Marine

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 status within the kingdom. Following the declaration of an Exclusive Fishery Zone (EFZ) in 1993, an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) has been declared in the Dutch Caribbean on the tenth of June 2010.

The EEZ area concerned, is a large expanse of sea which harbours exceptional biodiversity, and represents an important natural renewable resource potential. The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and The Netherlands have, therefore, opted to draft a management plan for the EEZ. This initiative began in the year 2005 when the first conference regarding the management of the biodiversity in the EEZ was held. The consensus was that despite a fragmented Dutch Caribbean, the EEZ should always be integrally managed. In 2009 the participants of the second conference confirmed the need for common management and developed common goals, principles and a framework for the management of the Dutch Caribbean waters. Resulting from this conference a management plan was drafted, circulated to all stakeholders and discussed on the 1st of June 2010. Based on the input and feedback received, as well as subsequent correspondence, this final management plan was jointly developed.

The Dutch Ministery of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality (LNV) gave financial support to facilitate the process. This management plan initially stems from the framework policy plan “Natuurbeleid van de Nederlandse Antillen” (2000) that recognized the urgent need for a management plan for the Saba Bank, situated inside the EFZ waters, to ensure sustainable fisheries and protection of its rich biodiversity. It also closely follows the intention of the Kingdom with regards to the goals set forth in the Dutch biodiversity policy programme “Beleidsprogramma Biodiversiteit 2008-2011”. In this respect, as a party to the Convention on Biodiversity, The Netherlands also has a strong international commitment to help stem the global decline in biodiversity.

This management plan outlines the purposes and manner in which the Caribbean Exclusive Economic Zone and Saba Bank in particular may be used in a sustainable manner, based on a shared vision and common set of goals. It outlines the management objectives, as well as key policies, and strategies with which to achieve sustainable management. It also addresses the administrative structure, resource use, financial support, key information needs, and action points most urgently required to set sustainable management in place.

To set the stage for implementation and properly initiate this process governments of The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and The Netherlands have, among others resolved to:

  1. take those steps needed to legally designate the Saba bank as a specially protected national marine area,
  2. take all steps necessary to legally designate the Dutch Caribbean EEZ as a Marine Mammal Sanctuary,
  3. install a EEZ Marine Resourses Committee to guide the process of further management implementation and
  4. allocate the required core funding.

These important intentions are formalized and set in action by means of an agreement between parties. 

Date
2010
Data type
Research report
Theme
Legislation
Research and monitoring
Report number
C100/10
Geographic location
Aruba
Bonaire
Curacao
Saba
St. Eustatius
St. Maarten

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, 1996, and 2002. The general impression is that the Bank is still recovering from the 2005 bleaching disaster, but there is not enough data to exclude other reasons (e.g. overfishing, anchor damage, hurricanes).

  • In 1996, Meesters et al. estimated coral cover at 7 locations to lie between 60 and 90%. These percentages were nowhere observed this time. The best site visited had an estimated coral cover of around 50%.
  • There is now a high cover of algae (mainly Dictyota spp. and Lobophora spp.) on the reefs of the Bank.
  • The present absence of important grazers such as the black sea urchin are likely to slow down recovery.
  • Fish numbers appeared to be lower than previously observed, though sharks were observed on almost every dive, indicating a still intact food chain. The low numbers of fish may be a seasonal effect, a result of the presence of predators, or a result of changes that followed from the 2005 bleaching event.

However, corals appear healthy and the reefs of the Saba Bank are probably slowly recovering to their previous grandeur.

  • Very few coral colonies with diseases were observed.
  • Some colonies were bleached as result of the seasonal high water temperatures, but there appeared to be almost no mortality among these bleached colonies. 

Management Recommendations:

Begin to regularly monitor the health of the Bank’s coral reefs and the impact of human activities such as fishing as soon as possible (permanent video transects are planned to be installed in 2011 at a number of sites on the Bank).

Date
2010
Data type
Research report
Theme
Research and monitoring
Document
Geographic location
Saba bank

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 coral reef biota. Museum collections may harbour old specimens of reef-dwelling species that have become locally extinct. Such collections also help to determine whether early records of invasive species can be obtained from times when they were not yet recognized as such. A case study (2006) involving Saba Bank, Caribbean Netherlands (former Netherlands Antilles), suggests that the coral reef fauna here may have become impoverished when compared with data obtained during an earlier expedition in 1972. However, the 1972 sampling may have been incomplete, as it was performed by professional divers who were not trained taxonomists, whereas the collecting in 2006 was done by expe- rienced marine biologists who knew the taxa they were sampling. As Saba Bank has been under stress due to the anchoring of large vessels, and invasive species have been a potential threat as well, future studies are needed to obtain more insights into the changing reef biota of Saba Bank. Using this Saba Bank exam- ple, we want to address the importance of natural history collections as reser- voirs of valuable data relevant to coral reef biodiversity studies in a time of global change. As such, these collections are still underexplored and underexploited. 

