile aggressive invertebrates on the west coast of Bonaire

Processes affecting reef ecosystems have three levels of organization: macroscale, mesoscale and microscale. These processes are conducive to...
Research report Status and Trends of Bonaire’s Reefs in 2017: Clear signs of resilience

The “resilience” of coral reef ecosystems has been an important goal of managers and policy makers for decades. At its most basic level, resilience...
Media Unraveling the Mysteries of the Saba Bank: DCNA Tiger Shark Expedition 2021

July 31st – August 7th, 2021 – For the first time on the Saba Bank, an expedition team was able to successfully assess the shark diversity by...
Other resources Unwelcome guests: Stakeholder perspectives on non-native seagrasses and macroalgal ‘nuisance’ species in Bonaire

Unlike coral reef and mangrove forest ecosystems, public recognition and multiple values of seagrass beds have only but recently been gaining...
Media BioNews 15 - April 2014

This month’s issue is all about migration. An exciting discovery in Venezuela of bats originally tagged on Aruba and Bonaire, confirms their long...
Scientific article Indirect effects of overfishing on Caribbean reefs: sponges overgrow reef-building corals

Consumer-mediated indirect effects at the community level are difficult to demonstrate empirically. Here, we show an explicit indirect effect of...
Other resources Macroalgae of Statia

During the Statia Marine Expedition species-habitat relations of algal communities were explored to identify biodiversity patterns, to assess whether...
Media 69th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute Cayman Islands

7 November 2016 - 11 November 2016 The Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) is a non-profit organization that promotes the exchange of...
Media UV- filters in sun care products as an emerging risk for Caribbean coral reefs

Researchers from the Wageningen Marine Research, under the leadership of water quality specialist and ecologist Dr. Diana Slijkerman, have been...
Scientific article Seascape continuity plays an important role in determining patterns of spatial genetic structure in a coral reef fish

Detecting patterns of spatial genetic structure (SGS) can help identify intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to gene flow within metapopulations. For...
Other resources Bonaire Coastal Dolphin Project

The Bonaire Coastal Dolphin Project was launched in February 2008 in collaboration with STINAPA and CIEE Research Station Bonaire. This is the...
Scientific article Southern Caribbean islands ecological corridor (Corredor Ecológico Islas del Caribe Sur)

The notion of an ecological corridor is to connect protected areas of high biodiversity to counteract the fragmentation of habitats, the loss of...
Scientific article Patterns of distribution and drivers of change in shallow seagrass and algal assemblages of a non-estuarine Southern Caribbean mangrove lagoon

Shallow marine macrophyte communities serve key roles in the tropical coastal ecosystem but are undergoing large and rapid deterioration worldwide,...
Media Underwater Sounds around Saba Bank

Powerpoint Presented at the Saba Bank Symposium 2016 Introduction Aims of acoustic research Methods Acoustic results and life sound analysis Future...
Media Exciting Changes for Nature Conservation in 2022 on Saba

From big litigation to renovations for their new sea lab, 2022 promises to be a banner year for the Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF). SCF recently...
Scientific article Rapid declines in lionfish catches in the Saba Bank lobster and snapper trap fisheries, Dutch Caribbean

Abstract Since its introduction in the Western Atlantic more than 30 years ago, the lionsh (Pterois volitans/miles complex) has spread throughout the...
Scientific article Recent invasion of a Florida (USA) estuarine system by lionfish Pterois volitans / P. miles

The invasion by lionfish Pterois volitans and P. miles throughout the western Atlantic and Caribbean is emerging as a serious ecological problem....
Research report Assessment of Ramsar site Lac Bonaire – June 2010

Findings The main issues that Lac Bay faces were identified as follows: Filling-in of Lac and reduced water circulation. Over-grazing by extensive...
Other resources Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean - St. Eustatius

Statia’s two IBAs—the island’s international priority sites for bird conservation—cover 41% of the island’s land area. Both IBAs are formally...
Media Volunteers will count endangered species in St. Eustatius (Anemoon)

The ANEMOON Foundation is a Dutch volunteer organization of citizen scientists who are interested in sea life. The Foundation has started a project...
Scientific article Controversies and consensus on the lionfish invasion in the Western Atlantic Ocean

This study investigates how the lionfish (Pterois sp.) invasion of the Western Atlantic Ocean has been socially constructed by natural scientists,...
Scientific article Environmental DNA reveals tropical shark diversity in contrasting levels of anthropogenic impact

Sharks are charismatic predators that play a key role in most marine food webs. Their demonstrated vulnerability to exploitation has recently turned...
Research report Coral Reefs Baseline Study for Aruba 2019

Background There is almost no systematic information about the state of marine ecosystems in Aruba. A recent report commissioned by the United...
Scientific article Metal concentrations in coastal sharks from The Bahamas with a focus on the Caribbean Reef shark

Over the last century anthropogenic activities have rapidly increased the influx of metals and metalloids entering the marine environment, which can...
Scientific article Ocean acidification compromises recruitment success of the threatened Caribbean coral Acropora palmata

Ocean acidification (OA) refers to the ongoing decline in oceanic pH resulting from the uptake of atmospheric CO2. Mounting experimental evidence...
Scientific article Nutritional properties of the invasive lionfish: A delicious and nutritious approach for controlling the invasion

Lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles, are native to the Indo-Pacific and have recently invaded the Western Atlantic Ocean. Strategies for control...
Research report Eutrophication status of Lac, Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean Including proposals for measures

Abstract: Lac is a semi-enclosed lagoon located on the south-eastern side of Bonaire, and contains a diversity of shallow water coral reef associated...
Scientific article Non-native, invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans), is first recorded in the southern Gulf of Mexico, off the northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

We recorded the first sighting and collection of the non-native, invasive red lionfish (Pterois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758]: Scorpaenidae) in the...
Scientific article Invasive red lionfish Pterois volitans blow directed jets of water at prey fish

Field and laboratory observations of feeding by invasive Pacific red lionfish Pterois volitans were conducted during June through August of 2008,...
Scientific article The cetaceans of Aruba, southern Caribbean

Abstract: Aruba is one of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean. However, very little is known about its cetaceans. In 2010 and 2011, a...
Scientific article First visual record of a living basking shark Cetorhinus maximus in the Caribbean Sea

The occurrence of basking sharks in the Caribbean Sea is only recently documented by satellite tagging studies, which show that some individuals...
Other resources Rates and mechanisms of sponge bioerosion

Coral reefs are complex marine ecosystems providing valuable economic and environmental services. These ecosystems are under serious threat worldwide...
Research report Cruise report RV Pelagia 64PE430 : Bottom topography, groundwater discharge and cyanobacterial mats of mesophotic reefs, 25 January - 2 February 2018Curaçao-Bonaire-Aruba (NICO expedition leg 3)

The Caribbean is well known for its tropical islands fringed by beautiful coral reefs. However, reefs nowadays shift from coral dominance to...
Media Special Edition: Transboundary Species

There has been a recent increase in public awareness of environmental issues as the effects of climate change have become ever more noticeable in our...
Scientific article Unforeseen importance of historical collections as baselines to determine biotic change of coral reefs: the Saba Bank case

Botanical and zoological collections may serve as archives for historical ecologi- cal research on the effects of global change and human impact on...
Scientific article Ciguatera in the Eastern Caribbean

Abstract: Ciguatera fish poisoning plays an important role in Caribbean marine resource development. Many independent eastern Caribbean island...
Media BioNews 1-2017 Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

A dedicated Saba Bank Symposium was organised by the University of Wageningen in December 2016. The Symposium was held in Den Helder and brought...
Other resources Identification cards for common algae on Bonaire

Macroalgae on Bonaire Macroalgae are large algae, also called seaweeds, that are typically divided in three major groups: red macroalgae (Rhodophyta...
Scientific article First evidence of plastic ingestion by Red-billed Tropicbirds Phaethon aethereus from St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

We present the first confirmed evidence of plastic ingestion by a Red-billed Tropicbird on the Caribbean Netherlands island of St. Eustatius, which...
Research report How channel dimensions relate to the erosivity of tidal flows in mangrove channels in Lac Bay, Bonaire. BSc thesis

Almost the entire shoreline of Bonaire belongs to the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP), from the high water line to 60m depth. The marine park...
Scientific article Electronic Supplementary Material 1

This supplementary data belongs to the article: Hoeksema, B.W., van der Loos, L.M., van Moorsel, G.W.N.M., 2022. Coral diversity matches marine park...
Portal Algae Base

AlgaeBase is a database of information on algae that includes terrestrial, marine and freshwater organisms. At present, the data for the marine algae...
Research report Seabird conservation status, threats and priority actions: a global assessment

Summary: We review the conservation status of, and threats to, all 346 species of seabirds, based on BirdLife International’s data and assessments...
Research report Caribbean Humpback Acoustic Monitoring Programme: 2016-2017 Report

In September 2016, the West Indies distinct population segment (DPS) of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), was delisted under the US...
Other resources Sustainable diving tourism on the Golden Rock - Assessment of the ecological and social carrying capacity of reefs of Sint Eustatius and the potential for artificial reefs

Tropical regions and developing states depend largely on their “blue nature” and related tourism for their potential and economic well-being. Even so...
Scientific article A comparison of eight country plans for the Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish in the Wider Caribbean

Highlights • The Caribbean region is being negatively impacted by the invasive lionfish. • Management efforts by eight Caribbean islands addressing...
Media BioNews 18-2018 Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Other resources Report on the second meeting of the cari'mam project

marine mammal workshop on: - communication and awareness - marine protected areas and management plans - stranding workshop whale watching and...
Other resources Species richness, genetic diversity and preliminary population structure of common snappers and groupers in aruban waters, estimated through dna barcoding

Student Report Overfishing is a great threat to marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Even artisanal fishing of high intensity can...
Research report An Assessment of the Health and Resilience of Bonaire’s Coral Reefs

Abstract: From July 19-26, 2010, a dedicated team of researchers completed transect surveys on 25 reefs located on the leeward side of Bonaire and...
Scientific article Update on geographic spread of invasive lionfishes (Pterois volitans and P. miles) in the Western North Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico

The Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterois volitans [Linnaeus, 1758] and P. miles [Bennett, 1828]: Family Scorpaenidae) are the first nonnative marine...
Portal SeaLifeBase

The long-term goal of this project is to create and maintain a FishBase-like information system for all aquatic living organisms (marine and...
Research report Sustainable Funding for Nature Parks in the Netherlands Antilles. Feasibility Study of a Protected Areas Trust Fund

In 1998 the Dutch Parliament called for a feasibility study for a trust fund and the Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations agreed, under...
Research report Status and trends of St.Eustatius coral reef ecosystem and fisheries: 2015 report card

Caribbean coral reefs have been declining for decades due to a combination of anthropogenic drivers such as unsustainable fishing practises,...
Media Port Sampling as a cost-effective method to monitor cetaceans within the Caribbean Netherlands

Cetacean monitroing in the Dutch Caribbean This news article was published in BioNews 17. BioNews is produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature...
Media Agoa Sanctuary Management Board Meeting, St. Martin, November 5, 2015.

In 2012 France established a marine mammal sanctuary, named Agoa after “Maï d’Agoa”, Mother or Spirit of the Water in Amerindian mythology. The Agoa...
Other resources Queen Conch Expert Workshop

Introduction The queen conch (Strombus gigas) is one of the most important fishery resources in the Caribbean in terms of its annual landings and...
Scientific article Plastic Waste in the Aquatic Environment: Impacts and Management

The majority of consumer products used today is composed of some form of plastic. Worldwide, almost 280 million tons of plastic materials are...
Media Innovative Artificial Reef Structures “IntelliReefs” to Improve Denuded Coral Reefs

Beginning of February 2020, the Ocean Science Team of Reef Life Foundation was on Sint Maarten to assess and research the 14 month performance of the...
Media BioNews 38 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Scientific article Satellite tracking of sea turtles: Where have we been and where do we go next?

The use of satellite tracking for the fundamental and applied study of marine turtles began in the 1980s but has undergone rapid growth in recent...
Scientific article Distribution, feeding habits and morphology of killer whales Orcinus orca in the Caribbean Sea

Abstract: 1. Killer whales Orcinus orca are found in all oceans of the world, but most of our knowledge on the species comes from studies conducted...
Scientific article Time preferences and the management of coral reef fisheries

Abstract: To investigate a potential relationship between financial and marine resource use decisions, we conducted a time preference experiment with...
Other resources The lionfish culling program in Sint Eustatius island, dutch caribbean

Lionfish impacts are highly negative (directly or indirectly) on native populations and the entire Caribbean ecosystem.Since December 2010, when the...
Scientific article Governing cruise tourism at Bonaire: a networks and flows approach

Conceptual approaches to thoroughly study governance of cruise tourism are lacking in the literature. Relying on Castells’ network society, we...
Other resources Various invertebrate taxa of St. Eustatius

This report deals with Anthozoa (Actiniaria and Corallimorpharia), Hydrozoa, Decapoda and Polychaeta in the waters around St. Eustatius. No written...
Other resources Exploring the occurrence of and explanations for nighttime spikes in dissolved oxygen across coral reef environments

Primary production due to photosynthesis results in daytime oxygen production across marine and freshwater ecosystems. However, a prevalent, globally...
Research report Living Blue Planet Report: Species, habitats and human well-being

Living Planet Report WWF’s Living Planet Report, released every two years, is a leading science-based analysis on the health of our planet and the...
Other resources Seagrass and Seagrass Beds

Seagrasses are found in shallow salty and brackish waters in many parts of the world, from the tropics to the Arctic Circle. Seagrasses are so-named...
Other resources Distribution and characterization of deep water cyano-bacterial mats occurring along the west coast of Bonaire (Caribbean Netherlands)

Student Report Areas like the Caribbean reefs are a biodiversity hotspot. Deeper waters are shown to be of importance for the structure and...
Research report Distinct Microbiomes in three Tropical seagrasses around the island of Curaçao: Halophila stipulacea, Halodule wrightii and Thalassia testudinum

Seagrasses represent the unique re-colonization of the marine ecosystem by angiosperms. As their terrestrial relatives, seagrasses are important...
Research report Spatial and Temporal variation of Chlorophyll-a and nutrients in coastal waters of Saba

Abstract Anthropogenic stressors such as improper wastewater treatment, dump sites and construction sites can increase nutrient input into marine...
Scientific article Corals Chemically Cue Mutualistic Fishes to Remove Competing Seaweeds

Corals in the genus Acropora generate much of the structural complexity upon which coral reefs depend, but they are susceptible to damage from toxic...
Scientific article Status of Western Atlantic coral reefs in the Lesser Antilles

The Lesser Antilles include high volcanic islands with a limited marine shelf, and low coralline islands with a more extensive shelf. Withinthe group...
Scientific article Estimating sex ratios in Caribbean hawksbill turtles: testosterone levels and climate effects

Evolutionary theory predicts that male and female offspring should be produced at a 1:1 ratio, but this may rarely be the case for species in which...
Research report Population status and reproductive biology of queen conch (Lobatus gigas) in the coastal waters around St Eustatius

Abstract: The queen conch (Lobatus gigas) is under pressure and has decreased in distribution and abundance as a result of fisheries in the Caribbean...
Other resources Volcanology of Saba and St. Eustatius, Northern Lesser Antilles

The two small islands of Saba and St. Eustatius (Netherlands Antilles) lie on the northernmost subaerial end of the active arc of the Lesser Antilles...
Other resources Final report St.Eustatius 2016 Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network

