The Bahamas

The Bahamas The Bahamian Archipelago, consisting of over 1,000 islands, is split politically between the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Archipelago’s northern and central islands rest on two large bank systems-the Little Bahama Bank and the Great Bahama Bank-with water depths of less than 10 m.[1] Beyond the central Bahamas, to the southeast the islands are located on isolated small platforms, beyond which the Turks and Caicos begin. There are thousands of small patch reefs, dozens of narrow fringing reefs, and some bank barrier reefs, such as the Andros Barrier Reef. The reefs are most prominent on the windward northern and eastern sides of the islands and cays. [2] According to the Reefs at Risk analysis, the Bahamas possess some of the least threatened coral reefs in the Caribbean region. Only about 20 percent of the area’s coral reefs are under threat from overfishing, and this is the only threat that has been identified in most areas. Coastal development and pollution from marine-based sources threaten less than 5 percent of those reefs, and watershed-based threats are rated low, owing to the narrow and flat topograhy of most of the islands. This is reflected in observations of reef condition, which has declined in the waters off the more developed and populated islands but is generally good near the offshore islands. [3] However, the situation is changing rapidly is some areas. [4] Localized stresses on the corals are sewage runoff and tourism impacts such as diver damage and destruction of coastal habitats for hotel and marina development. [5] The resident population of approximately 300,000 centers on New Providence and Grand Bahama Islands. In 2000, over 1.5 million stopover tourists came to the islands. Development in the tourism sector has led to numerous problems on some of the islands, such as waste management. [6] The Bahamas have a well-developed commercial and export fishery plus a recreational/local consumption fishery. [7] The most valuable catches are lobster, conch, grouper, snapper, and jacks. [8] The populations of grouper and conch show clear evidence of overfishing, and action is essential to prevent their collapse. [9] The Bahamas have been subject to frequent hurricane activity (e.g. Erin (1995) and Floyd (1999)), but little is documented about the effects on shallow-water communities. A number of bleaching events have been described. Mass bleaching was observed around New Providence Island in 1998 where approximately 60 percent of coral heads were bleached. Extensive bleaching was also reported at Walkers Cay in the northern Bahamas. Coral disease, particularly white band, has been widespread. [10] Acropora and Diadema populations have been decimated by disease. [11] Concerned about the continued degradation of its marine resources, the government of the Bahamas was a pioneer in establishing its first Land and Sea National Park in 1958 in Exuma Cays. This became a no-take fisheries replenishment area in 1986, the first of its kind in the Caribbean. Studies have shown that the reserve supports a concentration of conch 31 times than outside of the park. [12] This success has contributed to the government’s announcement in 2000 of a policy decision to protect 20 percent of the Bahamian marine ecosystem, which led to the creation of 10 new national parks in 2002 to move the country closer to this goal. Management of national parks is entrusted to the Bahamas National Trust. MPA management is strong, but funding, staff and equipment remain an issue. [13] Work is under way to explore expanding the set of marine protected areas (MPAs) into an interconnected network of marine reserves (to include up to 40 sites eventually), under a US$2.8 million dollar National Science Foundation grant to the to the Bahamas Biocomplexity Project (BBP). [1] UNESCO, CARICOMP - Caribbean Coral Reef, Seagrass and Mangrove Sites (Paris: UNESCO, 1998), p. 229 [2] K.C. Buchan, “The Bahamas” in Seas at the Millennium: An Environmental Evaluation. Vol 1 Regional Chapters: Europe, The Americas and West Africa. C.R.C. Sheppard, ed. (Oxford, UK: Elsevier Press, 2000), p. 421 [3] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 280 [4] J. Woodley et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Western Atlantic,” in Status of Coral reefs of the World: 2000 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2000), p. 280 [5] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 287 [6] K.C. Buchan, “The Bahamas” in Seas at the Millennium: An Environmental Evaluation. Vol 1 Regional Chapters: Europe, The Americas and West Africa. C.R.C. Sheppard, ed. (Oxford, UK: Elsevier Press, 2000), p. 423 [7] J. Woodley et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Western Atlantic,” in Status of Coral reefs of the World: 2000 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2000), p. 269 [8] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 284 [9] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 285 [10] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 281 [11] J. Woodley et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Western Atlantic,” in Status of Coral reefs of the World: 2000 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2000), p. 265 [12] D. Linton et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN,” in Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2002), p. 290 [13] J. Woodley et al., “Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Western Atlantic,” in Status of Coral reefs of the World: 2000 . C. Wilkinson, ed. (Townsville: Australian Institute of Marine Science, 2000), p. 279