Date
2011
Data type
Scientific article
Theme
Research and monitoring
Journal
Geographic location
Saba bank

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. While lionfish have been identified on coral reefs and in other marine systems, additional ecosystems may be affected as the invasion spreads. Here we identify the first estuarine intrusion by lionfish in their invasive range. Lionfish (n = 211) were captured in the Loxahatchee River estuary (Florida, USA) between August 2010 and April 2011, with some individuals located as far as ~5.5 km from the ocean. Multiple size classes were documented (standard lengths ranged from 23 to 185 mm), and post-settlement juveniles were present throughout the sampling period. All individuals were found in close association with anthropogenically created habitats (e.g. docks, sea walls, submerged debris), suggesting that humandriven changes in habitat availability may facilitate estuarine invasion. Fifteen prey taxa were found in lionfish stomachs, with diets dominated by small shrimp. Since estuaries are already highly threatened by human impacts, and provide critical habitat for numerous commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important species, establishment of lionfish in these ecosystems is of particular concern

Date
2011
Data type
Scientific article
Theme
Research and monitoring
Journal

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 collecting data on underwater fauna and coral reefs. Apart from that data were collected on nutrients, water flow, sponges and seabirds and marine mammals. Data on the last group were collected by deploying acoustic data loggers, and by means of visual surveys. These visual surveys were conducted whenever the other activities permitted it. This cruise report presents an brief overview of the results obtained during the October 2011 survey. It contains a short day to day report, a full list of all birds, mammals and particular pieces of floating matter seen, and a brief presentation of the results. Furthermore the report contains a brief account of observed birds on Sint Maarten, since published accounts on the birdlife of the island are scarce.

Findings

Seabirds

  • The seabirds most often spotted were the Brown Booby and the Magnificent Frigatebird.
  • No marine mammals were observed.
  • Red-Billed Tropicbirds were primarily spotted near the shore of Saba.

Birds on Sint Maarten

The first ever records of the following birds were made during this expedition:

  • Cinnamon Teal (possibility of a hybrid cannot be excluded).
  • Marbled Godwit (flying over the Great Salt Pond).
  • A Merlin was seen hunting amongst Cliff Swallows and Barn Swallows.
  • Three Ospreys were recorded.
  • Breeding Caribbean Coots or adults with chicks were seen at several small ponds and in the salines.

Most Common (sighted>10)

  • Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
  • Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
  • Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)
  • Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
  • Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)
  • Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
  • Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
  • Bananaquit (Coereba flaveola)

Least Common (sighted<2)

  • Merlin (Falco columbarius)
  • American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
  • Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia)
  • Short-billed (Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus)
  • Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
  • Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
  • Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
  • Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
  • Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
  • Cabot's Tern (Thalasseus acuflavidus)
  • Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
  • Rose-ringed Parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
  • Green-throated Carib (Eulampis holosericeus)
  • Antillean Crested Hummingbird (Orthorhyncus cristatus)
  • Northern Parula (Parula americana)
  • Caribbean Elaenia (Elaenia martinica)
  • Pearly-eyed Thrasher (Margarops fuscatus)
  • House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
  • Northern Parula (Parula americana)
  • Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata)
  • Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

Notes:

The vessel that was used during this survey was not well suited for dedicated seabird and cetacean surveys. However, the gathered data fits in well with the seasonal pattern in observed seabird species and densities described for Guadeloupe for the same time period (distinct dip from August to October). According to Debrot et al, there are few records of cetaceans in October.

Date
2012
Data type
Research report
Theme
Research and monitoring
Report number
C062/12
Geographic location
Saba bank
St. Maarten

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 of nesting habitat herein assembled is the most comprehensive for any region of the world, with 1,311 nesting beaches identified in 43 WCR nations and territories, inclusive of Bermuda to the north and Brazil to the south. Because some sites host nesting by multiple species, 2,535 species-specific sites are named. Of these, 77% are categorized in terms of abundance: <25, 25-100, 100-500, 500-1,000, or >1,000 nesting crawls per year. Hawksbill and green turtles are the least known, with 33% and 24%, respecttively, of all known nesting sites associated with unknown crawl abundances.

Large nesting colonies are rare. Nesting grounds receiving more than 1,000 crawls per year range from 0.4% (hawksbill) to 7.0% (Kemp’s ridley) of all known species-specific sites. For any species, roughly half of all known nesting sites support fewer than 25 crawls (fewer than 10 reproductively active females) per year. While some nations are making exemplary progress in identifying and monitoring nesting stocks, consistent sea turtle population monitoring effort is still lacking in most areas and recent data are scarce in some jurisdictions; two archipelagic States (Bahamas, St. Vincent and the Grenadines) and Hispaniola (Dominican Republic, Haiti) have never been completely assessed.

The regulatory landscape is fragmented. Thirty (69.8%) nations and territories prohibit sea turtle exploitation year-around: 29 of 43 jurisdictions mandate indefinite protection (eight of these allow exemptions for ‘traditional’ exploitation), while Anguilla has adopted a moratorium set to expire in 2020. With the exception of the Cayman Islands, legal sea turtle fisheries are based on minimum size limits (by weight or shell length), targeting large juveniles and adults in contradistinction to the best available science on management and recovery.

