sharks and rays

In water transect-count surveys of keystone species and fish schools, Bonaire

With the in-water monitoring activities, STCB collects data on the following CITES species:

  • (a) green turtles; (b) hawksbill turtles; (c) loggerhead turtles; (d) sharks; (e) rays.

In addition, data is collected on:

  • (f) barracudas; (g) tarpons; (h) rainbow parrotfish; (i) midnight parrotfish; (j) fish schools (creole fish, creole wrasse, black durgon, blue tang/surgeon fish, palometa, chub, bar jack, black margate, horse-eye jack, school master, yellow-tail snapper).
  • Time of survey: date and time.
  • Environment: horizontal and vertical visibility, food availability, substrate, water temperature.
  • Disturbance: presence and number of fishing boats and humans in the survey regions.
  • Observers: number of observers and their level of experience.

For the in-water monitoring activities, STCB has divided Bonaire into three survey regions: Northwest Bonaire, Southwest Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Within these survey regions, eighteen fixed systematically random transects (survey areas) have been set up. Subsequently, an additional eighteen random transects were set up in the areas between the fixed transects. Therefore, a total of 36 transects have been set.

Date
2022
Data type
Raw data
Theme
Research and monitoring
Geographic location
Bonaire
Author
Image

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 daily lives. As we enter a new decade, it becomes useful to review what conservation efforts have worked so far, and take inventory of what efforts will be required for the future. Starting with the constitutional referendum creating the Caribbean Netherlands (Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES), the response to conservation challenges of all six Dutch Caribbean islands have varied. Since 2010, the BES islands have seen an overall increase in funding support and conservation actions, and therefore presumably also saw greater improvements when compared to Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, though clearly not enough (Sanders et al, 2019).

The goal of this Transboundary Species special edition of BioNews is to provide an update on the latest published research results and highlight the need for transboundary protection. These species know no boundaries, and thus move between the Dutch Caribbean islands and beyond. Their protection will require broadscale conservation efforts which cover the entire Caribbean, including the six Dutch Caribbean islands. Collaboration between all six islands is of the utmost importance. This is one of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance’s (DCNA) main goals: working together and sharing skills, knowledge and resources to maintain a solid network and support nature conservation in the entire Dutch Caribbean.

 

Date
2019
Data type
Media
Theme
Education and outreach
Research and monitoring
Geographic location
Aruba
Bonaire
Curacao
Saba
Saba bank
St. Eustatius
St. Maarten
Author