The goal of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), an operational network of ICRI, the International Coral Reef Initiative, is to improve...
Raw data Raw data of turtle, sharks and fish inwater observations by SeaSaba

Observations by SeaSaba dive instructors which include turtles, sharks, rays, snappers, groupers and marine mammals. Observations are made during...
Research report Genetic diversity and connectivity of populations on the Saba bank

From 19-27 October 2013, IMARES (Wageningen UR) organized a research expedition to the Saba Bank, to investigate the ecological functioning of the...
Media Biodiversity of Dutch Caribbean Reefs

The coral reefs of the Dutch Caribbean have recently received much attention in the scientific journal Marine Biodiversity. The first issue of 2017...
Scientific article A Quantitative, Non-Destructive Methodology for Habitat Characterisation and Benthic Monitoring at Offshore Renewable Energy Developments

Following governments’ policies to tackle global climate change, the development of offshore renewable energy sites is likely to increase...
Other resources Fish species community composition of Curacao bays and reef

Student Report - University Groningen Tropical coastal bays often border coral reefs and host connected ecosystems such as seagrass beds and mangrove...
Scientific article Same but different? Zoantharian assemblages (Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) in Bonaire and Curaçao, southern Caribbean

Abstract Marine community datasets are key to the effective management and conservation of marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, which are...
Research report Millimeter-scale topography enables coral larval settlement in wave-driven oscillatory flow

Larval settlement in wave-dominated, nearshore environments is the most critical life stage for a vast array of marine invertebrates, yet it is...
Media BioNews 58

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Research report St. Eustatius GCRMN Caribbean Final Report 2018

Twenty-two sites across four monitoring zones of St. Eustatius’s marine ecosystem were assessed using the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network...
Scientific article Using participatory action research to operationalize critical systems thinking in social-ecological systems

We present a research approach that seeks to develop and strengthen participatory action research (PAR) when applied in social-ecological systems (...
Scientific article Long-term responses of North Atlantic calcifying plankton to climate change

The global increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is potentially threatening marine biodiversity in two ways. First, carbon dioxide and...
Research report Functional Valuation of Ecosystem Services on Bonaire

Abstract: My thesis research builds on the ‘movement’ to value nature. This movement as I call it started as early as 1970 with a theory to quantify...
Scientific article Population structure and dispersal of the coral- excavating sponge Cliona delitrix

Abstract Some excavating sponges of the genus Cliona compete with live reef corals, often kill- ing and bioeroding entire colonies. Important aspects...
Scientific article An environmental risk assessment of three organic UV-filters at Lac Bay, Bonaire, Southern Caribbean

Highlights • UV filters oxybenzone and octocrylene are detected at Lac Bay Bonaire. • They are present at significant levels in both water column and...
Research report Shark protection plan for the Dutch Caribbean EEZ

Summary: Shark populations have steeply declined worldwide due to unsustainable overexploitation and in this the Caribbean region is no exception....
Research report Funding Protected Areas in the Wider Caribbean. A Guide for Managers and Conservation Organizations

Abstract: This document is an orientation to sources of funding for protected areas and biodiversity conservation. It is designed to serve as a...
Research report Mapping the Economic Value of Ecosystems on St Eustatius

This report will specifically focus on the spatial distribution of the ecosystem service values and will eventually visualize these values...
Other resources Zoantharia of St. Eustatius

Research on the order Zoantharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) has a long history in the Caribbean Sea, with the first species, Zoanthus...
Research report 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...
Other resources Plan land and water: Nature and environment plan Caribbean Netherlands 2020-2030

The Caribbean Netherlands consists of three islands: Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, all located in the Caribbean Sea. Since 2010 each island is...
Scientific article The Relationship between Diver Experience Levels and Perceptions of Attractiveness of Artificial Reefs - Examination of a Potential Management Tool

Abstract: Artificial reefs are increasingly used worldwide as a method for managing recreational diving since they have the potential to satisfy both...
Other resources Global evaluation of shark sanctuaries

Due to well-documented declines in many shark populations there is increasing pressure to implement new management and rebuilding strategies at the...
Scientific article Biofouling of inlet pipes affects water quality in running seawater aquaria and compromises sponge cell proliferation

Marine organism are often kept, cultured, and experimented on in running seawater aquaria. However, surprisingly little attention is given to the...
Research report Sea Turtle In-water Monitoring Survey 2011

Seven sea turtles species inhabit the world’s oceans today and have a unique evolutionary lineage that dates back at least 110 million years.Sea...
Other resources The Effects of Nutrient Enrichment and Herbivore Abundance on the Ability of Turf Algae to Overgrow Coral in the Caribbean

Turf algae are multispecies communities of small marine macrophytes that are becoming a dominant component of coral reef communities around the world...
Other resources Feral goats shape the Caribbean drylands

Goats were introduced to the Caribbean islands almost five centuries ago resulting in direct and indirect changes in terrestrial and surrounding...
Research report The local cultural and recreational value of nature on St Eustatius

St Eustatius, is a small island in the Caribbean and a special municipality of the Netherlands. As many other small islands, St Eustatius’ marine and...
Scientific article Monitoring benthic habitats using Lyzenga model features from Landsat multi-temporal images in Google Earth Engine

Benthic habitats have conventionally been monitored through physical site visits by diving. This requires the use of expensive resources and time to...
Other resources Climate Change Predictions for St-Eustatius and its possible impacts on the island

This report was created to highlight the most important climate change predictions for St. Eustatius and to highlight possible impacts on the island...
Research report Impact of terrestrial erosion on coral reef health at Bonaire: a plea for nature-inclusive “watershed-to-reef” based coastal management

Coral reefs are rapidly degrading worldwide, due to a combination of global and local stressors. While gloal stressors, such as ocean warming,...
Other resources Cruise Report Windward Caribbean Nov 6-16, 2016

The Waitt Institute and Dr. Stuart Sandin’s laboratory at Scripps Institution of Oceanography collaborated to organize an expedition to conduct a...
Scientific article Growth potential and predation risk drive ontogenetic shifts among nursery habitats in a coral reef fish

Various species of aquatic animals have complex life cycles and utilize different habitats during consecutive phases of their life cycles. For...
Scientific article Ecological and socioeconomic strategies to sustain Caribbean coral reefs in a high-CO world

The Caribbean and Western Atlantic region hosts one of the world’s most diverse geopolitical regions and a unique marine biota distinct from tropical...
Other resources Nature Policy Plan for The Caribbean Netherlands 2013-2017

Aruba, Curaçao, St. Maarten, Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius form the Dutch Caribbean within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Kingdom of the...
Scientific article A post-hurricane rapid assessment of reefs in the Windward Netherlands Antilles (stony corals, algae and fishes)

Reefs of the windward Netherlands Antilles (Saba, Saba Bank, St. Eustatius, St. Maarten) were assessed at 24 sites in the late 1999. The...
Scientific article Fast Detection of Nutrient Limitation in Macroalgae and Seagrass with Nutrient-Induced Fluorescence

Abstract: Background: Rapid determination of which nutrients limit the primary production of macroalgae and seagrasses is vital for understanding the...
Other resources Evolutionary ecology of sea turtles

Summary PHD Thesis The genetic diversity and structure of natural populations is the product of past and present ecological and evolutionary ...
Other resources Foraging ecology of Red-billed Tropicbirds

Abstract Prey resources in oligotrophic tropical marine environments are often scattered and unpredictable. Tracking studies of tropical seabirds can...
Media Reef Sharks Move to Deeper Water as They Mature

A new study from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) showed that reef sharks utilize different areas of the reef throughout their lifetime....
Media DCNA Launches Bionews Kids – A New Magazine to Empower Youth in the Dutch Caribbean

Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below. Kralendijk, Bonaire –The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) released the first edition of...
Media Parental Behavior Linked to Declining Nest Success

New Red-billed Tropicbird data suggested declining nest survival rates may be more related to parental behavior than previously thought. A researcher...
Other resources Exciting New Nature Conservation Projects for STENAPA in 2022

From cutting edge 3D models to innovative management techniques, 2022 poses to be an exciting year for St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (...
Media Caribbean Shark Coalition Launched to Promote Training, Impact, and Collaboration around shark protections in the Greater Caribbean Region

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and Beneath the Waves (BTW) have launched the Caribbean Shark Coalition (CSC), an innovative, new...
Other resources Action and monitoring 2017 Sea turtle Conservation Curacao

This report describes the activities undertaken by Sea Turtle Conservation Curaçao (STCC) in 2017. While STCC officially became an NGO in May of 2017...
Media Action required to curb Statia’s invasive green iguana threat

A new study by Wageningen Marine Research, St. Eustatius National Parks Foundation and Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute highlights the need...
Research report Radar Surveys for Audubon’s Shearwater on Saba, Netherlands Antilles

Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri), known locally as Wedrego on Saba and St. Eustatius, is a medium-sized seabird species that feeds at sea...
Media Two species of endangered elasmobranch are recommended to receive additional protection in the Caribbean

Thanks to the efforts of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the critically endangered largetooth sawfish and the threatened silky shark have...
Media New Research in the Conservation of Sea Turtles on Their Nesting Beaches

New research led by Swansea University’s College of Scienceand recently published in Scientific Reportshas reported effective conservation strategies...
Other resources Research and Monitoring of Bonaire ’s Sea Turtles: 2014 Technical Report

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) was initiated in the early 1990s to protect the island’s marine turtle populations. Our current research and...
Media Vegetation Study informs Spatial Planning on Sint Maarten

Commissioned by Sint Maarten’s Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI), a color vegetation map produced...
Media Environmental DNA reveals tropical shark diversity in contrasting levels of anthropogenic impact

Increased and targeted fishing pressure has led to the collapse of shark populations around the world. According to worldwide estimates, a staggering...
Media DCNA Organizes Junior Ranger Exchange Week 2022

Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below. The Junior Rangers just wrapped up their annual exchange event. Youngsters from the islands got...
Research report The Total Economic Value of Nature on Saba

This study is part of the project “What is Saba’s Nature Worth?” The project is part of the encompassing project The Economics of Ecosystems and...
Research report Status and trends Saba Bank fisheries: 2015

The Saba Bank is a 2200 km2 shallow bank area that lies fully within the Dutch Kingdom’s Caribbean exclusive economic zone (EEZ) waters. In recent...
Research report An Atlas of Sea Turtle Nesting Habitat for the Wider Caribbean Region. WIDECAST Technical Report No.6

Abstract: Six species of sea turtle nest in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). In partnership with more than 120 Data Providers, the spatial database...
Research report Baseline survey of anthropogenic pressures for the Lac Bay ecosystem, Bonaire

Findings: The main conclusion from this study is that the combined levels of anthropogenic impact on the bay currently exceed sustainable levels. Lac...
Media Fish poop: an underappreciated food source for coral reef fishes?

A new study by researchers from the University of Texas and California Polytechnic State University documented herbivorous fishes feeding on fish...
Media NICO Expedition: Mapping the Sea Bottom

Researchers aboard the Pelagia research vessel have been collecting invaluable data on marine biomes in the Caribbean since January as part of the “...
Media Ecological Restoration Lac Bay and South Coast, Bonaire

Lac Bay is the largest semi-enclosed bay in the Dutch Caribbean, offering visitors breathtaking views, white sandy beaches and shallow turquoise...
Media Rapid Decline in Lionfish for the Saba Bank

Research conducted by the Saba Bank Management Unit and Wageningen University and Research documented the third incidence of rapid lionfish...
Other resources The effect of SCUBA divers on the reproductive behavior of Halichoeres bivittatus in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

The purpose of this study is to determine if divers are affecting the reproductive behavior of Halichoeres bivittatus, commonly known as slippery...
Other resources Cephalopholis cruentata (graysby) behavior and interspecific response to invasive Pterois volitans (lionfish) in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The invasion of Pterois volitans (lionfish) is a serious concern for Caribbean coral reef health. The morphology and behavior of lionfish is novel to...
Other resources Use of trophic structure as an indicator of reef fish assemblages in areas open and closed to fishing

The change in the mean trophic level of fish assemblages can be used as an indicator of fishing pressure. To gain a more detailed understanding of...
Other resources The Effects of Intruder Size on the Territoriality of the Threespot Damselfish (Stegastes planifrons)

The Threespot Damselfish, Stegastes planifrons, defends a variable territory size depending upon the level of threat posed by the species encroaching...
Other resources Coral growth on antrhopogenic vs. natural substrates in Bonaire

Specific anthropogenic substrates demonstrate the ability to aid new coral growth among Caribbean reefs in Bonaire, N.A. In this study I documented...
Other resources Variation in Threespot Damselfish Aggression Using Models of a Conspecific, Predator, and Herbivore

The purpose of this research was to determine the level of defensive aggression of the threespot damselfish, Stagastes planifrons, when exposed to...
Other resources Are different feeding strategies utilized by the bar jack (Caranx ruber) related to foraging success in coral reef habitats?

Foraging success is affected by choice of feeding association, color phase, and habitat type. Bar jacks (Caranx ruber) exhibit a number of feeding...
Other resources Coral bleaching and a proposed monitoring program for Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Coral bleaching occurs when corals expel their symbiotic algae, called zooxanthellae, or when zooxanthellae expel their photosynthetic pigments...
Research report The Total Economic Value of Nature on St Eustatius

This study is part of the research project “What is St Eustatius Nature Worth?”, a project that is part of The Economics of Ecosystems and...
Other resources Physical and behavioral differences between the three color morphologies of Aulostomus maculatus

Behavioral and physical differences are sometimes the result of a particular color morphology of a species. Aulostomus maculatus, the west Atlantic...
Other resources The effects of damselfish on coral reef benthic composition

Damselfish have a considerable effect on benthic composition and have been described as a keystone species because of their role in the maintenance...
Other resources Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) as a potential bioindicator species of sedimentation stress in coral reef environments of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The effect of land-based pollution on Bonaire’s coral reef ecosystem has not been well-quantified. Observations of the coral reefs of Bonaire show a...
Other resources Assessing the correlation between coral disease prevalence and fish species richness from 2007-2011 in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Coral reefs have existed for thousands of years and are currently subjected to many threats. Coral disease is of particular concern because of its...
Other resources Potential for transmission of yellow band disease between colonies of Montastrea annularis through common research techniques

This study investigates the relationship between yellow band disease (YBD) infected Montastrea annularis coral colonies and its potential to spread...
Other resources Species dependent aggression in bicolor damselfish during reproductive and non-reproductive cycles

Bicolor damselfish, Stegastes partitus, are well known for their aggressive nature. They are known to attack almost any species threatening their...
Other resources The relationship between fish diversity and live coral cover and changes in fish diversity over time in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles has one of the healthiest coral reef systems in terms of fish species richness and live coral cover in the Caribbean....
Other resources Parrotfish as a possible vector for zooxanthellae dispersal on coral reefs

The stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma viride, is one of the dominant herbivores on the reefs of Bonaire. The effects of macroalgae herbivory have been...
Other resources Comparison of Epibionts between Green (Chelonia mydas) and Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) Sea Turtles in Bonaire, NA

Many pelagic organisms, including sea turtles, host unique communities of epibionts on the surfaces of their bodies. Although sea turtle epibiota...
Other resources Juvenile French Angelfish Exhibit Cleaning Activity in Bonaire

Juvenile french angelfish, Pomacanthus paru, are known to be cleaner fish. Cleaning is an interesting mutualistic behavior between 2 individuals...
Other resources Density of benthic meiofauna and macrofauna with relationship to depth in sandy coral reef substrate

The relationship that benthic organisms have on fish that live on the reef is well known. Some benthic organisms can be regarded as bio-indicators,...
Other resources Diurnal Variation of Cleaning Intensity in Bonaire, N.A

Cleaner species are believed to help maintain the health of client species by cleansing them of parasites, dead or infected tissue and debris which...
Other resources The effect of predation and competition on the slow population return of Diadema antillarum

Populations of Diadema antillarum have had low densities ever since its mass mortality event in 1983. A slow population density increase has resulted...
Other resources A comparative study of the feeding ecology of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the Caribbean

Invasive species are often a detriment to the environment due to the lack of parasites, disease and natural predators in the invaded environment,...
Other resources Is larval fish diversity connected to ecosystem level diversity? A case study in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Greater ecosystem diversity generally results in greater fish diversity. It follows that areas of greater ecosystem diversity would also exhibit...
Other resources Effect of competition on dark spot syndrome in Stephanocoenia intersepta

Corals are frequently in competition with other benthic organisms, as space on the coral reef is highly sought after. With increased coral cover loss...
Other resources The role of mimicry within congruencies amongst herbivorous and carnivorous fish in Bonaire

Mimetic behavior signifies organisms evolving to share behaviors and a common resemblance despite different phylogeny. Relationships in mimicry rely...
Other resources The effects of daily spawning patterns on cleaning dynamics of Thalassoma bifasciatum, bluehead wrasse

- Cleaning is a prevalent behavior on coral reefs. Many fish, including Thalassoma bifasciatum (bluehead wrasse), obtain some portion of their diet...
Other resources The effect of social status and species on habitat preference of grunts, Haemulidae, on the fringing coral reef surrounding Bonaire

Many fish prefer to live in certain habitats based on protection, shade cover, rugosity, and foraging return. Haemulidae, also known as grunts, are a...
Other resources Good fences make good neighbors: Habitat partitioning by spinyhead (Acanthemblemaria spinosa) and secretary (Acanthemblemaria maria) blennies.

