Dutch Caribbean
Biodiversity Strategy
NOTE:
All text in black has been copy pasted straight out of the Biodiversity Monitoring
Strategy received from Paul Hoetjes in Sept 2013 with comments included
Suggested text in red has been added by DCNA
(draft version 10.2)
23rd December 2013
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
5
1.
6
INTRODUCTION
Vision
6
Goals
6
Key elements
7
Understanding biodiversity
7
Significance of Dutch Caribbean Islands Biodiversity
8
2. GOVERNANCE
9
Nature Commission
9
EEZ Committee
10
Fisheries Commission
10
Biodiversity Monitoring Committee
10
Island Platforms
10
3. CURRENT STATE OF BIODIVERSITY
12
Habitats
Coral reefs
Mangrove forests
Seagrass
Rainforest
12
12
13
14
15
Species
Birds
Sea Turtles
Conch
Lobster
15
16
17
18
18
4.
19
CAUSES OF BIODIVERSITY LOSS
Main Threats
19
Protected Area Threats
20
5.
24
LEGAL TOOLS
International treaties and conventions
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES)
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar
Convention)
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
The Migratory Shark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
Cartagena Convention
Inter-American Sea Turtle Convention (IAC)
International Whaling Convention (IWRC)
UNESCO World Heritage Convention
24
24
24
24
25
25
26
26
26
National Policy and legislation
Nature Policy Plan The Caribbean Netherlands 2013-2017
National and Policy Plans and Ordinances
Nature Conservation Framework Act BES
Maritime Management Act BES
Fisheries Act BES
Public housing, spatial planning and environmental protection Act BES
Island Ordinances
26
26
26
26
27
28
28
30
6.
31
KEY ELEMENTS OF BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Protected Area Management
Internationally protected areas
Nationally protected areas
Locally protected areas
Day to day management
Management Plans
31
31
32
33
34
36
Species Management
36
Genetic Resources
37
7.
38
BIODIVERSITY MONITORING STRATEGY
Background
38
Initiative
38
Purpose
39
Goals
39
Baseline – monitoring - research
39
Governance
Technical Database Management
41
42
Biodiversity monitoring principles
Monitoring ++
Sustainability
Standard protocols
Centralized data storage
Open access
Adaptive
42
42
43
43
43
43
43
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Setting monitoring priorities
Communicating results
Centralized data storage
43
44
44
Prioritizing monitoring activities
45
Communication
47
8.
49
ACTION PLAN
9. APPENDIX
50
Internationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean
50
Definition of Terms
55
RAMSAR SITES
59
Protected Areas: site description and value statements
Aruba
Bonaire
Curaçao
Saba
St Eustatius
St Maarten
61
61
62
64
66
67
69
BACKGROUND AND A PATH FORWARD
71
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Executive Summary
To be completed after Dec 2013 Biodiversity Strategy Workshop
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
1. Introduction
The quality of nature on the Dutch Caribbean islands is an important part of the
identity of the people who live on these islands and in large part underpins the
quality of life and economic wealth of the islands. Our marine and terrestrial
ecosystems and habitats, animals and plants are diverse and of high local, regional
and international importance.
This Biodiversity Strategy, together with the Nature Policy Plan for the Caribbean
Netherlands, and other planning and strategy documents form the framework for
the sustainable and successful management of our islands’ natural wealth.
The two key strategies identified in the “Nature Policy Plan The Caribbean
Netherlands” are mainstreaming and nature management. This document starts
where the Nature Policy Plan ends to action the policy.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands furthermore has a strong interest in biodiversity
conservation and management due to their obligations under various international
treaties and conventions and the consequent need to meet international standards
and obligations.
Local interest paragraph.. (this may be covered now in the opening).
Vision
1. Our vision for the future of biodiversity in the Dutch Caribbean is of no net loss of
the islands’ biodiversity: where natural systems are healthy and diverse and support
and promote human well-being
OR
2. The people of the Dutch Caribbean work together to conserve the islands’
biological diversity, and all share in the economic and social benefits of biodiversity.
The full range of each island’s natural systems and their species are secure and
thrive.
Goals
The goal of the Biodiversity Strategy is to ensure the conservation and
enhancement of biological diversity on the islands through the protection of areas
and species and the sustainable use of the island’s natural resources, in harmony
with economic development and human well-being.
This can only be achieved by generating awareness about biodiversity and
conservation on the islands to inform, motivate and encourage support and active
participation in nature conservation by all stakeholders.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean

Conservation and enhancement includes the protection, maintenance,
strengthening and where feasible restoration of nature on the islands.

Protection of areas and species refers to the active management of areas
designated as nature or conservation areas and/or selected species

Sustainable use includes prohibiting destructive practices, regulating
extractive practices and managing other use to ensure no net loss of
biodiversity.
Key elements
The key elements within the Biodiversity Strategy are:
 Protected area management
 Species management
 Genetic resources
 Biodiversity monitoring
Understanding biodiversity
Biodiversity is considered in its widest sense and includes the fluctuation, variability,
amount, and distribution of all biodiversity components and their interaction.
