Rays

Dutch and Papiamentu blow

The Yarari Sanctuary is now legally established as a nature park by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, representing a significant milestone in marine conservation for the Caribbean region. This nature park includes the territorial waters of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba and marks a crucial step towards safeguarding the rich biodiversity throughout the Caribbean Netherlands with a focus on marine mammals, sharks and rays. 

Origins 

The Yarari Sanctuary was first established in 2015 around the islands of Saba and Bonaire and since 2018, expanded to include St. Eustatius. The word “Yarari” comes from the Taino Indian language and means “a fine place”, as this area is meant to be a “fine place” for the 20 different marine mammals and over 30 species of sharks and rays which inhabit the waters of the Dutch Caribbean. These species rely on the network of linked habitats stretching across the region for vital hunting, breeding and calving areas. 

Megafauna 

Photo: Credit: Casper Douma/ WWF – all rights reserved

One of the core objectives of establishing the Yarari Sanctuary is the enhanced protection of these megafauna. Marine mammals, sharks and rays all play a pivotal role in the delicate balance of marine ecosystems. By designating these waters as a nature park, stricter regulations and measures can be put in place to safeguard these habitats. This includes creating designated zones where human activity is restricted to minimize disturbances to these animals during their critical breeding and feeding seasons. Increased protection will also help to limit fishing and other potentially harmful activities within the nature park. These changes have been incorporated into the updated BES Fisheries Decree (link included below). 

Protection Milestone  

The establishment of the Yarari Sanctuary is a significant milestone in the ongoing global effort to protect biodiversity. This initiative underscores the Caribbean Netherlands’ commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainable development. The Yarari Sanctuary is not just a testament to the beauty of these islands but also a promise to future generations that the wonders of our oceans will endure for years to come. 

More information 

You can find the official designation here (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048395/2023-07-15) along with Implementation Decree (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048396/2023-07-15) and the updated Fisheries legislation (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028413/2023-07-15). 

Stay up to date about the latest news nature news from the six Dutch Caribbean Islands focused on research and monitoring by subscribing to the FREE digital newsletter BioNews: https://dcnanature.org/news/ 

For general information about the species in the Yarari Sanctuary see: 

• https://www.dcnanature.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/BioNews-Yarari.pdf 
• https://www.dcbd.nl/sites/default/files/documents/DIGITAAL-YarariFolder-2018.pdf 

DCNA     

The Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) supports (science) communication and outreach in the Dutch Caribbean region by making nature-related scientific information more widely available through amongst others the Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s news platform BioNews and the press. This article contains the results from several (scientific) studies but the studies themselves are not DCNA studies. No rights can be derived from the content. DCNA is not liable for the content and the in(direct) impacts resulting from publishing this article.     

Het Yarari-reservaat is nu wettelijk ingesteld als natuurpark door het Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit, wat een belangrijke mijlpaal vertegenwoordigt in het behoud van de zee voor het Caribisch gebied. Dit natuurpark omvat de territoriale wateren van Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en Saba en markeert een cruciale stap in de richting van het veiligstellen van de rijke biodiversiteit in heel Caribisch Nederland, met een focus op zeezoogdieren, haaien en roggen.

Oorsprong

Het Yarari-reservaat werd voor het eerst opgericht in 2015 rond de eilanden Saba en Bonaire en sinds 2018 uitgebreid naar Sint Eustatius. Het woord “Yarari” komt uit de Taino-Indiaanse taal en betekent “een fijne plek”, aangezien dit gebied bedoeld is als een “fijne plek” voor de 20 verschillende zeezoogdieren en meer dan 30 soorten haaien en roggen die in de wateren van het Nederlandse Caribisch gebied leven. Deze soorten zijn afhankelijk van het netwerk van onderling verbonden leefgebieden dat zich over de regio uitstrekt voor vitale jacht-, broed- en afkalfgebieden.

Megafauna

Foto: Credit: Casper Douma/ WWF – all rights reserved

Een van de kerndoelstellingen van de oprichting van het Yarari-reservaat is de betere bescherming van deze megafauna. Zeezoogdieren, haaien en roggen spelen allemaal een cruciale rol in het delicate evenwicht van mariene ecosystemen. Door deze wateren aan te wijzen als natuurpark kunnen strengere regels en maatregelen worden getroffen om deze leefgebieden veilig te stellen. Dit omvat het creëren van aangewezen zones waar menselijke activiteit beperkt is om verstoringen voor deze dieren tijdens hun kritieke broed- en voederseizoenen tot een minimum te beperken. Een betere bescherming zal ook helpen de visserij en andere potentieel schadelijke activiteiten in het natuurpark te beperken. Deze wijzigingen zijn verwerkt in het vernieuwde Visserijbesluit BES (link hieronder).