Spinyhead blennies (Acanthemblemaria spinosa) and secretary blennies (Acanthemblemaria maria) are abundant, tube-dwelling fishes on the reefs of...
Other resources The effects of storm damage on reef rugosity and coral species composition in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles.

Located below the hurricane belt in the Netherlands Antilles, the island of Bonaire is rarely affected by major storms and high-wave action. In a...
Other resources Habitat preferences, behavior, and inter-species associations of the yellowline arrow crab (Stenorhynchus seticornis) in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Stenorhynchus seticornis (Yellowline arrow crab) is a decapod crustacean native to the Western Atlantic in tropical and subtropical climates....
Other resources Sponge abundance and the prevalence of disease on scleractinian coral in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Sponges are important to reef health, fulfilling a number of structural and functional roles. Despite the wide range of functions they provide,...
Research report Strategic Plan for Eliminating the Incidental Capture and Mortality of Leatherback Turtles in the Coastal Gillnet Fisheries of Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract: Accidental entanglement of leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) in the gillnet fisheries of Trinidad is the most serious...
Other resources Color matching during shadow stalking by the West Atlantic Trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus

This study examines the importance of color in camouflage of the West Atlantic Trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus during shadow stalking behavior....
Research report A Guide to Assessing Coral Reef Resilience for Decision Support

Coral reef resilience is the capacity of a reef to resist or recover from degradation and maintain provision of ecosystem goods and services (Mumby...
Other resources Anti-predator responses of herbivorous ocean surgeonfish, Acanthurus bahianus, to invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans

Since their introduction into the western Atlantic, lionfish (Pterois volitans) have become a major threat to the coral-reef ecosystems. Lionfish...
Other resources Aggressive nest guarding behavior of sergeant major damselfish (Abudefduf saxatilis) in association with guarding male and nest size

Among fish that lay their eggs on the ground (demersal) and have external fertilization (oviparous), typical parental care includes building a nest,...
Other resources Does nutrient pollution affect the prevalence of dark spots disease in corals on Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean?

Environmental changes and deterioration have increased coral disease outbreaks, creating a Caribbean hot spot of high disease prevalence and...
Other resources Is the introduced cup coral Tubastraea coccinea an invasive species in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean?

The orange cup coral Tubastraea coccinea has expanded its range from the Indo-Pacific into the western Atlantic region. It grows on a wide variety of...
Other resources The effects of density and size on the hiding response of Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus)

Hiding is a common anti-predatory behavior that many organisms utilize. This anti-predatory tactic is adjusted to minimize factors such as lost time...
Other resources Coral bleaching frequency and recovery during the 2015 El Niño- Southern Oscillation event in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean.

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events are known to bring high sea surface temperatures and in turn cause coral bleaching. The Fall 2015 ENSO...
Other resources Brain coral bleaching and disease effects on goby population dynamics in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Certain goby species, including the Peppermint Goby (Coryphopterus lipemes), Sharknose Goby (Elacatinus evelynae), Glass Goby (Coryphopterus hyalinus...
Other resources Finding a correlation between zooplankton abundance and the aggregation of Abudefduf saxatilis (sergeant major damselfish) beneath boats

Abudefduf saxatilis, or sergeant major damselfish, are a common reef fish in the Caribbean and western Atlantic that form large feeding aggregations...
Other resources Is it possible to predict which areas of Bonaire are more susceptible to coral bleaching?

Bleaching is caused by the combination of light and temperature stress on corals, and can result in coral mortality. On the island of Bonaire, a...
Other resources Effects of a small harbour on nutrient levels and coral reef health in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The creation of harbours through dredging combined with boat maintenance and waste is known to increase nutrients and sedimentation within coastal...
Other resources Habitat preference of coral dwelling gobies, and the effects of coral disease

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse ecosystems found on earth, and are home to many habitat-specific fish. The Gobiidae family is known to be one...
Other resources Abundance and size distribution of the bearded fireworm Hermodice carunculata on sand flats and coral reefs in Bonaire

Hermodice carunculata the bearded fireworm is abundant in Bonaire‘s coral reefs. The corallivorous fireworm is a voracious eater, and a generalist...
Other resources Comparison of fish assemblages of branching artificial reef habitat to adjacent habitats on the leeward coast of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The implementation of artificial reefs is one effort used to mitigate the rate of decline of coral reefs and the deterioration of fish communities....
Other resources Comparing the diversity, total abundance, and richness of fish species associated with two stony corals: Diploria strigosa and Orbicella annularis

Coral reef environments exhibit numerous ecological interactions between different organisms. The habitat structure of a healthy coral reef is...
Other resources Status of reef health at Yellow Sub study site on Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean: progression of a coral - algal phase shift

Coral reefs around the globe are subject to environmental and anthropogenic stressors that are causing habitat degradation and a decline in reef...
Other resources Nest site selection of sergeant majors (Abudefduf saxatilis): artificial vs. natural reef structures

Nesting animals select sites for reproduction based on adaptive behaviors that have evolved to improve reproductive success and the survival rates of...
Other resources The sensitivity of the invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans, to parasitism in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Invasive species have a history of damaging their invaded ecosystems and in the case of the Pterois volitans invasion to the waters of many Caribbean...
Other resources Are damselfish detrimental to Bonaire’s coral reefs?

Damselfish are small herbivores that cultivate algal gardens on coral heads throughout Caribbean reefs. These gardens are used to grow specific types...
Other resources Using relative brain mass to better understand trophic interactions and phenotypic plasticity of invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Understanding predator-prey relationships gives greater insight into coral reef health. A recent study on predator-prey relationships linked the...
Other resources Temporal dynamics of fish assemblage on artificial reefs with varying distances from a coral reef ecosystem

Increasing coral reef degradation worldwide is putting more reef fish under stressful circumstances. A possible solution to mitigating the effects of...
Other resources Correlation analysis of garden and territory size of threespot damselfish, Stegastes planifrons

Various symbiotic relationships build and maintain coral reefs. Mutualistic relationships provide the organisms involved with an increased chance of...
Other resources Fish density, species richness and diversity between stands of natural and artificial Acropora cervicornis

Coral reefs around the world are experiencing high levels of degradation due to temperature changes, increased nutrients and destructive fishing...
Other resources Investigation of depth-dependence of pumping rates and filtration efficiencies in two Caribbean reef sponges

Suspension feeders perform a crucial role in uniting the benthic and pelagic environments in coral reef ecosystems. Of suspension feeders, sponges...
Other resources Distribution, substrate preference and possible host benefits of the tropical polychaete Spirobranchus giganteus on a reef in Bonaire

The Christmas Tree worm, Spirobranchus giganteus, is a sessile polychaete found on coral reefs worldwide. Its larvae display photopositive behavior...
Other resources Determining how surroundings impact abundance and behavior of the yellow Atlantic trumpetfish Aulostomus maculatus phenotype

The use of color is seen throughout the animal kingdom. In coral reef ecosystems, organism colorations are suggested to assist in behaviors such as...
Other resources Comparison of foraging strategies and feeding rates of the Atlantic Trumpetfish, Aulostomus maculatus

Coral reef fish exhibit remarkably diverse hunting techniques such as solitary hunting, shadow stalking, nuclear hunting, and hunting in schools of...
Other resources Underrepresentation of eels in AGRRA and REEF fish surveys in Bonaire

Eels play an important role in coral reef ecosystems as part of nuclear hunting groups and as top predators. They are often underrepresented in fish...
Other resources Size Distribution of Spirobranchus gianteus in Bonaire: Is There a Benefit of Recruitment to Live Coral?

Spirobranchus giganteus is a tube-dwelling polychaete more commonly known as the Christmas tree worm. S. giganteus larvae are planktonic, which is...
Other resources An analysis of abundance, ecology and life history of the lettuce sea slug Elysia crispata on the island of Bonaire

With the exception of Elysia crispata, shell-less Sacoglossa species (Order: Mollusca), have been widely studied. Within the Caribbean, these small...
Media Statian invasions

This news-item was published in the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute Annual Report 2017 Introduced predators such as cats, dogs, and rats are ...
Other resources Gross anatomical findings from the fall 2008 Bonaire moray eel mortalities

Unexplained moray eel mortalities have been occurring in Bonaire since July 2008. The number of mortalities increased over time, peaking in October...
Other resources Effects of differences in hole size of artificial reef units on coral reef fish abundance and species richness

The biodiversity of coral reefs will decline as the global degradation of reefs continues, pushing the science of restoration techniques such as the...
Other resources Cascading effects of nutrients on macroalgae and herbivorous fish on coral reefs in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

The island of Bonaire has significant contamination from anthropogenic sources such as sewage and landfills, which can cause excess nutrients in...
Other resources The relationship between algae, depth, and abundance of terminal and initial phase parrotfish (Sparisoma viride and Scarus taeniopterus)

Coral reefs are undergoing phase shifts becoming dominated by algae rather than live coral. Algae on reefs is greatly impacted by herbivores such as...
Other resources Can the lionfish, Pterois spp., differentiate between colors?

Since the invasion of red lionfish, Pterois spp., in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean, many studies have evaluated the predatory behavior of the...
Other resources Habitat use, nocturnal behavior, and differences between phases of five common parrotfish species in Bonaire, N.A.

Parrotfish are a common and important component of the fringing reefs ecosystem surrounding Bonaire, N.A. In the reef environment, large herbivores...
Other resources Influence of habitat on defecation behavior of queen (Scarus vetula) and princess (Scarus taeniopterus) parrotfish

Herbivores are important structuring agents for ecosystems worldwide. While effects of grazing by herbivorous fish are well studied, their roles in...
Other resources Herbivory and predatory pressures on artificial reefs in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Artificial reefs are commonly used to increase habitat space for reef-dwelling organisms. Coral reefs in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean, are degrading due...
Other resources The effects of ultraviolet radiation on the covering behavior of the sea urchin Tripneustes ventricosus

Recent studies have indicated that levels of solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are increasing globally as ozone is depleted. Ultraviolet radiation...
Other resources Response of three predatory reef fish species to fishing protection in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Fish protected areas are increasingly utilized as a means of bolstering existing fish stocks while laying the foundation for healthy future...
Other resources Effects of Human Recreational Activities on Seagrass Beds in Lac Bay, Netherlands Antilles

Seagrass beds are important habitats associated with coral reefs. Seagrasses are nursery areas for juvenile fish, and they act as buffering zones by...
Other resources Predation and habitat depth affect coral reef fish recruitment

Reef fish have a pelagic larval stage and settle onto the reef before transitioning to their juvenile or adult morphologies. Settlement can be...
Other resources Does an increasing gradient in population create a bottom-up effect on the intertidal community in Kralendijk, Bonaire?

In the microbial loop, heterotrophic bacteria utilize dissolved organic matter (DOM) as an energy source. DOM becomes remineralized into inorganic...
Other resources Habitat choice, size distribution, color variance, and feeding behavior of spotted moray eels, Gymnothorax moringa, in coastal waters of Bonaire, N.A.

The spotted moray eel, Gymnothorax moringa, is one of the most abundant moray eels found in the coastal waters of Bonaire, N.A. However, little is...
Other resources Caribbean parrotfish foraging: An interspecific comparison of algal preferences

In recent decades, reduced grazing pressure caused by a die-off of Diadema antillarum and the overexploitation of herbivorous fishes have facilitated...
Other resources Diadema antillarium populations in Bonaire: is there evidence of over- or under population?

The sea urchin Diadema antillarum is an important herbivore in coral reef ecosystems of the Caribbean. The Caribbean is still recovering from a 1983...
Other resources Control of algae on coral reefs by large herbivorous fishes

Coral reefs harbor a vast amount of global diversity relative to their size, and are an important economic resource to coastal communities. Over the...
Other resources Redlip blenny (Ophioblennius macclurei) territoriality and feeding behavior

Redlip blennies (Ophioblennius macclurei) are common reef fish in Caribbean coral reef environments. They are vitally important to reefs as primary...
Other resources Determining how coral reef habitat structure correlates with fish species richness at six dive sites in Bonaire, N.A.