Biodiversity includes freshwater, marine and terrestrial environments and their
attendant flora and fauna. It also includes the relationships between earth systems
such as climate change and biodiversity. Biodiversity occurs within and amongst
dynamic environmental stressors and a rapidly changing society. Long-term
measurements will be fundamental to our understanding and management of
biodiversity. Local, regional and global processes are inextricably linked and will
thereby assist with predictions and decisions at all spatial scales and where data may
be limited.
Understanding the scope of the islands’ biological resources is an essential first step
towards effectively managing biodiversity on the islands.
The challenges of understanding biological diversity include but are not limited to:
 Understanding biodiversity’s role in ecosystems: processes, resilience and
environmental change
 The development of appropriate tools and techniques to describe
biodiversity and its functions
 Improve how the abundance and distribution of biodiversity is measured
 How society can predict and mitigate the effects of biodiversity change on
processes that sustain life
 The development of integrated tools for assessing the benefits of biodiversity
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Significance of Dutch Caribbean Islands Biodiversity
The islands of the Caribbean Netherlands are biologically diverse and home to
hundreds of endemic species, several globally endangered species and a variety of
globally threatened ecosystems. Ecosystems range from arid, cactus dominated
landscapes, dry forests and evergreen limestone vegetation, to tropical rainforest
and cloud forest. The Caribbean Netherlands form part of the Caribbean Islands
Biodiversity Hotspot (Conservation International, 2004), an area with exceptionally
diverse ecosystems, rich in plant and animal species, many of which are endemic to
one or only a few islands. At the same time the Caribbean islands have suffered from
deforestation and human encroachment. As a consequence the islands
characteristically have a rich but fragile biodiversity that is in need of special
attention. The marine biodiversity of the Caribbean Netherlands is also exceptionally
rich. Even within the Caribbean hotspot the Southern Caribbean area has been
identified as the second richest area (after the Straits of Florida) for marine species
(Conservation International, 2004; Solórzano et al). Much of this biodiversity is still
hidden in the deep-sea and has yet to be studied. The surrounding seas and coastal
zones of the islands are also rich with mangrove communities, seagrass beds, and
coral reefs. The Saba Bank, only recently partly explored, yielded new fish species as
well as algae and soft coral species new to science.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
2. Governance
In order to implement this Biodiversity Strategy an appropriate organizational
structure with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each component is
proposed.
This structure fits into a broader organizational/governance structure governed by
the Nature Policy Plan, the Nature Conservation Framework Act BES, the Fisheries
Act BES, and the Memorandum of Cooperation for the management of marine
biodiversity and fisheries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The proposed structure is presented in the diagram below.
Since the work of these committees and commissions will overlap significantly each
Committee must be represented in the Nature Commission.
Nature Commission
The Nature Conservation Framework Act BES (Article 3) provides the option
of establishing a “Nature Commission” for the BES islands. This Commission
would be charged with giving advice, asked for or otherwise, to the Minister
of EZ and the Island Governments of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius, on any
issues related to the implementation of the Nature Conservation Framework
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Act BES. The Nature Policy Plan Caribbean Netherlands (NPP) states the
intention to indeed establish such a Commission.
EEZ Committee
In addition to this Nature Commission, there is an Committee for the
management of Marine Biodiversity and Fisheries (EEZ Committee)
established in 2010, based on a Memorandum of Cooperation intended to
include all six Dutch Caribbean islands. The committee meets twice a year.
Fisheries Commission
The Fisheries Commission was established in 2013 as prescribed by the
Fisheries Act BES. This Commission will meet in conjunction with the EEZ
Committee
Biodiversity Monitoring Committee
A Biodiversity Monitoring Committee is envisaged to coordinate and oversee
the biodiversity monitoring strategy. The tasks and responsibilities of this
committee are described in more detail below.
Bi-annual Dutch Caribbean Nature Platform meetings could provide a broad platform
for discussion amongst a range of stakeholders (government, non-governmental,
private sector) on nature and nature conservation in the region, identifying themes
or issues from a multi-island perspective, and provide recommendations for the
Nature Commission and its counterparts in the other Dutch Caribbean islands.
Island Platforms
Each participating island will set up an Island Platform, which will include Island
Government representative/s, local nature conservation practitioners as well as any
local nature monitoring groups.
Membership
Role
Tasks
Island Government
Networking and
on island coordination of
biodiversity
strategy
Local networking
Park management
organizations
Nature conservation
organisations
Private sector
Coordination with Biodiversity
Monitoring Committee
Identify resource needs
Periodic updates
Information exchange/resource
sharing
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Island Platforms will:
 Exchange information and/ or resources related to nature conservation in
general and biodiversity monitoring in particular
 Co-ordinate local monitoring activities
 Communicate with the Monitoring Committee on monitoring priorities,
protocols, resources, knowledge gaps, etc.
 Communicate with the Monitoring Committee on monitoring activities (planned
and completed)
 Flag to the Monitoring Committee, and others, their resource needs (expertise,
funds, materials)
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
3. Current state of biodiversity
Biological diversity – biodiversity – is the variety of life and its processes and it
includes the variety of living organisms, the genetic differences amongst them and
the communities and ecosystems in which they occur.
This section presents a summary of our current knowledge of the state of the
islands’ biological resources. Since biodiversity in the Dutch Caribbean has not been
systematically inventoried and indicators for species and/or ecosystem trends have
not been identified information is incomplete.