Threats matrices characterizing a range of risk factors, including those that result in the loss or degradation of critical habitat, reveal that beach erosion, nest loss to predators or physical factors, artificial beachfront lighting, direct exploitation of turtles and eggs, and pollution threaten the survival of sea turtles at their nesting grounds in more than 75% of all WCR nations and territories. With regard to factors potentially hindering population recovery at foraging grounds, more than 75% of Caribbean nations and territories cite pollution, fisheries bycatch, entanglement, coral reef and/or seagrass degradation, and losses to hunters, poachers and natural predators as threatening the survival of sea turtles at sea.

The data collected and assembled will allow for further research and analysis of sea turtle abundance (including population trends at index sites) and habitat use; for example, in conjunction with other datasets to determine areas of high biodiversity or areas in need of urgent protection. The database, archived and displayed online by OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/), will be updated regularly and used to establish conservation and management priorities, and to inform and improve policy at national and regional levels. Future goals of the project are to research and incorporate seagrass and coral reef data to determine nationally and regionally significant foraging areas, thus identifying marine areas in need of management attention and contributing to the development of a network of population monitoring programs, including juvenile and adult age classes, at index sites. 

Date
2007
Data type
Research report
Theme
Research and monitoring
Report number
WIDECAST Technical Report No. 6
Geographic location
Aruba
Bonaire
Curacao
Saba
St. Eustatius
St. Maarten

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-like geomorphic features and significant shelf edge coral development on Saba Bank have led to the conclusion that it is an actively growing, though wholly submerged, coral reef atoll. However, little information exists on the composition of benthic communities or associated reef fish assemblages of Saba Bank. We selected a 40 km2 area of the bank for an exploratory study. Habitat and reef fish assemblages were investigated in five shallow-water benthic habitat types that form a gradient from Saba Bank shelf edge to lagoon. Significant coral cover was restricted to fore reef habitat (average cover 11.5%) and outer reef flat habitat (2.4%) and declined to near zero in habitats of the central lagoon zone. Macroalgae dominated benthic cover in all habitats (average cover: 32.5 – 48.1%) but dominant algal genera differed among habitats. A total of 97 fish species were recorded. The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages differed among habitat types. Highest fish density and diversity occurred in the outer reef flat, fore reef and inner reef flat habitats. Biomass estimates for commercially valued species in the reef zone (fore reef and reef flat habitats) ranged between 52 and 83 g/m2 . The composition of Saba Bank fish assemblages reflects the absence of important nursery habitats, as well as the effects of past fishing. The relatively high abundance of large predatory fish (i.e. groupers and sharks), which is generally considered an indicator of good ecosystem health for tropical reef systems, shows that an intact trophic network is still present on Saba Bank

Date
2010
Data type
Scientific article
Theme
Research and monitoring
Journal
Geographic location
Saba bank

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 Sea. This finding is based on ten specimens collected at Parque Nacional Archipiélago de Los Roques (PNAR, Dependencias Federales), Playa Cal, Caraballeda and Puerto Carayaca (Estado Vargas) and 30 specimens observed in 18 localities of PNAR, Parque Nacional Morrocoy (Estado Falcón), Bahía de Cata, Ensenada de Cepe (Estado Aragua), Puerto Cruz, Chichiriviche de La Costa, Mamo, Catia La Mar, La Guaira, Macuto, Caraballeda (Estado Vargas) and Farallón Centinela (Dependencias Federales). The specimens were collected and observed from November 2009 to June 2010. This is the first published report documenting their occurrence in Venezuela.

Date
2010
Data type
Scientific article
Theme
Research and monitoring

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 marine fishes to establish in the Western North Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. Despite the continued documentation of its range expansion and highly publicized invasion (including public-driven removal efforts) there remains a paucity of basic information on lionfish ecology. This knowledge gap limits effective long-term management. In this study we conducted a multi-scale investigation of habitat occupancy of a newly established population of lionfish in Roatan, Honduras. Based on field surveys and citizen sightings in Roatan Marine Park we found that lionfish occurred more frequently on aggregate coral reef habitats (54% of sightings) compared to patch reef habitats (30%) and sea grass lagoons (16%). In general, these aggregate and patch reef habitats contained adults (mean total length =118.9 mm and 114.7mm, respectively) whereas sea grass habitats contained juveniles (mean total length=89.5 mm). At the micro-habitat scale lionfish occupied areas dominated by hard coral and overhanging structure; the same microhabitats containing native fishes of concern – grouper (Nassau grouper, Epinephelus striatus; yellow fin grouper, Mycteroperca venenosa) and snapper (dog snapper, Lutjanus jocu; mutton snapper, Lutjanus analis). Results from this study contribute information on basic habitat requirements of lionfish and inform current management removal efforts focused on containing spread and mitigating their impacts on native species

Date
2011
Data type
Scientific article
Theme
Research and monitoring