Biodiversity of coral reef fish species is often related to the structural complexity and diversity of their habitats. This study explores the...
Other resources Brood location preference and paternal care behavior by sergeant majors (Abudefduf saxatilis)

Sergeant majors (Abudefduf saxatilis) engage in male-dominated reproduction: males establish territories, females are courted, mate with the male and...
Other resources Client choice, competition, and cleaner dependence pressure cleaner fish to cooperate in mutualistic symbiosis

Mutualistic symbiosis is a finely tuned relationship between two species in which each receives a service that increases its own fitness in exchange...
Other resources Behavior of the Princess parrotfish (Scarus taeniopterus): a comparison between daylight and sunset

Most animals are active either during the day or night, and at twilight, nocturnal and diurnal animals alike engage in behaviors to avoid predators,...
Other resources The effect of flash photography on the feeding, reemergence time, and time spent in refuge of Bicolor Damselfish, Stegastes partitus

Diving on reefs is a great means for tourism around the world. The impacts of divers differ based on experience and if there is something of high...
Media STENAPA’s protection of Caribbean Sea turtles

Each year, hawksbill and green turtles, and sometimes even leatherback turtles, come to the beaches of Statia to lay their eggs. New protocols,...
Other resources Contacts between recreational scuba divers and coral reefs in Bonaire

The number and type of diver contacts with coral reefs on Bonaire and Klein Bonaire’s fringing reefs were studied in fall 2006. The goal of this...
Other resources Risky business: Ecological trade-offs of sub-tidal foraging behavior in parrotfish (Scaridae)

Parrotfish promote coral growth by controlling the abundance of algae on coral reefs. Although the importance of parrotfish herbivory on coral reefs...
Other resources Reef fish recruitment to coral reef versus mangrove and seagrass habitats in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

Recent studies show that late stage pelagic larval fish are not simply drifting with the currents as formerly believed, but are in some cases strong...
Other resources Is #2 the number one problem in Bonaire? An examination of fecal contamination and sedimentation from runoff

In this study I assessed the extent of sedimentation and contamination by human enteric bacteria Enterococci on the reefs of Bonaire, Netherlands...
Media Coral Restoration Bonaire

The Nature funding from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) (previously Ministry of Economic Affairs), has helped...
Other resources Effect of population density and aggressive behavior of Three Spot Damselfish (Stegastes planifrons) on macroalgae cover and parrotfish grazing activity

When overly abundant, macroalgae can be a major threat to the health of a coral reef ecosystem due to its capability to smother live coral and reduce...
Other resources The effects of Stegastes planifrons gardening on the prevalence of yellow band disease in the Montastrea annularis species complex

Yellow band disease (YBD) is a bacterial infection affecting corals of the Montastrea annularis species complex. Recent mortality rates of M....
Other resources Flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber ruber) Distribution and Feeding Behavior in Relation to Salinity Levels on Bonaire, Netherland Antilles

Bonaire is home to the largest natural flamingo reserve in the western hemisphere, housing one of the four remaining crucial breeding grounds in the...
Other resources Increasing coral cover and decreasing coral species diversity with decreasing light availability at depth: a study of the future effects of sea level rise on fringing reef ecosystems

Global climate change is having widespread effects on the world’s oceans. Particularly vulnerable to changing global conditions are coral reefs,...
Other resources Factors affecting the distribution and abundance of Tripneustes ventricosus on Kralendijk’s waterfront

Coral reefs are being threatened by both anthropogenic and environmental factors. One prominent factor is the loss of herbivores on coral reefs due...
Other resources Species diversity and abundance of Moray Eels (Family: Muraenidae) in Western Bonaire

The estimated number of species of Moray Eels (Family: Muraenidae) worldwide is around 200. A majority of morays hide in crevices and holes during...
Other resources Reproductive Behavior in Abudefduf saxatilis: The Relationship Between Nest Location, Brood Size and Aggression

This study investigated the reproductive behavior of the Caribbean Sergeant Major, Abudefduf saxatilis. The aim was to identify the possible...
Other resources Effectiveness of the burglar alarm hypothesis: a comparison between bioluminescent displays in dinoflagellates and abundance of copepods at various depths

The burglar alarm hypothesis states that dinoflagellate bioluminescence is used to avoid predation from copepods by taking an altruistic approach....
Other resources Causative agent for dark spots in ocean surgeonfish (Acanthurus tractus)

Coral reef ecosystems provide a number of important ecological services, such as nurseries and protection from storms. This makes their health of...
Other resources Fishermen’s by-catch: Effect on fish feeding behaviors in shallow sand flats of Bonaire, N.A.

Worldwide, fisheries produce ~27 million tons of by-catch yr -1 . By-catch is defined as unwanted fish that are accidentally caught, or discarded...
Other resources The impact of competition, predation and disease on fluorescence patterns of RFP and GFP across the surface of scleractinian corals

Globally, scleractinian coral populations are declining, and to fully understand this decline it is important to study potential coral stressors in-...
Media Special Edition Bionews: 2022 Park Updates

The Nature Conservation Network Organization the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) hosted its biannual Board Meeting on Sint Maarten between...
Other resources Can the first few decades of coral colonization give insight to species interactions and ecological complexity? A case study on artificial coral-based structures

A greater understanding of coralbased communities must be achieved in order to maximize reef conservation efforts. While a multitude of studies have...
Other resources Can native sessile species resist the settlement of the orange cup coral, Tubastraea coccinea, on hard substrate communities of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles?

Tubastrea coccinea is an invasive coral species found on the reefs of Bonaire. These corals are typically seen at various densities (up to 80% m-2)...
Media New Sea Turtle Monitoring Methods

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) has worked tirelessly since 1991 to protect Bonaire’s sea turtle population and to ensure a safe, protected...
Other resources Colonization and initial succession on artificial substrates over spatial and temporal gradients in a Caribbean coral reef ecosystem

Human activity and higher frequencies of disturbance have increased coral reef degradation and created barren substrates with the opportunity for...
Other resources Cultural perceptions of environmental degradation, management, and accountability in conservation in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Conservation is predicated on local support, and if scientists and resource managers wish to develop effective programs the cultural values and...
Other resources Ranking Herbivory in Coral Reef Fish

Herbivory grazing patterns by parrotfish, family Scaridae, and surgeonfish, family Acanthuridae, were investigated on the leeward side of Bonaire,...
Other resources Photoacclimation of Ventricaria ventricosa to a change in available light’s wavelength

A prominent process of photoacclimation accounts for the change in pigment concentration to improve photosynthetic performance. It occurs in algae...
Other resources Landscape ecological vegetation map of St. Maarten (Lesser Antilles)

Vegetation maps are a primary and essential tool in biodiversity science, conservation, management, and monitoring as well as in land-use management...
Other resources Competition for space in benthic environments: the allelopathic and overgrowth responses of native sponges and a non-native ascidian on a coral reef in Bonaire, NA

This study explores the competitive and allelopathic interactions of native sponges and the non-native ascidian, Trididemnum solidum, in the space-...
Other resources Infaunal communities along a sediment moisture gradient in a hypersaline lake in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

From the abyssal plain to the intertidal zone, benthic fauna are adapted to a variety of extreme physical environments. Shallow water soft-sediment...
Other resources Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) and their role as bioindicators of environmental stress on coral reefs of Bonaire, N.A.

The use of biological entities as indicators of environmental stress can provide links between changes in ecological conditions and ecosystem...
Other resources The environmental impact of the reverse osmosis desalination plant on the immediately surrounding water and coral reef ecosystem in Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

One of the most promising solutions to the growing shortage of potable water is the tapping of the oceans through desalination. Until recently the...
Other resources Invading is not always bad: A study of positive interactions between the invasive coral Tubastraea coccinea and native reef species of Bonaire, NA

The orange cup coral, Tubastraea coccinea, was introduced into the Caribbean in the 1930s from the Indo-Pacific. Since then, it has spread throughout...
Other resources How does water quality correlate with coral disease, bleaching, and macroalgal growth on coastal reefs? A comparative study of various anthropogenic threats on Bonaire, N.A.

Coral reefs worldwide are currently jeopardized by anthropogenic factors such as land-based pollution, coastal development, and sediment erosion. In...
Other resources The salinas of Bonaire: how does bird activity impact epi- and infaunal communities?

Predators can play an important role in shaping prey community structure and function through direct and indirect top-down effects. Bird predators in...
Research report Rare and/or Endangered Land and Freshwater Molluscs of St. Martin

Rare and/or Endangered Land and Freshwater Mollusks of St. Martin. In this article, Sint Maarten means the Dutch part and Saint-Martin the French...
Scientific article Predicted impact of the invasive lionfish Pterois volitans on the food web of a Caribbean coral reef

The invasion of lionfish in the Caribbean is causing grave concern because of its deleterious impacts on coral reef food-webs. We have used an...
Scientific article Coral growth rates revisited after 31 years: What is causing lower extension rates in Acropora palmata?

Linear extension of branches in the same Acropora palmata (Lamarck, 1816) population in Curaçao was measured, employing exactly the same methods, in...
Research report Brown Booby monitoring program year report 2010

Management Recommendations: To keep collecting data for long term monitoring programs. It is fundamental for the proper management of our natural...
Research report Generic ecological assessment framework for coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean Netherlands

Abstract: The aim of this study was to draft a generic ecological assessment framework for coastal systems in Caribbean Netherlands (CN) that offers...
Research report Kennisvraag haaien: wat is er bekend over haaien voor de voor Nederland relevante gebieden?
Scientific article Linking removal targets to the ecological effects of invaders: a predictive model and field test

Abstract: Species invasions have a range of negative effects on recipient ecosystems, and many occur at a scale and magnitude that preclude complete...
Scientific article Survey of Columnar Cacti and Carrying Capacity for Nectar-Feeding Bats on Curaçao

We estimated the population sizes of the three species of columnar cacti that grow on the island of Curaçao using ground and aerial transects, and we...
Research report Research and Monitoring of Bonaire’s Sea Turtles: 2013

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) was initiated in the early 1990s to protect the island’s marine turtle populations. Our current research and...
Scientific article Wide-ranging phylogeographic structure of invasive red lionfish in the Western Atlantic and Greater Caribbean

The red lionfish (Pterois volitans) is an invasive predatory marine fish that has rapidly expanded its pres- ence in the Western Hemisphere. We...
Scientific article Toxicopathological Effects of the Sunscreen UV Filter, Oxybenzone (Benzophenone-3), on Coral Planulae and Cultured Primary Cells and Its Environmental Contamination in Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands

Abstract Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; oxybenzone) is an ingredient in sunscreen lotions and personal-care products that protects against the damaging...
Other resources Research Note: Fish Records from the Saba Bank Commercial Fishery

Recent investigations of Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, have sought to develop inventories of marine biodiversity from this large, submerged coral...
Maps and Charts Very high resolution satellite imagery for Bonaire; basis for land cover map

Very high resolution satellite imagery has been acquired for Bonaire and concerns very detailed ortho-rectified imagery from the Pleiades satellites...
Other resources Blue carbon in the Dutch Caribbean

Recently, the Dutch state of play regarding blue carbon in the Netherlands was reviewed (Tamis & Foekema 2015)1. Since the review was focussed on...
Media Beach Debris on Aruba

A large-scale study of beach debris on Aruba has shown just how much marine debris pollution there is on the island’s beaches. The study also locates...
Other resources Symbiotic copepods associated with invertebrates at St. Eustatius

The research goal was to collect symbiotic copepods from most scleractinian species and to inspect common species of octocorals, sponges and...
Media Expert meeting on the management of sharks in the Caribbean Netherlands

On October 3rd and 4th the Ministry of Economic Affairs, in cooperation with the Dutch Elasmobranch Society, organized an expert meeting on the...
Raw data Raw data of shark observations on Statia

Raw data of shark observations by St.Eustatius Scubaqua dive school. Please contact Wageningen Marine Research for more information.
Other resources Tides in the Last Interglacial: insights from notch geometry and palaeo tidal models in Bonaire, Netherland Antilles

The study of past sea levels relies largely on the interpretation of sea-level indicators. Palaeo tidal notches are considered as one of the most...
Scientific article Costs and benefits of maternally inherited algal symbionts in coral larvae

Many marine invertebrates provide their offspring with symbionts. Yet the consequences of maternally inherited symbionts on larval fitness remain...
Scientific article Variability in size at maturity and reproductive season of queen conch Lobatus gigas (Gastropoda: Strombidae) in the Wider Caribbean Region

Queen conch (Lobatus gigas), is an economically and culturally important marine gastropod. The species is subject to extensive exploitation...
Research report Recreational and cultural value of Bonaire’s nature to its inhabitants

The global environment is in a relatively bad state and there is growing awareness of its importance to human wellbeing. This study aims to shed...
Scientific article Global seagrass distribution and diversity: A bioregional model

Seagrasses, marine flowering plants, are widely distributed along temperate and tropical coastlines of the world. Seagrasses have key ecological...
Scientific article On a collection of deep-water shrimp (Crustacea, Decapoda) from the Dutch Caribbean, with the description of a new species of Pseudocoutierea

A collection of shrimp from deep reefs in the Dutch Caribbean is described. Most material originates from the Bonaire deep reef expedition (2013) by...
Other resources Papers Ecology Conference on Flamingos, Oil Pollution and Reefs, Bonaire, 1975

Contents Introduction - by the Editors. Address - by M. A. POURIER, Minister of Economic Development. Address- by Mr. A. R. W. SINT JAGO, Lieutenant...
Other resources Socioeconomic monitoring guidelines for coastal managers in the Caribbean SOCMON Caribbean

SocMon Caribbean and its companion, the GCRMN Socioeconomic Manual for Coral Reef Management (GCRMN Manual), developed from a need for a greater...
Other resources St Maarten: Adopt a Shark Program

The St Maarten Nature Foundation launched the “Adopt a Shark” program during St Maarten Shark Week in June 2018, but due to the continued demand of...
Media BioNews 30 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Other resources SLEEP IN CAPTIVE BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS

Student Report- University of Groningen Sleep can be identified using electrophysiological and/or with behavioral criteria. Both methods have been...
Scientific article Spatial dependency in abundance of Queen conch, Aliger gigas, in the Caribbean, indicates the importance of surveying deep-water distributions

Abstract Aim: To evaluate how the spatial distribution of a heavily exploited marine gastropod (i.e. Queen conch) varies in response to a number of...
Other resources Ecological indices from environmental DNA to contrast coastal reefs under different anthropogenic pressures

Abstract Human activities can degrade the quality of coral reefs, cause a decline in fish species richness and functional diversity and an erosion of...
Media BioNews 50 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews 50 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and...
Media Pregnant Tiger Shark Expedition 2021 is well underway!

It’s finally happening! After over a year of corona-related delays the Pregnant Tiger Shark Expedition is finally underway. We just finished our very...
Scientific article Range expansion of Marinomyxa marina, a phytomyxid parasite of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea, to the Caribbean

Abstract Halophila stipulacea, a small seagrass species native to the Indo-Pacific, is a Lessepsian migrant and a high-profile invader that has...
Media Innovative Techniques could be key for Sea Urchin Recovery

Nederlands below. Researchers from Van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen University and Wageningen Marine Research have developed a new approach to assist...
Research report Assessment of opportunities for sustainable agriculture and fisheries on St. Eustatius. Report of mission 13-21 March 2011
Other resources Werkbezoek Caribisch Nederland

Doel en achtergrond werkbezoek Sinds 10 oktober 2010 maken Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba deel uit van Nederland. Rijkswaterstaat heeft wettelijke...
Scientific article Understanding the Lionfish Invasion in Bonaire to Develop the Best Strategy for Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract: Lionfish are venomous, predatory reef fish native to the Indo-Pacific region, but have become widely distributed due to its popularity as...
Scientific article Presence of the invasive red lionfish, Pterois volitans, on the coast of Venezuela, southeastern Caribbean Sea

We report the presence of the invasive Indo-Pacific red lionfish (Pterois volitans) in 23 localities of the Venezuelan coast, southeastern Caribbean...
Scientific article Coral reef ecosystem integrated observing system: In-situ oceanographic observations at the US Pacific islands and atolls

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established the Coral Reef Ecosystem Integrated Observing System (CREIOS) to provide...
Scientific article Indo-Pacific lionfish are larger and more abundant on invaded reefs: a comparison of Kenyan and Bahamian lionfish populations

The invasion by Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans and P. miles) of the western Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico is emerging as a major...
Research report A status report of nature policy development and implementation in the Dutch Caribbean over the last 10 years and recommendations towards the Nature Policy Plan 2012-2017

The National Nature Policy Plan 2001-2005 (NPP-5) and its current status of implementation was assessed as a first step towards a new Nature Policy...
Research report Eindrapport Milieunormen Nederlandse Antillen - Lucht & Geluid, Water & Afvalwater, Afval
Scientific article Geoacoustic inversion in the north-eastern Caribbean using a hydrographic survey vessel as a sound source of opportunity