In general, expert qualitative assessments reveal that all natural habitats show minor
or severe signs of degradation. Considering the fact that many endemic and other
species depend on the small island habitats it’s obvious that the current status of
biodiversity on the islands is threatened [ref: xxx]
Habitats
The main marine habitats found on and around the islands are coral reefs,
mangroves, seagrasses, macro-algal communities, open ocean and a range of
subtidal and intertidal habitats including hard, rubble and sand bottoms, rocky
shores, sand/rubble beaches, salt and freshwater ponds as well as saliñas and
lagoons.
The main terrestrial habitats are semi-desert, dry scrub, dry forest, other woodlands
and rainforest and cloudforest. All of these environments are biologically diverse and
provide a range of resources and ‘services’ for wild animals and plants as well as
humans.
Coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds and rainforests and cloudforests are
all recognised as globally threatened ecosystems of high biodiversity. A number of
threats are contributing to declines in health and extent of these habitats as well as
others in the Dutch Caribbean.
Coral reefs
Coral reefs occur around all islands of the Dutch Caribbean and are diverse in
structure and extent. Bonaire and Curaçao have highly developed fringing coral
reefs, which encircle the entire islands. St Maarten has patch/barrier reefs while the
reefs on Saba are found on the top of underwater seamounts or pinnacles. St
Eustatius by contrast has well developed patch reefs and Aruba has small areas of
patch reef amongst a topographically complex marine landscape.
Coral cover has systematically declined throughout the Caribbean by more than 80%
since the 1970s due to a number of factors including chronic overfishing, the
insidious effects of population expansion and coastal zone development, climate
change – which is causing more intense and more frequent storms as well as
frequent coral bleaching events and acidification - and invasive species.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Many of the large reef fish (particularly groupers, snappers and grunts) are declining
at the same or even greater rate than corals. The greatest threat to fish populations
is posed by invasive lionfish, which were first spotted on the ABC islands late 2009
and by 2011 were also established on the SSS islands. The situation looks grim as
lionfish appear to colonize all depths and habitats and this voracious predator is
capable of reducing in situ juvenile fish populations by up to 78%.
Aruba’s patches of coral reefs are widely dispersed and discrete. Little is known
about their status and they are not protected.
Bonaire’s fringing coral reefs, which extend around the island of Bonaire and satellite
island of Klein Bonaire are protected within the Bonaire National Marine Park and
include the Ramsar areas of Lac (Ramsar site # 199) and the fringing reefs around
Klein Bonaire (Ramsar site # 201). Within the Marine Park are two Marine Reserves,
where all activities are prohibited and two small Fish Protected Areas where fishing
activities are banned. Bonaire’s coral reefs are considered to be some of the
healthiest in the Caribbean (AGRRA, Carmabi Foundation, 2011), yet remain
seriously threatened with collapse, more so than at any time since monitoring began
(Steneck et al. 2011). Populations of grouper, snapper and grunt have plummeted
since data was first collected in the early 1970s.
Curacao’s fringing coral reefs extend around the island. They are not actively
managed although the Curacao Underwater Park officially protects xx of coastline.
The coral reefs, particularly in the area adjacent to Oostpunt, are generally regarded
as among the healthiest in the Caribbean (Carmabi Foundation, 2011).
Saba’s pinnacles xxx [extent – management – status]
The patch reefs on St Eustatius xxx [extent – management – status]
St Maarten recently established the Man o War Shoals Marine Park to protect their
most valuable areas of coral reefs. [extent – management – status]
Mangrove forests
It is well known that there is considerable interchange between mangrove forest
ecosystems and coral reefs with mangroves and adjoining seagrass beds acting as
breeding and nursery grounds for countless species of fish and invertebrates many
of which spend their adult lives in coral reef environments. Mangroves are also
considered globally threatened ecosystems and are under significant pressure
throughout the Caribbean region.
In the Dutch Caribbean mangrove forests are found on Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and
St. Maarten, consisting of Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle), Black Mangrove
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
(Avicennia germinans), White Mangrove (Laguncularia racemosa)and Buttonwood
(Conocarpus erectus).
Despite the active management offered by protected areas and Ramsar site
designation, mangroves are still being cleared for coastal development. This is a
particular problem on St Maarten and Curaçao.
On Aruba, well-developed mangrove forests occur at Spanish Lagoon (Spaans
Lagoen). This is a Ramsar site (# 198), but falls outside of the Parke Nacional Arikok
and is therefore not under active management. The status of the mangrove forests is
not known.
Bonaire’s best developed mangrove forests are found encircling Lac, a large semienclosed bay on the windward shore although mangrove stands are also found at
Lagoen and red mangroves have been slowly but systematically colonizing the
southern coastal fringe on the leeward shore of Bonaire for over a decade. The
mangroves at Lac are well protected within the Bonaire National Marine Park and
are a Ramsar site. Special attention has been paid to the study and management of
Lac for over twenty years. The mangrove forest is made up of approximately equal
parts Red Mangrove, on the seaward edge and Black Mangrove, which colonize the
drier interior areas. Changed hydrology and/or natural progression has caused the
mangroves in the north-western corner of the bay (at Awa di Lodo) to die off
decades ago though the area is now being slowly recolonized by Black Mangrove.