Beschermingsmijlpaal

De oprichting van het Yarari-reservaat is een belangrijke mijlpaal in de voortdurende mondiale inspanningen om de biodiversiteit te beschermen. Dit initiatief onderstreept de inzet van Caribisch Nederland op het gebied van milieubeheer en duurzame ontwikkeling. Het Yarari-reservaat is niet alleen een bewijs van de schoonheid van deze eilanden, maar ook een belofte aan toekomstige generaties dat de wonderen van onze oceanen nog jaren zullen voortduren.

Meer informatie

De officiële aanduiding vindt u hier https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048395/2023-07-15 samen met het Uitvoeringsbesluit https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048396/2023-07-15 en de vernieuwde Visserijwetgeving https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028413/2023-07-15.

Blijf op de hoogte van het laatste natuurnieuws van de zes Nederlands Caribische eilanden gericht op onderzoek en monitoring door u te abonneren op de GRATIS digitale nieuwsbrief BioNews: https://dcnanature.org/news/

Voor algemene informatie over de soorten in het Yarari Sanctuary zie:

• https://www.dcnanature.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/BioNews-Yarari.pdf
• https://www.dcbd.nl/sites/default/files/documents/DIGITAAL-YarariFolder-2018.pdf

DCNA

De Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA)ondersteunt (wetenschaps) communicatie en outreach in de Nederlandse Caribische regio door natuurgerelateerde wetenschappelijke informatie breder beschikbaar te maken via onder meer de Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA’s nieuwsplatform BioNewsen de pers. Dit artikel bevat de resultaten van verschillende (wetenschappelijke) projecten, maar de projecten zelf zijn geen DCNA-projecten. Aan de inhoud kunnen geen rechten worden ontleend. DCNA is niet aansprakelijk voor de inhoud en de indirecte gevolgen die voortvloeien uit het publiceren van dit artikel.

Voor meer informatie, kunt u contact opnemen met:

Bonaire: STINAPA Bonaire: info@stinapabonaire.org

Saba: Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF): info@sabapark.org

St. Eustatius: St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA): outreach@statiapark.org

Algemeen: research@DCNAnature.org

Awor Santuario Yarari ta legalmente establesé komo parke di naturalesa di parti di Ministerio di Agrikultura, Naturalesa i Kalidat di Kuminda, loke ta representá un logro signifikante den konservashon di laman pa área di Karibe. E parke di naturalesa akí ta enserá e awanan teritorial di Boneiru, Sint Eustatius i Saba, i e ta marka un paso krusial den direkshon di salbaguardiá e biodiversidat riku den henter Karibe Hulandes, ku un enfoke riba mamífero di laman, tribon i chuchu. 

Orígen 

A establesé Santuario Yarari pa promé biaha na aña 2015 rònt di e islanan Saba i Boneiru i for di aña 2018 nan a ekspandé esaki pa inkluí Sint Eustatius. E palabra ‘Yarari’ ta bini for di idioma Taino Indio i e ta nifiká ‘un sitio bunita’, mirando ku e área akí ta intenshoná komo un ‘sitio bunita’ pa e 20 diferente mamíferonan di laman i e mas ku 30 espesie di tribon i chuchu ku ta biba den e awanan di Karibe Hulandes. E espesienan akí ta dependé di e ret di ambientenan natural ku ta konektá ku otro i ku ta ekstendé nan mes atraves di e region pa áreanan vital di yagmentu, reprodukshon i alimentashon.  

Megafouna  

Photo: Credit: Casper Douma/ WWF – all rights reserved

Un di e ophetivonan núkleo di establesimentu di Santuario Yarari ta mihó protekshon pa e megafouna akí. Mamífero di laman, tribon i chuchu tur ta hunga un ròl fundamental den e ekilibrio delikado di ekosistemanan marino. Pa medio di indiká e awanan akí komo parke di naturalesa, por implementá regla i medida mas estrikto pa salbaguardiá e ambientenan natural akí. Esaki ta enserá kreamentu di zonanan designá kaminda ta limitá aktividat humano pa asina minimalisá estorbo pa e animalnan akí durante nan temporada krítiko di reprodukshon i alimentashon. Un mihó protekshon lo yuda limitá piskamentu i otro aktividatnan potensialmente dañino tambe den e parke di naturalesa. A prosesá e kambionan akí den e Dekreto di Peska BES renobá (a inkluí e lenk akí bou). 

Logro di protekshon 

Establesimentu di Santuario Yarari ta un logro importante pa loke ta trata e esfuersonan mundial kontinuo pa protehá biodiversidat. E inisiativa akí ta suprayá e dedikashon di Hulanda Karibense riba tereno di maneho di medio ambiente i desaroyo sostenibel. Santuario Yarari no solamente ta un prueba di bunitesa di nos islanan, pero tambe un promesa na nos generashonnan di futuro ku e maravianan di nos oséanonan lo sigui kontinuá durante hopi aña mas.  

Mas informashon    

E indikashon ofisial bo ta haña akinan (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048395/2023-07-15) huntu ku e Dekreto di Ehekushon (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0048396/2023-07-15) i e Legislashon di Peska renobá (https://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0028413/2023-07-15).  