During the spring of 2006, hydrographic survey vessel HNLMS “Snellius” ran an extensive multibeam and sidescan survey of the Saba bank, a large...
Scientific article Sea Turtles as Flagships for Protection of the Wider Caribbean Region

Abstract: Sea turtles are emerging as one of the most popular icons of the marine environment. Capitalising on their charismatic image, a remarkable...
Scientific article Native Predators Do Not Influence Invasion Success of Pacific Lionfish on Caribbean Reefs

Abstract: Biotic resistance, the process by which new colonists are excluded from a community by predation from and/or competition with resident...
Media BioNews 14 - March 2014

This month’s issue focuses on marine monitoring. The results of the 2013 lobster fisheries monitoring project on the Saba Bank are in and on Curaçao...
Research report Bonaire deep reef expedition I

The deep reef of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands, was explored with the aid of the “Curasub” submarine of Substation Curaçao. The shallow reefs of the...
Portal Historic Caribbean flora and fauna publications

Many publications on the Caribbean Flora and Fauna are accessible online. During the last decades, biologists of Naturalis Biodiversity Center and...
Other resources Diet preference of roaming goats (Capra hircus) on columnar cacti in Bonairian scrublands

The introduction of goats to Bonaire in the 17th century, caused direct and indirect changes in both terrestrial and marine ecosystems and has led to...
Scientific article Microcharon quilli, a new asellote isopod crustacean from interstitial spaces in shallow coralline sands off St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

The genus Microcharon is known in the Caribbean from the widely separated islands of Bonaire and Cuba, occurring in brackish and freshwater...
Media Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network training workshop

Kai Wulf, Tadzio Bervoets, Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern and Steve Piontek represented the Caribbean Netherlands at the Global Coral Reef Monitoring...
Other resources Amphipod crustaceans of St. Eustatius

This article was published in the following report: MARINE BIODIVERSITY SURVEY OF ST. EUSTATIUS, DUTCH CARIBBEAN 2015 by Naturalis Biodiversity...
Media NIOZ Saba Bank Expedition: Environmental impacts on carbon metabolism of reef ecosystems

NIOZ organised an expedition to the Saba Bank aboard the research vessel “Pelagia” from 19th August to 8th September 2016. Thirteen scientists from...
Media BRUV Work In The Dutch Caribbean

Data collection with stereo Baited Remote Underwater Videos (sBRUV) deployed throughout the islands of the Dutch Caribbean over the past few years is...
Media BioNews 7-2017 Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews 7-2017 includes the following news-items: Status of St. Maarten’s Reef St. Maarten: Impact Hurricane Irma on Nature EPIC...
Scientific article Last interglacial hydroclimate seasonality reconstructed from tropical Atlantic corals

The seasonality of hydroclimate during past periods of warmer than modern global temperatures is a critical component for understanding future...
Research report The impact of invasive species on tourism

Since the first sightings of the lionfish in the Caribbean, the local marine ecosystems have experienced severe problems due to predation and...
Scientific article A blueprint for blue carbon: toward an improved understanding of the role of vegetated coastal habitats in sequestering CO2.

Recent research has highlighted the valuable role that coastal and marine ecosystems play in sequestering car- bon dioxide (CO2). The carbon (C)...
Media BioNews 12-2018 Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Research report Growth assessment of Acropora cervicornis and Acropora palmata fragments using in-situ coral nurseries, Saba – Dutch Caribbean

Internship Report As part of the program for the Restoration of Ecosystem Services and Coral Reef Quality (RESCQ), this study aims at contributing to...
Other resources Report of the First meeting of the WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CITES/CFMC working group on shark conservation and management, Bridgetown, Barbados, 17-19 October 2017

The First meeting of the WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CITES/CFMC working group on shark conservation and management was held in Barbados on 17-19 October 2017...
Other resources Yarari Maine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary brochure

Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sancuray Brochure Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV).
Scientific article LONG-TERM DECLINES IN CORAL COVER AT BONAIRE, NETHERLANDS ANTILLES

The reefs surrounding Bonaire have long been renowned for their high abundance and diversity of scleractinian corals and for their long-time status...
Other resources Ballast Water Best Management Practices to Reduce the Likelihood of Transporting Pathogens That May Spread Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

The Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as participants of the Caribbean Coral Reef Partnership, were recently provided...
Scientific article Some rarely reported deep-water macroalgal species from Bonaire, Caribbean Sea, including Verdigellas discoidea sp. nov. (Palmophyllaceae, Chlorophyta) based on submersible collections

Two rarely reported and one newly described species of benthic marine algae are herein recognized from deep-water habitats at Bonaire, representing...
Research report Free-roaming livestock distribution, densities and population estimates on St. Eustatius: a 2020 update

Free-roaming livestock constitute a major threat to the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of St. Eustatius. In anticipation of a government-led...
Media Invasive Seagrass and its effects on Juvenile Queen Conch

As invasive seagrass continues to expand and replace native species, populations such as the queen conch are seeing significant changes to their...
Scientific article Sea-grass communities: structure, distribution and classification

Aims: In the marine biological literature sea-grass beds are generally regarded as being more or less similarly structured, and typically indicated...
Research report Restoration of Resilience of Nature and Society in the Caribbean Netherlands

The project "Resilience Restoration of Nature and Society in the Caribbean Netherlands" contributes to halting the decline of the coral reefs in the...
Research report Coastal water quality of Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba during a period of restricted tourism

The traveling restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 created a unique possibility to measure water quality parameters along the...
Research report Systematic assessment of erosion mitigation in a data poor environment. A case study of Lac Cai, Bonaire

Abstract Lac Cai is one of the lagoons in the Dutch Caribbean with a high environmental value which attracts a lot of tourism to the area. Lac Cai is...
Scientific article The 2022 Diadema antillarum die-off event: Comparisons with the 1983-1984 mass mortality

The 1983-1984 die-off of the long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum stands out as a catastrophic marine event because of its detrimental effectson...
Scientific article A baseline assessment of beach debris and tar contamination in Bonaire, Southeastern Caribbean

Data on beach debris and tar contamination is provided for 21 natural beach sites in Bonaire, Southeastern Caribbean. Transects amounting to a...
Other resources Global Ocean Protection: Present Status and Future Possibilities
Scientific article Biodiversity Assessment of the Fishes of Saba Bank Atoll, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract: Biodiversity surveys were conducted on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles, to assess ichthyofaunal richness and to compare with published...
Scientific article A Stage-Based Population Model for Loggerhead Sea Turtles and Implications for Conservation

Management of many species is currently based on an inadequate under- standing of their population dynamics. Lack of age-specific demographic...
Research report Monitoring the Saba Bank Fishery

Findings The main conclusion from this study is that no new fishing permits should be issued until a long-term fishery monitoring program is in place...
Scientific article Mapping ecosystem functions to the valuation of ecosystem services: implications of species–habitat associations for coastal land-use decisions

Abstract: The reefs surrounding Bonaire have long been renowned for their high abundance and diversity of scleractinian corals and for their long-...
Research report Pilot study on behaviour of sharks around Saba using acoustic telemetry

Worldwide many shark populations are in strong decline mainly due to fisheries. Population status of sharks in the Caribbean is still poorly known....
Scientific article Effects of tropical storm Bret on Curaçao reefs

Here we report on damage caused by tropical storm Bret, passing south of the island of Curacao at a distance of 110-145 km in August 1993. Damage on...
Other resources Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean - Saba

The Saba coastline IBA (AN006)—the island’s site priority for bird conservation—has been identified on the basis of nine key bird species (listed in...
Scientific article Reef flattening effects on total richness and species responses in the Caribbean

1. There has been ongoing flattening of Caribbean coral reefs with the loss of habitat having severe implications for these systems. Complexity and...
Research report Ecological values of the 12 miles zone of Bonaire

In 2015 an Expert group assessed the ten Dutch World Heritage candidate sites and advised the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science with regards...
Media The Smithsonian Institution’s Deep Reef Observation Project (DROP)

Compared to shallow coral reefs there has been very little scientific research on reefs below 45 meters largely due to limitations imposed by SCUBA...
Scientific article Discovery of a new species of hermit crab of the genus Pylopaguropsis Alcock, 1905 from the Caribbean: “den commensal” or “cleaner”? (Crustacea, Anomura, Paguridae)

A new secretive, yet brightly colored hermit crab species of the family Paguridae, Pylopaguropsismollymullerae sp. n., is fully described based on...
Other resources The history of resource exploitation in Aruba

This paper is part of a series on the Aruban landscape. To bring perspective to current environmental threats and developments we review, in this...
Other resources Initial Inventory of 3D Cadastre Use Cases in the Caribbean

As argued in many earlier FIG publications, the potential benefits of 3D Cadastre are huge. This is especially true in the Caribbean setting with...
Media Status of St. Maarten’s Reef

Last September, major category 5+ Hurricane Irma caused widespread damage to St. Maarten. This was a strong reminder of the urgency to preserve the...
Scientific article Envenomation by the invasive Pterois volitans species (lionfish) in the French West Indies – a two-year prospective study in Martinique

Abstract Context: The invasion of the lionfish (Pterois volitans) in the French West Indies represents one of the most important marine invasions by...
Book Habitat utilization and migration in juvenile sea turtles.

Sea turtles are basically creatures that spend their entire lives in marine or estuarine habitats.Their only remaining reptilian ties to terrestrial...
Media Mas Piska pa Boneiru: Less talk more action

Identifying and overcoming bottlenecks in fisheries management on Bonaire. Fishing is one of the oldest professions in the Dutch Caribbean. Many...
Media News item: Hyperspectral Coral Reef Classification (HCRC)

The Dutch Caribbean island Bonaire has protected its marine resources for more than 35 years and has been ranked as one of the Caribbean’s top dive...
Scientific article Recent Occurrence and Dietary Habits of Boa constrictor on Aruba, Dutch West Indies

Boa constrictor was first documented on the island of Aruba in April of 1999. By the end of December, 2003, 273 B. constrictor had been captured....
Scientific article Shark and ray diversity in the Tropical America (Neotropics)—an examination of environmental and historical factors affecting diversity

We present the first comprehensive review of the present and past shark and ray diversity in marine waters of Tropical America, examining the...
Scientific article The water bore of Oranjestad 1942-1943, and its implication as to the geology and geohydrology of the island of Aruba (Netherlands West Indies)

In 1942-1943 a water test well was drilled by the Government of Curacao within the limits of Aruba's capital Oranjestad, following the "discovery" of...
Media New and Very Abundant Microbe Found Living in Corals

Although coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, nearly a third of all marine species can be found on or around these reefs (McAllister,...
Scientific article Some rarely reported deep-water macroalgal species from Bonaire, Caribbean Sea, including Verdigellas discoidea sp. nov. (Palmophyllaceae, Chlorophyta) based on submersible collections

Two rarely reported and one newly described species of benthic marine algae are herein recognized from deep-water habitats at Bonaire, representing...
Other resources Natuurbeleidsplan Bonaire 1999 -2004

Bonaire staat internationaal bekend om de schitterende natuur. Het Bonaire Marine Park en het Washington-Slagbaai Park worden hoog gewaardeerd door...
Media BioNews 29 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Other resources BioNews special: Climate Change

Conditions all around the world are changing due to climate change. These changes can be felt throughout all environments, from changing water ...
Other resources The Value of the LVV Site on Bonaire for Birds

Advice on the importance of this area for birds on Bonaire Bonaire is blessed with splendid nature, both above and below water. Due to their special...
Scientific article Evolution and phylogeny of glass-sponge-associated zoantharians, with a description of two new genera and three new species

Hexactinellid sponges are important members of deep-sea benthic ecosystems because they provide available hard substrate habitats for filter-feeding...
Media New field guide on invasive seagrass flowers

Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that can reproduce both sexually (through flowering and subsequent seed formation) and asexually (through...
Research report Breeding success survey of White-tailed Tropicbird, Phaeton lepturus catsbyii, on the islands of Bermuda - 2006 to 2008 Nesting Seasons
Research report Project Report: St. Maarten Pelican Project
Scientific article Coral reefs and their zonation in the Netherlands Antilles

Although coral reefs are well developed in the Leeward islands of the Netherlands Antilles, they are poorly developed in the Windward group. Coral...
Research report Bioenergetics and Trophic Impacts of Invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish
Scientific article An age-based demographic analysis of the Caribbean stoplight parrotfish Sparisoma viride

The parrotfish Sparisoma viride is an abundant and ecologically important member of the tropical NW Atlantic reef fish fauna. Sagittal otoliths of...
Scientific article A stage-based matrix population model of invasive lionfish with implications for control

The rapid invasion of lionfish into the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean will undoubtedly affect native reef fishes via processes such as trophic...
Scientific article Rapid Assessment of Stony Coral Richness and Condition on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles

Findings: Combining the findings of this study with that of other studies, the authors conclude that the coral assemblage on the Saba Bank is diverse...
Research report Biodiversiteit voor de BES-eilanden: Bonaire, St. Eustatius en Saba: onderzoeksvragen en verplichtingen
Research report Recreational and land use survey for Lac Bay Bonaire: A study towards mapping human activities in Lac Bay Bonaire and its catchment area and advising about the current management system.

Findings: The main conclusion from this study is that at the moment tourists and locals use Lac Bay and its catchment area at levels and in ways that...
Scientific article Lionfish Invasion off the Northern Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, Southern Gulf of Mexico: What Do we Know?

Abstract: In 2009, the first lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) was found in the Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, in Quintana Roo, in the Mexican...
Scientific article Status of coral reefs in the south central Caribbean

Caribbean corals have suffered from bleaching, diseases and Diadema die-off. Reefs on narrow shelves adjacent to high human population and many...
Scientific article Preliminary Assessment of Sponge Biodiversity on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles

Abstract Background: Saba Bank Atoll, Netherlands Antilles, is one of the three largest atolls on Earth and provides habitat for an extensive coral...
Other resources The impacts of sea-level rise on the index nesting beach on Klein Bonaire for three species of sea turtle

Abstract: Globally, all extant sea turtles species are endangered due to centuries of uncontrolled exploitation, furthermore they face future threats...
Media BioNews 14 - February 2014

This month’s issue focuses on marine monitoring. The results of the 2013 lobster fisheries monitoring project on the Saba Bank are in and on Curaçao...
Research report Key Elements Towards a Joint Invasive Alien Species Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean

Summary: Recent inventories have documented no less than 211 exotic alien species in the wild for the Dutch Caribbean. These amount to no less than...
Maps and Charts Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of St. Eustatius and Saba

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) map of St. Eustatius and Saba (GIS). Includes contiguous zone and territorial sea. Based on the United Nations...
Other resources Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean - Bonaire

Bonaire’s six IBAs—the island’s international site priorities for bird conservation—cover 23,830 ha (including their marine extensions). They embrace...
Scientific article Connectivity across the Caribbean Sea: DNA Barcoding and Morphology Unite an Enigmatic Fish Larva from the Florida Straits with a New Species of Sea Bass from Deep Reefs off Curaçao

Integrative taxonomy, in which multiple disciplines are combined to address questions related to biological species diversity, is a valuable tool for...
Raw data Reef photo quadrants of St.Eustatius. Raw photo material of the 2016 survey

Raw photo material of the 2016 reef survey using the GCRMN method. The 20 survey sites lie within the St. Eustatius National Marine Park, which...
Scientific article Helioseris cucullata as a host coral at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

In order to demonstrate how scleractinian corals contribute to marine biodiversity by their host function, information on associated fauna was...
Scientific article Beta diversity of macroalgal communities around St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

This study provides a baseline of the marine algal flora composition around St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean, by describing algal community structure...
Other resources Octocorals of St. Eustatius

Octocorallia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa) are a dominant component of Caribbean coral communities. There can be up to 60 octocoral species on a single...
Media Saba: Hurricane Impacts

Since the passage of hurricanes Irma and Maria through the windward islands, the staff of the dive operators on Saba, comprising Saba Divers, Sea...
Media What's Bonaire's nature worth? 2011-2012

This Initiative draws attention to the economic benefits of biodiversity and highlights the growing costs of biodiversity loss and ecosystem...
Other resources Ecosystem profile for the 15 European Overseas entities in the Caribbean region.