Despite this, and increasing tourist use of the bay, the mangrove forests at Lac are
considered to be in very good condition and recent studies have shown a high rate
of land reclamation (a natural process of mangroves growing seaward and dying off
further in land) at Lac Bay Bonaire (Engel, 2013). The unusual hydrology of the bay,
with two independent basins, sand bars and fresh water replenishment via sheet
flow, puts the mangroves on the landward fringe at risk and the invertebrate life in
the mangrove forests appears depleted.
On Curacao mangrove forests can be found xxx [extent – management – status]
An incident of oil pollution at Jan Kok on 2012 resulted in xxx
Few of the mangrove forests on St Maarten have escaped land clearance for
development. There are still mangroves at xxx [extent – management – status]
Little systematic monitoring has been done of mangrove forests in the Dutch
Caribbean. Analysis of satellite images may be the most suitable method for
monitoring areal extent, species composition, and health of mangrove areas in the
Dutch Caribbean (IMARES, 2012).
Seagrass
Seagrass ecosystems often occur alongside coral reefs and play a vital role in
maintaining the health and diversity of adjacent coral reefs. They also form
important habitat for the globally endangered Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
locally threatened Queen Conch (Lobatus gigas). Seagrass beds are sensitive to landbased pollution, sedimentation, trampling and invasive species, and climate change.
Aruba has extensive sea grass beds around the island. These are not protected and
have not been well studied.
The seagrass beds at Lac on Bonaire have been studied since 1969 (Wagenaar
Hummelinck and Roos). There has been some decline in the extent and coverage of
native seagrass [extent – management – status]
On Curacao, seagrass beds can be found [extent – management – status]
Extensive seagrass beds are found around St Eustatius xxx [extent – management –
status]
St. Maarten has extensive seagrass beds in the Simpson Bay lagoon and xxx. None of
St Maarten’s seagrass beds are protected or under active conservation
management. Much of the Simpson Bay lagoon has been overrun by the invasive
H.stipulacea.
An invasive seagrass (Halophila stipulacea) has been found on St. Maarten, Curaçao
and Bonaire. The average coverage of H.stipulacea in Lac has increased 14%, in
three years (Engel, 2013).
Rainforest
Tropical rainforests are among the most threatened ecosystems globally due
primarily to logging and agricultural clearance. Globally, rainforests now cover less
than 6% of Earth’s land surface. The rainforests occur on Saba and St. Eustatius
Saba’s rain forests cover the steep slopes of the island from an altitude of xx to the
top of Mount Scenery. Most are protected by the Saba Conservation Foundation and
some fall within the islands terrestrial protected area. [extent – management –
status]
Statia’s rain forests are found around the top of the Quill crater within the Quill
Boven National Park [extent – management – status]
however they remain at threat to invasive species, climate change and hurricanes.
Species
The Dutch Caribbean is home to the greatest level of biodiversity within the Kingdom
of the Netherlands. There are over 200 endemic plants and animals in the ABC
Islands alone that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
75 globally endangered or vulnerable species are present on the islands, including
trees, snakes, sea turtles, birds, whales and fish. These species are facing a high risk
of extinction in the wild in the medium to near future and many are protected by
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
local and international law (see Appendix I for specially protected species in the
Dutch Caribbean).
Birds
Birds often provide an indication of changing environmental conditions. In addition
to the designation of 23 Important Bird Areas, local conservation organizations and
BirdLife International have identified 26 locally or globally important or threatened
bird species.
Audubon’s Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri)
The Audubon’s Shearwater is listed as IUCN category Least Concern. Global
population estimated at (minimum) to be 500,000 individuals (Croxall et al. 2012).
Population trend thought to be declining throughout the region, with dramatic
declines at some location, but few specific data. Distribution is poorly known due, in
part, to their nocturnal behaviour and activity patterns, and the remoteness and
steepness of their nesting terrain.
The Audubon’s Shearwater has a population estimate for the Lesser Antilles thought
to be approximately 3,000 pairs (Bradley and Norton, 2009). These estimates are
largely based on aerial or calling birds and thus subject to inaccuracy and multiple
counting.
Caribbean Coot (Fulica caribaea)
The species is listed as Near Threatened by IUCN. The total Caribbean population is
estimated at 40,000 individuals (BirdLife International 2008). There are no data
available on population trends, productivity, nesting requirements, and specific
habitat use.
The Caribbean Coot population was estimated at 250 individuals on Bonaire (Well et
al., 2008), 280 individuals on Aruba (Delnevo 2008), 1,000 individuals on Curaçao
(Debrot et al. 2008), and 75 individuals on St. Maarten (Collier and Brown 2008).
Note that these population numbers refer to the respective Important Bird Areas
(IBA) for each island. Periodic wetland areas do occur following seasonal rains,
particularly on Aruba, and provide ephemeral habitat for this species. Consequently,
population estimates may be higher than noted here. There are no breeding records
for this species on Saba or St. Eustatius.
Common terns (Sterna hirundo)
Common terns do not breed in the Dutch Lesser Antilles. This species nests on
Aruba (165 individuals; Delnevo 2008), Bonaire (115 individuals; Wells et al., 2008),
and Curaçao (400 individuals; Debrot et al., 2008). These three islands represent the
most significant population for this species in the Caribbean. However, some
caution should be expressed as the very similar (tropical form) roseate tern is often
confused with common tern.