Keda na altura di e último informenan tokante naturalesa di e seis islanan di Karibe Hulandes ku enfoke riba investigashon i monitoreo, pa medio di tuma un abono grátis riba e boletin notisiero digital BioNews: https://dcnanature.org/news/  

Pa informashon general tokante e espesienan den Santuario Yarari, bishitá:    

• https://www.dcnanature.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/BioNews-Yarari.pdf 
• https://www.dcbd.nl/sites/default/files/documents/DIGITAAL-YarariFolder-2018.pdf 

DCNA 

Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) ta sostené komunikashon (sientífiko) i ‘outreach’ den region hulandes karibense pa medio di hasi informashon sientífiko relashoná ku naturalesa mas ampliamente disponibel via entre otro Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database, DCNA su plataforma di notisia BioNews  i via prensa. E artíkulo akí ta forma parti di e resultadonan di diferente investigashon sientífiko, pero e investigashonnan mes no ta investigashon di DCNA. No por derivá ningun derecho for di e kontenido. DCNA no ta responsabel pa e kontenido i e konsekuensianan (in)direkto ku ta surgi for di publikashon di e artíkulo akí.   

Published in BioNews 68

Observations by SeaSaba dive instructors which include turtles, sharks, rays, snappers, groupers and marine mammals. Observations are made during every dive (and at surface). Dive instructors are at minimum level 3 REEF fish identifiers.   

Please contact SeaSaba for more information.

The handtyped observations (no species picklist) is interpreted into a Comma Separated Values file by a java program which is included in the download.

Many environmental variables may influence fish assemblage structures in terms of abundance, biomass and mean size. The aim of this study is to provide a baseline survey on reef fish assemblages and shark presence covering the whole Saba bank (Dutch Caribbean). Hereby determining the influence of habitat, depth and fishing pressure on the structure of reef fish assemblages and shark presence. Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) survey was used to describe reef fish assemblage structures on the Saba bank. Between 2012-2014, a total of 165 60 min BRUV deployments were conducted on locations varying in habitat complexity (0-4, Polunin and Roberts, 1993), depth (15-40m) and fisheries. The eleven most abundant fish species observed on the Saba bank represented eight families and accounted for nearly 50% of the total number of individual fish observed. Labridae was the most abundant fish family observed with a relative abundance of 22%. Most abundant fish species by number of individuals were Thalassoma bifasciatum (N=849 (9.8%)) Stegastus partitus (N=725 (8.4%)) and Acanthurus bahianus (N=430 (5.0%)).

Habitat complexity was positively correlated with species richness (Nsp), fish abundance (MaxN), and mean biomass, and negatively correlated with mean fish length. Strongly developed vertical relief habitats were found to support high numbers of fish species (N=19.1±0.6SE) of relatively low mean lengths (22.4cm±0.3SE), whereas less complex habitats were characterized by low numbers of species (N=8.3±0.8SE) with relatively high mean lengths (24.6cm ±0.81SE). Depth was negatively correlated with Nsp, MaxN and mean biomass and positively correlated with mean fish length. These relationships were all according to expectations based on earlier studies.

A minor part of the variability in the structure of reef fish assemblages was explained by differences in fisheries activity, indicating that no clear fisheries effect was observed in fish assemblages in this study. Furthermore, no significant differences in average size of target species were observed between areas with different fishing pressure. However, the general absence of piscivores such as large snappers and groupers was an indication of the indelible effects of past fisheries on the Saba bank.

A total of 85 shark observations were made with Ginglymostoma cirratum as most abundant species (N=41), followed by Carcharhinus perezii (N=36), Galeocerdo cuvier (N=5) and Carcharhinus limbatus (N=3). Relatively high shark abundances (0.20 sharks hour-1) were observed on the Saba bank compared with other Caribbean regions (The Bahamas: 0.14 sharks hour-1, Belize, 0.17 sharks hour-1). Shark abundance (CPUE) was positively correlated with habitat complexity, whereas depth exerted a negative influence on shark abundances. High shark numbers are a good sign for the health of the Saba Bank ecosystem, since sharks are apex predators, making them a prime indicator for ecosystem health.

Besides ‘traditional’ measures, ecomorphology was presented as an alternative measure in explaining variation in reef fish assemblages. For ecomorphological analysis insight in trophic morphology was obtained by using a Fish Food Model (FFM). The FFM in this study quantitatively related properties of 14 marine food types to morphological characterics of 15 common fish species on the Saba bank and predicted the capacity of utilizing these food types for each species. Strong differences in morphology and little overlap was observed for all different fish species in the FFM-analysis, which was mainly explained by two sets of variables involving predatory and herbivorous lifestyle. By multiplying each species’ capacity of using food types with its abundance an ecomorphological profile of each fish assemblage was calculated. On a functional level reef fish assemblages showed less variability than on species composition level, this possibly is an indication for high levels of robustness in niche differentiation in reef fish communities on the Saba bank.