The Caribbean Islands are composed of 30 nations and overseas entities: 12 independent nations, 3 U.S. territories (Puerto-Rico, US Virgin Islands,...
Book The seagrass of the world

Although this paper is primarily meant to be a toxonomic treatment of the marine Angiosperms, some other aspects will be discussed, such as the...
Scientific article Global synchrony of an accelerating rise in sea surface temperature

The oceans have shown a recent rapid and accelerating rise in temperature with, given the close link between temperature and marine organisms,...
Scientific article Quantification of chemical and mechanical bioerosion rates of six Caribbean excavating sponge species found on the coral reefs of Curaçao

Excavating sponges are among the most important macro-eroders of carbonate substrates in marine systems. Their capacity to remove substantial amounts...
Scientific article The Light and Motion Sensor Program: Low cost coral reef monitoring

Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7-11 July 2008 Session number 16 Effective coral reef management...
Other resources Patterns in Caribbean Coral Spawning

Student Report Most corals worldwide are broadcast spawners that rely on synchronous gamete release for successful fertilization. Spawning synchrony...
Scientific article High human influence on beach response to tropical cyclones in small islands: Saint-Martin Island, Lesser Antilles

Using multi-date satellite imagery and field observations, this paper assesses the inferred impacts of September 2017 cyclones on the beaches of...
Research report St. Eustatius GCRMN Caribbean Final report 2017

Twenty sites across four monitoring zones of St. Eustatius’s marine ecosystem were assessed using the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network Caribbean...
Media BioNews 22- Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Scientific article Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients

Abstract The capacity of coral reefs to maintain their structurally complex frameworks and to retain the potential for vertical accretion is vitally...
Other resources Researchers explored deepest and largest underwater sinkholes in the world

From 5 to 20 December 2019, the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) and Wageningen Marine Research organized an expedition to the...
Monitoring protocol Fieldguide Halophila stipulacea reproductive structures

Seagrasses are marine flowering plants that can reproduce both sexually (through flowering and subsequent seed formation) and asexually (through...
Scientific article Evolution and phylogeny of glass-sponge-associated zoantharians, with a description of two new genera and three new species

Hexactinellid sponges are important members of deep-sea benthic ecosystems because they provide available hard substrate habitats for filter-feeding...
Media BioNews 57

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Research report The Protection and Management of the Sargasso Sea: The golden floating rainforest of the Atlantic Ocean

The Sargasso Sea is a fundamentally important part of the world’s ocean, located within the North Atlantic sub-tropical gyre with its boundaries...
Research report An Integrated Assessment of the Introduction of Lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles complex) to the Western Atlantic Ocean
Research report Brown Booby monitoring program year report 2008

Management Recommendations: To keep collecting data for long term monitoring programs. It is fundamental for the proper management of our natural...
Other resources Assessment of opportunities for sustainable agriculture and fisheries on St. Eustatius

Overall conclusions Agriculture and fisheries are small sectors on St Eustatius. Nonetheless they represent important economic activities for the...
Research report Manual of Best Practices for Safeguarding Sea Turtle Nesting Beaches
Scientific article Chemical defenses and resource trade-offs structure sponge communities on Caribbean coral reefs

Abstract: Ecological studies have rarely been performed at the community level across a large biogeographic region. Sponges are now the primary...
Other resources St Maarten Proposed Land Parks Management Plan 2009

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....
Other resources Important Bird Areas of the Caribbean - Curaçao

Curaçao’s five IBAs—the island’s international priority sites for bird conservation—cover 16,280 ha (including marine areas) and c.24% of the land...
Scientific article Prevalent endosymbiont zonation shapes the depth distributions of scleractinian coral species

Bathymetric distributions of photosynthetic marine invertebrate species are relatively well studied, however the importance of symbiont zonation (i.e...
Scientific article Defining and Dividing the Greater Caribbean: Insights from the Biogeography of Shorefishes

The Greater Caribbean biogeographic region is the high-diversity heart of the Tropical West Atlantic, one of four global centers of tropical marine...
Raw data Reef photo quadrants of St.Eustatius. Raw photo material of the 2015 survey

Raw photo material of the 2015 reef survey using the GCRMN method. The 20 survey sites lie within the St. Eustatius National Marine Park, which...
Scientific article First record from the Atlantic: a Zanclea-scleractinian association at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

Scleractinian reef corals have been acknowledged as the most numerous host group for associated hydroids belonging to the genus Zanclea. To date,...
Research report Nature on Bonaire and social media behavior Assessing the spatial distribution of tourism and recreation on Bonaire through social media

Tourism is a very important source of income on Bonaire and forms the most important economic pillar of the island. The tourism numbers are expected...
Media Lionfish Culling: the Solution to Managing Lionfish Populations in the Dutch Caribbean?

One of the most talked about fish in the Caribbean Region is an exotic looking fish with eye-catching stripes and remarkable feathery pectoral fins:...
Media Naturalis Expedition to St. Eustatius: discovering a new species of land snail

Since 2010 the tiny island of Sint Eustatius, or Statia, as it is known locally, has been a special municipality of the Netherlands. And despite...
Scientific article Wave-swept coralliths of Saba Bank, Dutch Caribbean

During a recent reef coral survey at the submarine Saba Bank (Eastern Caribbean), an uncommon and diverse assemblage of unattached scleractinian...
Scientific article Isolation by oceanic distance and spatial genetic structure in an overharvested international fishery, Diversity and Distributions

Abstract Aim A detailed understanding of spatial genetic structure (SGS) and the factors driving contemporary patterns of gene flow and genetic...
Other resources A Caribbean wide disease affecting ocean surgeon fish (Acanthurus bahianus),

Results presented at association of Marine Laboratories Scientific Meeting, Merida Mexico, May 2017.
Book The seagrass of the world

Although this paper is primarily meant to be a toxonomic treatment of the marine Angiosperms, some other aspects will be discussed, such as the...
Other resources Status of the queen conch Strombus gigas stocks, management and trade in the Caribbean: a CITES review.

The Queen conch Strombus gigas, a large marine gastropod, is found in the territorial waters of 36 countries and tettitories in the Caribbean region...
Scientific article Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems

Coastal ecosystems and the services they provide are adversely affected by a wide variety of human activities. In particular, seagrass meadows are...
Scientific article Early cementation and lithification in intertidal cryptalgal structures, boca jewfish, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

On the shore of the Boca Jewfish area of the Lac, Bonaire, N.A., blue-green algae perform a sediment-stabilizing and binding function resulting in a...
Media BioNews 12-2018 Dutch Caribbean Newsletter PRINT

In BioNews 12-2018 you will find articles on: Aruba Shoco Conservation Project First Silky Shark Sightings by Saba Conservation Foundation! NICO...
Other resources Characterizing population structure of coral-associated fauna from mesophotic and shallow habitats in the Caribbean

Symbiotic relationships are a common phenomenon among marine invertebrates, forming both obligatory and facultative dependencies with their host....
Media Bats of St. Eustatius

In 2015, Naturalis Biodiversity Center set out to create a baseline study of St. Eustatius’ marine and terrestrial fauna and flora in collaboration...
Scientific article Are Geckos Paratenic Hosts for Caribbean Island Acanthocephalans? Evidence from Gonatodes antillensis and a Global Review of Squamate Reptiles Acting as Transport Hosts.

It is well known that reptiles can act as paratenic hosts for parasites that use mammals as their definitive hosts. However, studies of potential...
Raw data Reef photo quadrants of Bonaire. Raw photo material of the 2019 survey

Raw photo material of the 2019 reef survey using the GCRMN method. The 12 survey sites lie within the Bonaire National Marine Park, which surrounds...
Media Human disturbance impedes growth of coral reefs around Bonaire

The coral reef around Bonaire is known to be one of the healthiest in the Caribbean. However, new research by Wageningen Marine Research shows that a...
Scientific article Bioprospecting and characterization of temperature tolerant microalgae from Bonaire

Control of temperature is a major challenge for industrial microalgae production in photobioreactors outdoors. Strains with tolerance for high...
Media Tracking Sharks around Sint Maarten

The St. Maarten Nature Foundation recently retrieved acoustic receivers (loggers) to learn about the movement patterns and home ranges of Caribbean...
Other resources The History of Resource Exploitation in Aruba

This paper is part of a series on the Aruban landscape. To bring perspective to current environmental threats and developments we review, in this...
Scientific article The mitochondrial genome of Nemalecium lighti (Hydrozoa, Leptothecata)

The hydrozoan species Nemalecium lighti (Hargitt, 1924) is widely distributed in tropical marine waters around the world. Here we report the complete...
Other resources Shark abundance on the deep island slopes of the Dutch Caribbean ABC - islands: A potential conservation and research opportunity

Large marine apex predators have become exceedlingly rare in shallow neritic waters around most Caribbean islands, including the ABC-island (Aruba,...
Media Special Edition Tiger Shark Expedition 2021

The Dutch Caribbean waters are home to more than thirty species of sharks and rays. With the creation of the Yarari Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary...
Research report Small Islands – Large climate change challenges. Household resilience to climate change vulnerabilities - a case study of Bonaire

Main Findings The main climate change vulnerabilities for Bonaire are: an increase in the intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms, an increase in...
Media Bionews Diadema Special Edition: Restoration Effects

The Diadema RAAK Project is a collaborative effort between University of Applied Sciences Van Hall Larenstein, Wageningen Marine Research and...
Scientific article Battle for the mounds: Niche competition between upside-down jellyfish and invasive seagrass

In tropical ecosystems, autotroph organisms are continuously competing for space, with some plant species benefiting from disturbances such as fire,...
Scientific article Invasionsoft: A web-enabled tool for invasive species colonization predictions

Predicting and averting the spread of invasive species is a core focus of resource managers in all ecosystems. Patterns of invasion are difficult to...
Scientific article Reef Fishes of Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles: Assemblage Structure across a Gradient of Habitat Types

Saba Bank is a 2,200 km2 submerged carbonate platform in the northeastern Caribbean Sea off Saba Island, Netherlands Antilles. The presence of reef-...
Research report St. Maarten Nature Foundation coral bleaching response plan
Research report Baseline surveys of Lac Bay benthic and fish communities, Bonaire

Findings: The main conclusion of this study is that the shallow, warm and saline back-water habitat which is continuing to increase in importance...
Research report Status and trends of Bonaire's coral reefs & need for action
Research report A Report on the Status of the Coral Reefs of Bonaire in 2007 with Results from Monitoring 2003 – 2007

Bonaire’s reefs remain among the best in the Caribbean. However, our monitoring has revealed some potentially troubling trends that may require...
Maps and Charts Fishing restrictions map of Bonaire

Seasonally restricted lobster fishing, fish reserves and marine reserves.
Scientific article Histopathology of crustose coralline algae a ected by white band and white patch diseases

Crustose coralline algae (CCA) are major benthic calci ers that play crucial roles in marine ecosystems, particularly coral reefs. Over the past two...
Scientific article Citizen science regarding invasive lionfish in Dutch Caribbean MPAs: Drivers and barriers to participation

Abstract Understanding the drivers and barriers to participation in citizen science initiatives for conservation is important if long-term...
Other resources Hydroids associated with the coral reef fauna of St. Eustatius

The hydroids of the Caribbean Sea have been the subject of a restricted number of taxonomical studies. So far, sporadic, taxonomical and/or...
Other resources Runoff and erosion on the Cultuurvlakte of St. Eustatius

Msc. Thesis Erosion can cause large problems for ecosystems on and around tropical islands. On site, erosion leads to a decrease of available...
Media Saba Bank: Sharks

Want to know the best place to see sharks in the Netherlands? Recent studies would seem to indicate that it’s the Saba Bank! Researchers on early...
Research report Investigating Variation in Coral Reef Morphology with Photomosaics and Analysis of Percent Cover

Coral reefs serve as an important component of tropical marine ecosystems’ functionality and composition. However, coral cover in the Caribbean reefs...
Media Status of Bonaire’s reefs

While the coral reefs around Bonaire have suffered in recent decades from regional phenomena such as repeated bleaching events, urchin die-off, coral...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2009

The St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program following concerns that the island’s sea turtle...
Scientific article First record of a Caribbean green turtle (Chelonia mydas) grazing on invasive seagrass (Halophila stipulacea)

From Bonaire, we here provide the first documented case of the green turtle feeding on the invasive seagrass, Halophila stipulacea, in the Caribbean...
Other resources eDNA as a tool to monitor invasive species (Preliminary Results)

eDNA as a tool to monitor invasive species, Priliminary results presented at Association of Marine Laboratories Scientific Meeting, Merida, Mexico...
Scientific article Impending Trade Suspensions of Caribbean Queen Conch under CITES: A Case Study on Fishery Impacts and Potential for Stock Recovery

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Authority issued injunctions in 2003 and 2004 to halt export trade of Caribbean...
Scientific article Feral goat eradications on islands.