Least terns (Sternula antillarum)
Least terns occur primarily on Bonaire where an estimated 2,375 individuals have
been reported (Wells et al. 2008). On Curaçao 1,860 individuals have been recorded
(Wells et al., 2008). A long-term study of terns on Aruba has identified a population
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
of ca. 480 individuals. On St. Maarten the national population is estimated at 450
individuals (Collier and Brown 2008), although recent estimates (2009 and 2010)
only list 10 individuals (EPIC 2012). There are no records on breeding least terns on
Saba or St. Eustatius. The only population trend exists for Aruba where all nesting
tern species have been studied intensively since 1999. Least terns nesting pairs on
Aruba have fluctuated widely at some colonies and have ranged from 0 to 55 pairs.
The smaller (5-15 pair) colonies tend to remain more stable, and the large
fluctuations at the bigger colonies reflect movements between areas. Marked interyear and inter-colony movement (based on individually marked birds) demonstrates
movement but an overall population stability. However, productivity tends to be
lower for those colonies exhibiting inter-year movement Delnevo pers. comm.)
Northern Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
The Northern Caracara is rare and localized in the Lesser Antilles. This species does
not breed on St. Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius. It does breeds on Aruba, Curaao,
and Bonaire. Population data exists for Aruba, but we are not aware of any
population status or trend data for either Bonaire or Curaçao. In 2006, Delnevo
(pers.comm.) used 52 standardized point counts (based on stratified random
design), to estimate a total of 28 nesting pairs and 60 individual Caracara on Aruba.
Since 2006, the prevalence of northern Caracara within standardised counts has
declined to an estimated 52 total individuals in 2011. Comparable data are not
available for other islands.
Yellow-shouldered Amazon (Amazona barbadensis)
Bonaire’s Yellow-shouldered Amazon parrot is listed as Vulnerable on IUCN’s Redlist.
Habitat loss, degradation and human conflict and poaching are threatening the
sustainability of Bonaire’s population.
Red-billed Tropicbirds
Sea Turtles
Global trends of sea turtle populations continue to trend downward, bringing the
several species close to the brink of extinction.
Of the seven species of sea turtles, four are regulars in the Dutch Caribbean. The
Green, Loggerhead, Hawksbill and Leatherback sea turtles have been documented to
nest on our islands with Saba being the only island not known as a successful turtlenesting area due to the lack of sandy beaches. The rare and outstanding presence of
the Olive Ridley in the Dutch Caribbean is generally attributed to a lost-in-migration
individual.
Lesser Antillean Iguana (Iguana delicatissima)
The Lesser Antillean Iguana only remains on St. Eustatius. Population sizes on St.
Eustatius have been estimated in the past at around a few hundred individuals,
which is below the minimum viable population size. Earlier in 2013 it became clear
that since 2004, population densities have declined to an average of 0.35 iguanas
per square hectare across all habitats on the island, which is less than 1% of the
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
average densities of healthy populations documented elsewhere and certain
populations on St. Eustatius have even disappeared completely.
Aruba Rattlesnake (Crotalus unicolor)
Crotalus unicolor exists on the island of Aruba, Dutch West Indies, in a single, small,
isolated population with a total distribution of approximately 76 km2. Between 1993
and 2005, 185 specimens were captured and examined, 57 specimens were
telemetrically monitored, and over 3,656 field observations were catalogued.
Sampled snakes occupied both desert thorn scrub and baranca (rock terrace)
macrohabitats in the interior portion of the island.
Conch
Conch text to be written by Sabine Engel
Lobster
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
4. Causes of Biodiversity Loss
Main Threats
In order to preserve biological resources it is necessary to have a clear
understanding of the major threats within terrestrial, freshwater and marine
systems. Traditionally the identification of threats, such as insufficiently protected
areas, illegal trade and poaching, and introduced species has resulted in such actions
as greater protection, law enforcement, and non-native eradication programs. All of
these responses may be necessary, but they often respond only to part of the
problem. More fundamental problems may lie outside protected areas such as
pollution, settlement patterns, capital flows and other factors relating to a larger
international community.
Major threats to biodiversity include:

Increased human population and tourism visitation have resulted in
increased development, pollution, habitat loss, habitat degradation or
fragmentation, and wildlife disturbance

Over-harvesting, particularly overfishing, is a chronic threat to ecosystem
stability, with species being harvested at a higher rates than they can sustain
by natural reproduction

Pollution is a complex and all-pervasive issue and includes solid waste
management, atmospheric pollution, pollution by agricultural chemicals and
pesticides, nutrient and waste water, nitrate and phosphate run-off, salt
toxicity, and the release of many compounds of heavy metals from industrial
sources such as oil refineries. This has a negative impact not only on
terrestrial but also on adjacent marine ecosystems.

Climate change is causing a rise in atmospheric and oceanic temperatures
resulting in changed weather patterns, bleaching events, sea level rise and
ocean acidification. Other predicted impacts include increased storm activity
and intensity. The full impacts of global climate change are yet to be
determined and the drivers originate far from the areas most strongly
affected, such as the small islands of the Dutch Caribbean.

Introduced and invasive species, have had a dramatic effect on native flora
and fauna around the world, in some instances replacing or out-competing
native species. Introduced plants are a serious threat on all the islands and
probably represent the pre-eminent threat to terrestrial ecosystems.
Introduced and invasive fauna also pose a real and sustained threat to
ecosystems such as lionfish in the marine environment, and snakes, rats, cats
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
on land. Moreover, introduced herbivores (e.g., goats, donkeys) threaten
native flora and exacerbate habitat degradation.
The rapid destruction of the world’s most diverse ecosystems, especially in the
tropics, has led many experts to believe that the earth’s total biological diversity is at
serious risk of extinction in the next 20-30 years. The definition of rarity is now
understood to be more complex than previously envisaged. Understanding the
geographic range, habitat specificity and local population size underlies practical
conservation biology. Information on threats or ecological stressors will help
determine management strategy and subsequent prioritization.
Caribbean coral reefs have suffered massive loss of cover. The latest scientific review
(Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs 2013) states ”Coral cover has declined
by more than 80% since the 1970s, virtually all the large fishes, sharks and turtles are
gone”. The consequences include widespread collapse of coral ecosystems, increase
in large seaweeds (macro algae), outbreaks of coral bleaching and disease and
failure of corals to recover from natural disturbances such as storms and hurricanes.
Major region wide ecological events, which have recently had a negative impact on
coral reefs in the Dutch Caribbean include:
 Mass mortality of sea urchins (Diadema sp) in 1983
 White band disease outbreaks 1970s onwards which resulted in massive loss
of near shore coral reefs (Acropora sp)
 Repeated bleaching events and disease outbreaks from1990s onwards
 Lionfish invasion which effected the Dutch Caribbean from 2010 onwards
The signature for overfishing of coral reefs throughout the Caribbean is a long
standing feature of the scientific literature whilst the signature for global climate
change has only recently become apparent.
Protected Area Threats
The DCNA Management Success threat classification scheme has been developed
using IUCN Red List descriptors, WWF scoring with the inclusion of some detail that
has been gathered from conservation practitioners since the start of the
Management Success Project in 2004.
Six of the most significant threats facing the marine parks of the Dutch Caribbean
Threat
Invasive; Marine
predatory fauna
species
- 20 -
Detail
Lionfish are not native to the Caribbean and seem to have no
natural predators in the Caribbean. They are prolific feeders
and effective predators. They also reproduce and grow
quickly and are resistant to many parasites. The effect their
rapidly increasing population will have on the reefs is not yet
fully understood.
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Waste Water;
Sewage
Nutrients are chemicals that are used by plants and animals
for growth and energy. The main nutrients used on coral reefs
are nitrogen and phosphorus compounds. Sewage from the
human population is the main source of nutrient pollution on
coral reefs. Corals usually thrive in nutrient poor
environments and coral reef ecosystems are designed to
quickly recycle any excess nutrients in the system. Any
damage to the corals on a reef will affect the whole reef and
the human use of the reef e.g. a decline in diving tourism
because damaged reefs are less attractive to visitors.
Overfishing & harvesting aquatic
resources;
Intentional (small
scale)
Artisanal and recreational fishing is a severe problem where
fish and crustacean stocks are directly under threat from local
fisherfolk targeting species for consumption and some smaller
commercial markets.
During heavy rainfall, water runs off the land directly into the
marine park. This is especially the case after sustained heavy
rain when the ground is soaked and during rain after a dry
period when the ground is hard and does not soak up rainfall
easily. Terrestrial runoff contains nutrients, sediment litter
and pollutants all of which affect the values of the marine
environment. Sediment or suspended matter is insoluble
particles of soil and other solid inorganic and organic
materials that become suspended in water Sedimentation is a
Waste Water; Run-off
natural process resulting from erosion of land and transport
of soil to the sea (terrigenous sediments), or from
resuspension of sediment previously deposited (such as
carbonate from coral reefs). The main sources of sediment
inputs to the marine environment are considered to be runoff
and sewage. Agricultural activities, deforestation,
urbanisation and poor land management are key human
activities that can increase run-off and consequently
sedimentation on coral reefs.
Building developments for tourism are often carried out near
to the water’s edge. This presents particular problems for
Residential &
pollutants entering marine parks through bad practice. When
commercial
it is windy or it rains, cement, bags and other site rubbish can
development
be blown or washed into the sea if preventative steps are not
taken. These can then cause considerable damage to coral
reef organisms, seagrasses and mangroves.
Climate change is often cited as a cause of spiking sea
temperatures, and a possible cause of increasing annual sea
Habitat shifting & temperatures. Warmer waters absorb more carbon, making
alteration
them more acidic. Increased temperatures and ocean
acidification cause coral bleaching and the attrition of other
species with calcareous skeletons. This is changing the
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
structure of coral reefs, reducing coral cover, increasing algae
cover and altering reef habitats. Many small open water
organisms that form an essential base for the food web; have
calcareous skeletons that will also be dissolved in warmer,
more acidic seas.