Abstract: Introduced mammals are major drivers of extinction. Feral goats (Capra hircus) are particularly devastating to island ecosystems, causing...
Portal Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean: online information system

Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean: online information system. A free iPhone/iPad/iPod touch application, provides tools to identify and record...
Scientific article Widespread local chronic stressors in Caribbean coastal habitats

Coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods they support are threatened by stressors acting at global and local scales. Here we used the data produced by...
Media New Bird Records for Bonaire 2016-2017

The island of Bonaire has achieved worldwide recognition for its rich and diverse marine life, but the island is rapidly gaining momentum as a...
Other resources Scuba diving as a significant control on coral diversity

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...
Media BioNews 20 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Research report Diversity of tryptophan halogenases in sponges of the genus Aplysina

Marine sponges are a prolific source of novel enzymes with promising biotechnological potential. Especially halogenases, which are key enzymes in the...
Raw data Coral inventory Bonaire, 2014 and 2017

zone DO = DROP-OFF at ~10m depth, LT= Lower Terrace at ~5m depth length transect in cm rugosity measure...
Maps and Charts Scan of paper bathymetry and elevation map of Bonaire

Scan of paper map which is based on recordings of 1970-1972 and 1996 with additions from Kadaster and Bonaire Marine Services 2000.
Scientific article Internal Wave Observations Off Saba Bank

The deep sloping sides of Saba Bank, the largest submarine atoll in the Atlantic Ocean, show quite different internal wave characteristics. To...
Other resources Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) survey of elasmobranchs on Bonaire’s reefs

Student Report Species composition, distribution, and relative abundance Elasmobranchs are suffering from habitat loss and are declining at a rapid...
Scientific article A quantitative study of the seagrass and algal meadows of the Spaanse Water, Curaçao, the Netherlands Antilles

The Spaanse Water is a relatively turbid, 3.19 km2 inland bay of virtually oceanic salinities and contains the largest seagrass, algal and mangrove...
Scientific article A Long-term Dietary Assessment of Invasive Boa constrictor on Aruba

Invasive Boa Constrictors (Boa constrictor) have established a reproductive population on Aruba. High B. constrictor densities could stress prey...
Scientific article Animal-borne video reveals atypical behaviour in provisioned green turtles: A global perspective of a widespread tourist activity

Abstract Feeding wildlife as a tourist activity is a growing industry around the world. However,providing alternative food sources can affect...
Media BioNews 51 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews 51 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and...
Media Tiger Sharks and the Saba Bank

Hi everyone. My name is Ayumi Kuramae Izioka and I work as the as the science coordinator and daily operations manager of the Saba Bank Management...
Media Status of the Red-Bellied Racer on Saba and St. Eustatius

The Red-bellied Racer (Alsophis rufiventris) is a harmless snake species that is native to the St. Christopher and Saba Banks. Today, it...
Media Fishery Trends for St. Eustatius

Wageningen Marine Research and Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute released an updated report on the fishery trends for St. Eustatius between...
Raw data Receiver logbook template - harmonized shark data

Please find attached a receivers logbook template with explanation and recommendations in the email below, developed by DCNA's Shark Intern Estela...
Media New Research on Mangrove Restoration for Bonaire

Nederlands below. Since 2020, the Mangrove Maniacs have planted over 1500 mangroves along the southwest coast of Bonaire. A new collaborative...
Research report Ten-year assessment of Caribbean Netherlands fisheries monitoring: data challenges and recommendations

Summary Over the last 10 years, the Caribbean Netherlands fisheries on Saba and St. Eustatius have been monitored and multiple assessment reports...
Scientific article Relevance of coral geometry in the outcomes of the coral-algal benthic war

Abstract Corals have built reefs on the benthos for millennia, becoming an essential element in marine ecosystems. Climate change and human impact,...
Scientific article Synthesis of coral reef health indicators for the Western Atlantic: Results of the AGRRA program (1997-2000)

Abstract: The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) sampling strategy is designed to collect both descriptive and quantitative information...
Other resources Future Directions for Biodiversity Action in Europe Overseas: Outcomes of the Review of the Implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, December 2010

1. Introduction...
Other resources CARMABI Soorten- en exotenlijst
Research report Workshop report: St. Maarten Nature Foundation Training and Sea Turtle Assessment
Research report The Saba Bank- A large atoll in the northeastern Caribbean

Findings Abundant coral growth within the Saba Bank is restricted mainly to the two large windward reefs. These two reefs carry a very rich reef...
Scientific article Attraction of settlement-stage coral reef fishes to reef noise

We compared catches of settlement-stage reef fishes in light traps attached to underwater speakers playing reef sounds with those of silent traps...
Research report Conch restoration project report
Research report Lac Bonaire - Restoration Action Spear Points, September 2010

Lac Bay, Bonaire is the most important mangrove and seagrass area of Bonaire and has been undergoing steady ecological decline in the last decades....
Other resources Inventory of Bonaire's coral reefs with particular attention to previously undescribed phenomena illustrating the ongoing decline of Bonaire’s reefs

General description New observations indicating undesirable trends on Bonairean reefs Unusual high abundances of the colonial tunicate Trididemnum ...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2004

Abstract: The Sea Turtle Conservation Programme is managed by St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA), which is the main environmental non-...
Research report Results of Survey Lac Bay, Bonaire for Queen Conch (Strombus gigas) and Seagrass characterization in 2007

Abstract: In 1999 a survey was carried out (Lott, 2000) to estimate the conch population and determine the status of the seagrass beds in Lac Bay,...
Scientific article How much time can herbivore protection buy for coral reefs under realistic regimes of hurricanes and coral bleaching?

Abstract: Coral reefs have been more severely impacted by recent climate instability than any other ecosystem on Earth. Corals tolerate a narrow...
Maps and Charts Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Bonaire

Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) map of Bonaire (GIS). Includes contiguous zone and territorial sea. Based on the United Nations Convention of the Law...
Media Coral Reef Mapping using hyperspectral imagery

The Dutch Caribbean island Bonaire has been protecting its marine resources for more than 35 years and is ranked as one of the Caribbean’s top dive...
Raw data Reef photo quandrants of Bonaire and Curacao. Raw analysis material of the 1973-2016 surveys

To follow the health of the coral reefs of Bonaire and Curacao a number of locations on each island are photographed each year since 1973. At each...
Research report Status and trends reef fish and coastal fisheries Bonaire (Caribbean Netherlands): report card 2014-2015

Caribbean coral reefs have been declining for decades due to a combination of anthropogenic drivers and natural phenomena like hurricanes. The...
Other resources A review of Geology, Climate and Hydrology in Aruba

This paper is part of a series on the developments that relate to the Aruban landscape. To bring perspective to current environmental threats and...
Media Status of Curaçao’s Reefs

The island of Curaçao is almost entirely surrounded by narrow fringing reef that covers an estimated area of 7.85 km2 (Vermeij, 2012). These reefs,...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2012

The St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program following concerns that the island‟s sea turtle...
Other resources The recreational and cultural value of nature on Saba (policy brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge Local people call Saba ‘The Unspoiled Queen’, showing how proud Saban residents are of their history and the ‘unspoiled...
Other resources Estimation of size at sexual maturity: an evaluation of analytical and resampling procedures

Size at 50% maturity is commonly evaluated for wild popula- tions, but the uncertainty involved in such computation has been frequently overlooked in...
Media Bonaire Caves and Karst Nature Reserve

Bonaire has a rich and complex geological history which is reflected in its current geological landscape. While the core of the island is comprised...
Research report The Value Natural Capital for the Tourism Industry of Aruba

Governments around the world are taking an interest in the measurement of well-being to improve their policy decisions. Aruba has started the process...
Media Global Defaunation and Plant Invasion: cascading effects on seagrass ecosystem services

Ecosystems have been providing our society with useful services to sustain us in our livelihood, survival and health for as long as we exist....
Other resources Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease: Lessons Learned & Resources

Webinar Florida’s corals reefs have been experiencing devastating effects of a multi-year outbreak of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). This...
Scientific article Extreme spatial heterogeneity in carbonate accretion potential on a Caribbean fringing reef linked to local human disturbance gradients

The capacity of coral reefs to maintain their structurally complex frameworks and to retain the potential for vertical accretion is vitally important...
Other resources Stoney Coral Tissue Loss Disease Management Letter for the Dutch Caribbean

DCNA's Management Letter Purpose • Provide background information on Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) outbreaks and current status within...
Media At least ten reef-associated shark species in the Dutch Caribbean

Wageningen Marine Research reported ten reef-associated shark species in the Dutch Caribbean in a recent published study as part of Dutch Caribbean...
Research report Free-roaming livestock distribution, densities and population estimates on St. Eustatius: a 2020 update

Abstract Free-roaming livestock constitute a major threat to the terrestrial and marine ecosystems of St. Eustatius. In anticipation of a government-...
Research report The terrestrial consequences of poor wastewater management in Curaçao

Abstract Curaçao is a Small Island Development State in the Wider Caribbean Region. In the scope of sustainable development and the UN SDGs, these...
Media Uncovering the mystery of tiger shark reproduction in the eastern Caribbean

Much of the lives of the most iconic shark species – including the tiger shark – remains a secret, even to shark researchers. This is because these...
Media Key Insights for Mangrove Restoration Discovered on Bonaire

Dutch below Since 2016 the Mangrove Maniacs of Bonaire have dedicated themselves to the restoration and conservation of mangroves on the island....
Scientific article Scuba diver behaviour and the management of diving impacts on coral reefs

Coral reefs worldwide are attracting increasing numbers of scuba divers, leading to growing concern about damage. There is now a need to manage diver...
Scientific article Geological reconnaissance survey of Saba Bank, Caribbean Sea

Findings The main conclusion from this study is that the Saba Bank has little modern material/ sediment deposited in relation to present sea level....
Research report Policy and management options for invasive Indo-Pacific Lionfish in U.S. waters
Research report Saba Bank; health status 2010. Cruise report

Findings: The main conclusion from this study is that the health of the reefs of the Saba Bank has deteriorated since the first observations in 1972...
Scientific article Rapid invasion of Indo-Pacific lionfishes (Pterios volitans and P.miles) in the Florida Keys, USA: Evidence from multiple pre- and postinvasion data sets

Over the past decade, Indo-Pacific lionfishes, Pterois volitans (Linnaeus, 1758) and Pterois miles (Bennett, 1828), venomous members of the...
Research report Brown Booby monitoring program year report 2009

Management Recommendations: To keep collecting data for long term monitoring programs. It is fundamental for the proper management of our natural...
Scientific article Population structure of Symbiodinium sp. associated with the common sea fan, Gorgonia ventalina, in the Florida Keys across distance, depth, and time

Abstract: Numerous marine invertebrates form endosymbiotic relationships with dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium. However, few studies have...
Research report Status and Trends of Bonaire’s Reefs in 2013: Causes for Optimism

TABLE OF CONTENTS: Chapter 1: Patterns and trends in corals, seaweeds Chapter 2: Trends in Bonaire’s herbivorous fish: change over time Chapter 3:...
Scientific article Sponges hosting the zoantharia-associated crab Platypodiella spectabilis at St. Eustatius, Dutch Caribbean

Crabs of the genus Platypodiella (Brachyura: Xanthidae) are known for their association with zoantharians (Hexacorallia: Zoantharia), predom- inantly...
Research report Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean: A Comparative Analysis of Policy Instruments and Implementation Methods for Reduction in Single- Use Plastic Bag Consumption

Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean is recognized as one of the best diving places in the world because it has one of the healthiest and most resilient coral...
Research report Research and Monitoring of Bonaire’s Sea Turtles: 2015 Technical Report

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire (STCB) was formed in 1991 in order to protect the island’s marine turtle populations. In 2002 we standardized our...
Media Yarari Sanctuary established

During her visit to Saba and Bonaire at the beginning of September 2015, State Secretary of Economic Affairs, Mrs. Sharon Dijksma, publicly announced...
Media Ocean acidification and global warming impacts on sharks

Sharks have populated our oceans for millions of years, but in just a few decades a slew of anthropogenic pressures have caused shark populations...
Scientific article Extreme mitochondrial variation in the Atlantic gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus (Decapoda: Cryptochiridae) reveals adaptive genetic divergence over Agaricia coral hosts

The effectiveness of migration in marine species exhibiting a pelagic larval stage is determined by various factors, such as ocean currents, pelagic...
Other resources Saba and St. Eustatius (Statia)

Saba and St. Eustatius/Sint Eustatius (Statia) represent geologically young (less than a million years) Pleistocene island arc volcanoes that rise at...
Research report St. Eustatius Sea Turtle Conservation Programme - Annual Report 2010

The St Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA) established the Sea Turtle Conservation Program following concerns that the island’s sea turtle...
Other resources Summary of Queen Conch (Lobatus gigas) research undertaken in Anguilla and the implications for current management practices

Prior to 2014 little research had been conducted on the Anguilla conch fishery aside from indirect data collected by the Department of Fisheries and...
Scientific article Coral reefs under rapid climate change and ocean acidification

Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration is expected to exceed 500 parts per million and global temperatures to rise by at least 2°C by 2050 to 2100...
Scientific article New Species of Pleurotomariidae, Volutidae, and Conidae from the Caribbean Sea and Namibia, Southwestern Africa

In preparation for a forthcoming monographic work on marine molluscan biogeography at the worldwide level, five new biogeographical index species are...
Other resources A comparison between two methods for surveying reef fish in St. Eustatius

Student Thesis Coral reef ecosystems are considered the most productive and diverse of all marine systems. However, these are being dramatically...
Media Coral restoration

Coral reef protection is the process of modifying human activities to avoid damage to healthy coral reefs and to help damaged reefs recover. The key...
Other resources Sunscreen awareness poster

Sunscreen Awareness Bonaire made this informative poster. The goal of the poster is to start educating tourists and inhabitants on Bonaire about the...
Research report Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute Annual Report 2017

CNSI’s Annual Report 2017 includes articles on: Statian Invasions Invasive Alien Species Rodent Control Conch Chronicles Outreach and Education...
Raw data Reef photo quadrants of St.Eustatius. Raw photo material of the 2017 survey

Raw photo material of the 2017 reef survey using the GCRMN method. The 20 survey sites lie within the St. Eustatius National Marine Park, which...
Scientific article Diet choice in a generalist predator, the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles)

Diet choice in marine species is typically derived from indirect methods such as stomach contents and stable isotope analysis, while choice...
Scientific article Host-related Morphological Variation of Dwellings Inhabited by the Crab Domecia acanthophora in the Corals Acropora palmata and Millepora complanata (Southern Caribbean)

A team of researchers from Naturalis Biodiversity Center, ANEMOON Foundation, and colleagues from various intitutes, performed several bodiversity...
Media Bonaire Caves and Karst Nature Reserve Update

The Bonaire Caves and Karst Nature Reserve is an ongoing project aiming to ensure the sustainable use and protection of Bonaire’s cave system, using...
Research report Proyecto PUDRENA

Goal of this project was to collect and analyze information available which can be used for planning and sustaible development, with a focus on the...
Other resources Protecting Saba Bank’s Red Hind and Queen Triggerfish Populations

Wageningen Marine Research and the Saba Bank Management Unit (SMBU) recently published an evaluation of the effectiveness of the seasonal fishing...
Media BioNews 53 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter

BioNews 53 - Dutch Caribbean Newsletter BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and...
Scientific article Spatial Ecology of the Association between Demosponges and Nemalecium lighti at Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Abstract Coral reefs are known to be among the most biodiverse marine ecosystems and one of the richest in terms of associations and species...
Media Long-spined sea urchins: not trouble but in trouble

Nederlands, Papiamento and Papiamentu below Since February 2022 there have been reports of Long-spined sea urchin (Diadema) die off from a number...
Media BioNews 60

BioNews is a newsletter produced by the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) which focuses on science and conservation in the Dutch Caribbean....
Media St. Maarten: Impact Hurricane Irma on Nature

What started out a week prior as a low pressure system off the Cape Verde Islands ended up as the first ever category 5+ hurricane to hit the...
Other resources CITES Posters- BES islands

* Also available: CITES brochures in English, Dutch, Papiamentu and Spanish Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna...
Research report Urban Wastewater Management of Willemstad, Curaçao, and Environmental Implications

Curaçao's coral reefs are subjected to a deteriorating momentum risking the health and therefore sustainability of this vital ecosystem. Despite the...
Media Status of the Queen Conch on the Windward Islands

Concern for the future of Queen Conch has resulted in a number of regional and international measures, which have been taken to protect them. Trade...
Other resources CITES Signs airport and harbors

* Also available: CITES brochures in English, Dutch, Papiamentu and Spanish * Also avaiable: CITES posters Convention on International Trade in...
Other resources From Whaling to Tagging: The Evolution of North Atlantic Humpback Whale Research in the West Indies

North Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, migrate from summer feeding grounds across the temperate and high latitudes to breeding...
Scientific article Coral Larvae Move toward Reef Sounds

Free-swimming larvae of tropical corals go through a critical life-phase when they return from the open ocean to select a suitable settlement...
Media Curacao’s New Underwater Research Station

Plans for a cutting edge, underwater research station ‘PROTEUS™’ have recently been released. The modular design, inspired by coral polyps, will...
Scientific article Variation in habitat soundscape characteristics influences settlement of a reef-building coral

Coral populations, and the productive reef ecosystems they support, rely on successful recruitment of reef-building species, beginning with...
Other resources The recreational and cultural value of nature on St Eustatius (policy brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge Sint Eustatius, or as the local population calls it, Statia, has beautiful dive spots, a rich historical and...
Research report A landscape ecological vegetation map of the island of Bonaire, southern Caribbean