Six of the most significant threats facing the marine parks of the Dutch Caribbean
Threat
Small-holder
grazing, ranching
or farming
Invasive;
Terrestrial
predatory fauna
species
Invasive;
Terrestrial fauna
Invasive;
Terrestrial flora
Extreme rain
Introduced
genetic material;
- 22 -
Detail
Domestic livestock that is allowed to roam and forage in wild
habitats, being supported by the resources offered by the parks
of the Dutch Caribbean. Goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, donkeys
and cows are farmed but not contained. Free roaming animals
cause significant damage to park environments cause extensive
damage to vegetation on large areas of land. The shrub layer
can be reduced to bare soil because of feeding preferences;
young shoots are eaten before having a chance to develop and
reproduce. Considerable erosion problems develop in heavily
grazed areas because there are no roots in the ground to help
bind the soil together.
Cats, dogs, rats, Boa (Aruba) and mongoose (St. Maarten) effect
bird, reptile and other small animal populations by eating adults
juveniles and eggs of native and vulnerable species.
Domestic livestock that has gone feral (goats, sheep, pigs,
chickens, donkeys and cows). There is no record of the numbers
of animals and there are no responsible owners. These animals
cause significant damage to park environments (see 2.3.2,
small-holder grazing).
Corallita (also known as Mexican Creeper) is a vine that is often
introduced as an ornamental species. It becomes a serious
threat to native plants and animals by forming dense
impenetrable thickets, smothering the natural vegetation,
killing the native species which changes the structure and
functions of habitats
One of the main environmental consequences of development
is erosion. Soil loss due to increased erosion does considerable
damage to terrestrial and marine resources, as the eroded
material is no longer available for plants to use on land and also
reduces water quality and smothers coral reef organisms. The
increased water running off the island also contains pollutants
such as oil from roads, and fertilisers that directly kill marine
organisms. The rainwater does not get the chance to soak into
the soil and replenish the groundwater supplies, which dries
out soil and stresses remaining plants.
The Green Iguana (Iguana iguana) on St. Maarten is thought to
be breeding with remaining populations of the Lesser Antillean
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Terrestrial fauna
Iguana (Iguana delicatissima), resulting in hybrid population and
loss of the native species. On Saba, it is thought the native
species might be a subspecies – a Black Iguana, which is also
threatened with hybridisation with other species of Iguana now
prevalent on Saba.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
5. Legal tools
International treaties and conventions
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Brazil, 5 June 1992
The objectives of this Convention are the conservation of biological diversity, the
sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.
The most recent targets of the CBD which should be implemented by 2020, known
as the “AICHI Strategic goals”, are:

Address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by mainstreaming
biodiversity across government and society
 Reduce the direct pressures on biodiversity and promote sustainable
use
 To improve the status of biodiversity by safeguarding ecosystems,
species and genetic diversity
 Enhance the benefits to all from biodiversity and ecosystem services
 Enhance implementation through participatory planning, knowledge
management and capacity building
[See: http://www.cbd.int/sp/targets]
Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES)
Washington, USA, March 1973,
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna
and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure
that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten
their survival. International trade is regulated via a system of permits.
See Appendix I for interationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean
Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl
Habitat (Ramsar Convention)
Ramsar, Iran, 2 February 1971
The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through
local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards
achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
There are currently 10 Ramsar sites in the Dutch Caribbean
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)
Bonn, 23 June 1979
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
The Convention (also known as CMS or Bonn Convention) aims to conserve
terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range. Migratory
species threatened with extinction are listed in Appendix I of the Convention.
CMS Parties strive towards strictly protecting these migratory species that need or
would significantly benefit from international co-operation are listed in Appendix II
of the Convention. For this reason, the Convention encourages the Range States to
conclude global or regional Agreements.
See Appendix I for internationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean
The Migratory Shark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
The Shark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has the objective to ensure the
conservation and management of migratory sharks and their long-term sustainable
use. A number of migratory sharks are included in the MoU for complete protection.
See Appendix I for internationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean.
Cartagena Convention
The Cartagena Convention was adopted in Cartagena, Colombia on 24 March 1983
and entered into force on 11 October 1986. The Convention is supplemented by
three protocols:
Oil Spill Protocol
The objective is to strengthen national and regional preparedness to prevent and
control major oil spill incidents
Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol (SPAW)
The objective is to protect rare and fragile ecosystems and species.
There are currently three SPAW recognized protected areas in the Dutch Caribbean



Bonaire National Marine Park
Saba Bank National Park
Quill Boven National Park
Two more areas in the Caribbean Netherlands, as well as one area in St. Maarten
and one in Aruba are also eligible for SPAW listing but still need to be submitted:




Saba National Marine Park
St. Eustatius National Marine Park
Parke Nacional Arikok
Man of War Shoal National Marine Park
The SPAW protocol lists species in three annexes, Annex 1 and 2 respectively for
plants and animals, that require full protection and Annex 3 for plants and animals
that need active management to prevent them from becoming endangered.
See Appendix I for internationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Land Based Sources and activities Protocol (LBS)
The objective is to prevent pollution of the sea from land-based sources.
Inter-American Sea Turtle Convention (IAC)
Caracas, Venezuela, 1 December 1996.
The Convention aims to promote the protection, conservation and recovery of sea
turtle populations and of the habitats on which they depend.