A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (scale 1:50,000) is presented for the southern Caribbean arid island of Bonaire (mean annual...
Media Coral Monitoring Finds Annual Coral Bleaching on Bonaire

A recent report released by STINAPA notes the occurrence of coral bleaching on Bonaire between 2016 and 2020. During this study, coral bleaching was...
Other resources CITES Brochure English

** This brochure is also available in Dutch, Papiamentu and Spanish ** This brochure is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food...
Book The Saba Bank

Until recently the Saba Bank remained a mysterious and largely unexplored off shore atoll falling mostly within the water of the Exclusive Economic...
Scientific article FORAGING ECOLOGY OF RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD PHAETHON AETHEREUS IN THE CARIBBEAN DURING EARLY CHICK REARING REVEALED BY GPS TRACKING

Investigating the foraging patterns of tropical seabirds can provide important information about their ocean habitat affinities as well as prey...
Scientific article Foraging ecology of red-billed tropicbrid phaethon aethereus in the Caribbean during early chick rearing revealed by GPS tracking

Investigating the foraging patterns of tropical seabirds can provide important information about their ocean habitat affinities as well as prey...
Media Environmental DNA FOR Lionfish Mapping

When a new species is introduced to a foreign environment, it can upset the natural balance. One such example, was the introduction of the Pacific...
Scientific article The scleractinian Agaricia undata as a new host for the coral-gall crab Opecarcinus hypostegus at Bonaire, southern Caribbean

Abstract The Caribbean scleractinian reef coral Agaricia undata (Agariciidae) is recorded for the first time as a host of the coral-gall crab ...
Research report Research and Monitoring Report 2012 - Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire

Sea Turtle Conservation Bonaire proudly presents its 2012 Bonaire Sea Turtle Research and Monitoring Report. In this report you will read about...
Research report Classifying benthic habitats and deriving bathymetry at the Caribbean Netherlands using multispectral Imagery

Benthic habitats (habitats occurring at the bottom of a water body) and coral reef ecosystems provide many functions. Currently, however, worldwide...
Research report Mas Piska pa Boneiru: A social mapping study of the fisheries sectors of Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius

Why is it so difficult to manage the fisheries sector on Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius and how should this be tackled in the future in order to...
Research report Classifying benthic habitats and deriving bathymetry at the Caribbean Netherlands using multispectral Imagery

Benthic habitats (habitats occurring at the bottom of a water body) and coral reef ecosystems provide many functions. Currently, however, coral reefs...
Other resources Determining Global Distribution of Microplastics by Combining Citizen Science and In-Depth Case Studies

Microplastics (<5 mm) are contaminants of emerging global concern. They have received considerable attention in scientific research, resulting in...
Scientific article Discovery of the Leeward Blindsnake, Antillotyphlops geotomus (Thomas, 1966), on St. Eustatius, Caribbean Netherlands

The Leeward Blindsnake (Antillotyphlops geotomus) is a near threatened species according to the IUCN Red list (Powell et al., 2016), and was known...
Media New Diadema project aims to restore sea urchins in Saban and Statian waters

The new RAAK PRO Diadema project aims to restore long spined sea urchin populations (scientific name Diadema antillarum) on the coral reefs around...
Raw data Receivers logbook template- harmonized shark data (R script)

R script Stela also attached the R script she used for the report. Please let her know if anyone wants to use it and needs her help, and she’ll go...
Research report The tourism value of nature on Bonaire

Bonairean ecosystems support touristic activities that depend on the quality of the natural environment, such as diving, snorkelling, kayaking,...
Scientific article Assisted gene flow using cryopreserved sperm in critically endangered coral

Assisted gene flow (AGF) is a conservation intervention to accelerate species adaptation to climate change by importing genetic diversity into at-...
Research report Flamingos on Bonaire and in Venezuela

Results of a three year study (1975-1978) of Flamingos on Bonaire and in Venezuela, including population size, food availability, migration and...
Other resources The tourism value of nature on St Eustatius (policy brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge The tourism industry is an important pillar of the economy of St Eustatius. This is recognized by the Strategic...
Scientific article Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems: A Geoacoustically Derived Proxy for Habitat and Relative Diversity for the Leeward Shelf of Bonaire, Dutch Caribbean

Current trends demonstrate coral reef health in serious decline worldwide. Some of the most well-preserved coral reefs in the Caribbean basin are...
Other resources Tourism value of ecosystems in Bonaire (policy brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge Bonairean ecosystems support touristic activities that depend on the quality of the natural environment, such as diving...
Other resources Application Form for Area of Importance for Bat Conservation (AICOM) Kleine Bonaire

Located in the South Caribbean xeric region, approximately 800 m from the Island of Bonaire, Klein Bonaire is a small flat island (maximum elevation...
Research report Environmental Impact Report for Off Road Driving (ORD) in Parke Nacional Arikok

Aruba has overstretched its resources beyond sustainable levels (ATA 2018). One of numerous factors putting pressure on Aruba’s natural resources is...
Other resources First indication of the abundance and distribution of protected seagrass associated species in the introduced Halophila stipulacea meadows on Sint Eustatius

Student Report The present study investigated the abundance and distribution of protected seagrass associated species within the introduced Halophila...
Other resources The tourism value of nature on Saba (policy brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge The tourism industry is the most important source of income for Saba, which is marketed as “the Unspoiled Queen” of the...
Other resources Ruimtelijk OntwikkelingsPlan Bonaire

Het eilandsgebied Bonaire wil het ruimtelijk beleid voor de komende jaren vastleggen in een ruimtelijk ontwikkelingsplan. Er is behoefte aan een...
Media Designing the optimal artificial reef

A new study compared the effectiveness of three popular artificial reefs to increase fish densities around Saba and St Eustatius. The researchers...
Media St. Eustatius: Bridled Quail-Dove Population Continues Declining

In the December 2017 edition of BioNews, we provided an overview of the results of two population assessments of the Bridled Quail-dove (Geotrygon...
Research report Environmental Conservation Across Ecosystem Boundaries: Connecting Management And Funding

A Thesis Submitted for the Degree of PhD at the University of St Andrews: Abstract Environmental degradation is accelerating worldwide, yet...
Other resources Stony corals of St. Eustatius

Previous surveys of the coral fauna of St. Eustatius were usually of short duration and part of a larger research that included all of the windward...
Media How does ecosystem functioning change now sea turtles are returning?

Dutch below Sea turtles have been overharvested in the past, resulting in their endangered population status. But since two decades, their...
Scientific article Distribution and ontogenetic habitat shifts of reef associated shark species in the northeastern Caribbean

Understanding how reef-associated sharks utilise coastal reef habitats throughout their ontogeny is essential for their effective management. In this...
Other resources Survey of Reef Fish Communities of the Fringing reefs of Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles

The coral reefs of Bonaire have been reported to be one of the most pristine reefs, with the reefs on the leeward coast of Bonaire regarded as one of...
Research report Status and trends of coral reef health indicators on Saba (Caribbean Netherlands)

Coral reefs are threatened globally and their trajectories of decline are very similar worldwide. In the Caribbean coral cover has declined by 80%...
Other resources What is St Eustatius’ Nature Worth? (Policy Brief)

Policy Brief The Challenge Healthy ecosystems such as the corals reefs and the forests on the hillsides of Boven and the Quill are critical to the...
Media How to Respond to a Sargassum Influx

In May 2018 the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) launched a new infographic guide for the tourism sector on to how to respond to the...
Media State of the World’s Mangroves 2021

The Global Mangrove Alliance’s recent report on the State of the World’s mangroves served as a call to action for mangrove conservation and...
Other resources The value of nature in the Caribbean Netherlands

The Challenge Healthy ecosystems such as the forests on the hillsides of the Quill on St Eustatius and Saba’s Mt Scenery or the corals reefs of...
Media New Species of Cone Snail Discovered on Aruba

Nederlands and Papiamento below. Researchers from the Florida Atlantic University and University of California recently discovered a new species of...
Research report The total economic value of nature on Bonaire

Healthy ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves are critical to Bonairean society. In the last decades, various local and global developments...
Media Invasive Alien Species in the Dutch Caribbean

Dutch below More than 210 invasive alien species have been documented in the wild within the Dutch Caribbean. These species can have major...
Research report The blue destination strategy in a small island tourism oriented society

Abstract: Tourism could be discussed as being a damaging phenomenon if not managed correctly as well as being destructive towards its own industry by...
Research report Student essays on economic values of nature of Bonaire

To inform decision makers about the most effective strategies to protect the ecosystems of Bonaire, a full-scale valuation of all ecosystem services...
Media Two Dutch Caribbean Tagged Tiger Sharks Follow Similar Migration Patterns in the Caribbean

Two years ago the DCNA organized the first of its kind shark tagging expedition to the Saba Bank and St Maarten as part of the Dutch Postcode Lottery...
Media Invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea discovered on Saba

Park ranger Jelle van der Velde has identified the presence of Halophila stipulaceaat the Queen B. II mooring east of Fort Bay. The discovery, made...
Other resources Final report St.Eustatius Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network

Coral reefs provide some of the most valuable ecosystem services for the islands. They are a driver of tourism, they protect against storms, and...
Media New Technique to Enrich Genetic Diversity of Elkhorn Corals

Using cryopreserved reproductive cells of elkhorn corals, researchers have crossbreed individuals from Florida and Puerto Rico with those of Curaçao...
Research report Towards sustainable management of the Saba Bank

Findings: The main conclusion from this study is that the Saba Bank is particularly important for several reasons: It is an important and unique...
Media 12th meeting of the Scientific Committee of the Inter- American Sea Turtle Convention (IAC)

The Scientific Committee (SC) of the IAC meets annually to discuss the annual reports of the member countries, and threats and impacts on sea turtles...
Media State of Nature in the Caribbean Netherlands: St. Eustatius

Wageningen Research recently published an alarming report on the natural resources of the three Caribbean Netherlands islands (Bonaire, Saba and St....
Other resources Influence of karst denudation on the northwest coast of Curaçao

The northwest coast of Curaçao is characterized by a series of Pleistocene-age reef terraces at four discrete elevations with dissolutional caves...
Media The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance will discuss three critical topics at the upcoming DCNA Convention

Kralendijk – The upcoming convention of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) will focus on governance, climate change, and youth engagement in...
Research report A review of the small pelagics fishery resources of the Dutch Caribbean and adjacent areas

This deskstudy gives a review of small pelagic fish species and fisheries in the Dutch Caribbean, specifically species which distributions exceed the...
Research report Regional Strategy for the Control of Invasive Lionfish in the Wider Caribbean

Summary: Lionfishes are venomous species of scorpionfishes which are native to Indo-Pacific coral reef ecosystems and adjacent habitats. Because of...
Media Ground-breaking Shark Research Conducted in St. Maarten Waters

During the week of April 11, 2021, members from the Nature Foundation St. Maarten, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), the Saba Conservation...
Media Healthier Mangrove Key in Managing Our Carbon Footprint

Healthy mangroves act as carbon sinks, storing a variety of greenhouse gases. As mangroves degrade this ability is lost, but to what extend is still...
Research report Fish assemblages on the Saba bank (Dutch Caribbean): the effect of habitat, depth and fisheries

Many environmental variables may influence fish assemblage structures in terms of abundance, biomass and mean size. The aim of this study is to...
Research report Rare plant species, establishment of exclosures and recommendations for a monitoring program in the Washington-Slagbaai Park (Bonaire)

Abstract: The aim of the present project–commissioned by the management of the Washington-Slagbaai Park (WSP)- was to set-up a more strategic...
Media Disappearance of St. Maarten’s Snails

Nederlands Below Land and freshwater mollusks were surveyed over the course of three visits in 2015, 2020 and 2021 on the Dutch and French sides of...
Media The Pros and Cons of non-native Seagrass Explosive Expansion

A new study from the Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute and Utrecht University investigated the sediment stabilizing ability of non-native...
Research report Predation threats to the Red- billed Tropicbird breeding colony of Saba: focus on cats

Summary: Feral domestic cats (Felis catus) are recognized as one of the most devastating alien predator species in the world and are a major threat...
Media Caribbean Experts Join Forces for Sea Urchin Restoration

Nederlands, Papiamentu and Papiamento below Last week, the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance hosted a sea urchin (Diadema Antillarum) restoration...
Book Status of Dutch Caribbean Reefs

Following the Royal Palace Symposium in the Netherlands in December 2016, and the harsh call to action by Professor Jeremy Jackson (Scripps...
Research report Biological Inventory of Saba

Abstract: Saba is the smallest of the three Windward Islands in the Netherlands Antilles, with an area of 13 km2. Saba is the northernmost island...
Media The State of the World's Mangroves 2021

MANGROVES ARE VITAL COMPONENTS OF THE PLANET’S COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS. Mangroves sequester carbon at up to four times the rate of terrestrial forests,...
Media Recognize Caribbean nature in one click with ObsIdentify

Dutch, Papiamentu, Papiamento, and French below Have you ever wondered what kind of species you are seeing around you? A beautiful lizard, flower, or...
Research report A landscape ecological vegetation map of Saba (Lesser Antilles)

A semi-detailed landscape-based vegetation map (scale: 1: 37,500) is presented for the 13 km2 Lesser Antillean steep volcanic island of Saba,...
Research report UV filter pollution Bonaire by tourism - Lac Bay monitoring and survey results 2017

Chronic stressors such as water pollution, overfishing, and ocean warming are major threats to the resilience of coral reefs as they influence...
Research report Important Bird Areas in the Caribbean Netherlands

Abstract: The Important Bird Area (IBA) programme is an initiative of BirdLife International aimed at identifying, monitoring and protecting a...
Research report Biological Inventory of St. Maarten

St. Maarten is one of the islands forming the inner arc of the Lesser Antilles. It is older than Saba and St. Eustatius. The oldest rock strata date...
Media Satellites and Sharks: Latest in Saba Bank Shark Research

The Saba Bank is an important habitat within the Yarari Shark Sanctuary. Visited by a variety of different species, little is known about the life...
Media St. Eustatius: economic value of nature

The Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI) hosted two “Economic Value of Nature” workshops on St. Eustatius from 3-6 April 2017. These...
Media Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance Paints Bleak Picture of the Impacts of Climate Change in the Dutch Caribbean

Concerned at Lack of Mention of the Impacts of Climate Change During Address of King Willem Alexander at the Joint Session of the States-General of...
Media Call of action to reduce plastic pollution on St. Maarten

Residents and businesses of St. Maarten are being urged to abandon the use of single-use, non-biodegradable plasticsto help create a cleaner and...
Other resources Staat van instandhouding van de natuur van Caribisch Nederland

Sinds de staatkundige herstructurering van het Koninkrijk in 2010, maken de Caribische eilanden van Bonaire, Saba en St. Eustatius als speciale...
Research report Assessing effectiveness of the seasonal closure of the Moonfish Bank of the Saba Bank for two species of concern, the Red Hind and the Queen Triggerfish: the first five years

Summary Based on traditional knowledge of the Saban fishermen, a spawning aggregation area (SPAG) for the Red Hind (Epinephelus guttatus) and the...
Book Biology of Parrotfishes

Content: Chapter 1: Cranial Specializations of Parrotfishes, Genus Scarus (Scarinae, Labridae) for Scraping Reef Surfaces By Kenneth W. Gobalet The...

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