International Whaling Convention (IWRC)
Washington DC, December 2, 1946
The Convention aims to promote the conservation of whale stocks and the
sustainable development of the whaling industry.
UNESCO World Heritage Convention
Paris, 23 November 1972
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks
to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural
heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.
There is currently one cultural World Heritage site in the Dutch Caribbean:
 Historic area of Willemstad, Curacao
Two further sites are on the tentative list for nomination:
 Bonaire National Marine Park (natural site)
 Plantations in West Curacao (cultural site)
National Policy and legislation
Nature Policy Plan The Caribbean Netherlands 2013-2017
The Nature Policy Plan 2013-2017 provides a framework for sound management and the
wise use of nature in the Caribbean Netherlands. The Plan’s objective is to ensure that
nature on the Caribbean islands is used in a sustainable way so that the island’s ecosystems
and ecosystem services can be preserved.
National and Policy Plans and Ordinances
Nature Conservation Framework Act BES
The requirements of the international treaties and conventions, such as the CITES Convention,
RAMSAR Convention, Bonn Convention (or the Convention of Biological Diversity), the Inter American
Convention for the Protection and Conservation of Sea Turtles, Cartagena Convention and the SPAW
Protocol, to which the Kingdom of the Netherlands is signatory are anchored in the Nature
Conservation Framework Act BES [Wet grondslagen natuurbeheer en -bescherming BES].
The National Government supervises the management of nature on the islands to ensure
the proper protection of species and areas and can assist the islands’ governing bodies with
implementation at their request.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Relevant parts of the Act include:
Nature Policy Plan
Caribbean
Netherlands
The Ministry EZ writes a Nature
Policy Plan (NPP) every five years
in close cooperation with the
Island Governments
The Nature Policy Plan sets the framework
for nature policy on the Caribbean
Netherlands and contains the goals of, as
well as an overview of the priorities for, the
protection of nature and environment for
the following five years
Annual Report to be provided to the Dutch
Parliament and Island Governments
RAMSAR
SPAW
Bonn Convention
CITES
SPAW
Minister EZ can instate nature
parks in close cooperation with
the Island Governments and
nominates them with the
respective authority
The Minister EZ appoints a
Control Unit that ensures the
compliance of the regulations
Bonn Convention
Nature Policy Plan
(island)
Island Government develops an
Island Nature Policy Plan every
five years
Nature Parks
The Island Government can
instate nature parks and
implements the protective
measures as required
The act states the regulations for the
granting of CITES permits for the transport
of (parts of) protected animals. The
Minister EZ appoints experts to advise the
Minister, the Island Governments and the
Control Unit on the identification of
specimen, species and other occasions
concerning nature management and
protection
The Island Government is required to develop regulations for the implementation of obligations
emerging from this act. On request of the Island Government, the Minister of Economic Affairs can
provide the facilities, resources and assistance needed for the implementation of this act. If the Island
Government fails to develop such regulations, the Minister has the authority to do so.
.
By virtue of this act, monitoring and surveillance will be carried out and can lead up to sanctions such
as coercive measures or a cease and desist order.
A Nature Commission will be set up to advise the Minister EZ and the islands’ governing
bodies on measures relevant to the implementation of the Nature Conservation Framework
Act BES.
Maritime Management Act BES
The Maritime Management Act BES gives the Minister of Infrastructure and Environment (I&M) the
responsibility for management of the territorial waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone, concerning
swift expedition of marine traffic, safe maritime navigation and protection of the marine environment
and provides the possibility to mandate these responsibilities to the Island Governments.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
The act also implements the regulations of the UN Maritime Law Convention (maritime order, safety
and protection of the environment), the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and
the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co- operation (OPRC).
Furthermore, a permit system is in place that protects the interests of the marine environment,
nature, safety of marine traffic and maritime archaeological heritage. A permit is required for the
introduction of structures, objects or other materials in the territorial waters as well as the Exclusive
Economic Zone, including intentional pollution, land reclamation or any activities that affect the
current state of the sea(bed), including cables and pipelines. For trans shipment and bunkering (ship
to ship) also a permit is required. The dumping of waste or deliberate sinking of ships, planes or
structures is prohibited under this act. For research, permission is required from the Ministry.
Emergency Response Plans need to be in accordance with the IMO stipulations of the OPRC Treaty
and the MARPOL Convention. Emergency Response Plans for the Exclusive Economic Zone are
determined by the Minister of I&M and for the territorial waters they are determined by the Island
Governor in close cooperation with the Minister of I&M. Oil spills or spills of any other substances
need to be reported to the Ministry.
If any of the stipulations stated in this act are infringed, the Minister and/or the Island Governor have
the authority to detain ships, shutdown operations or activities and in severe cases coercive measures
or a cease and desist order can be used.
The BES Maritime Management Act establishes rules for:
- Maintaining order and ensuring safety at sea
- Protecting the marine environment and the natural world
- Protecting the maritime archaeological heritage
- Ensuring compliance with international regulations and treaties
This Act is based in part on various international treaties and regulations, such as the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea and is administered from the Netherlands by Rijkswaterstaat
(which falls under the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment)
Fisheries Act BES
By virtue of the Authorisation Act for the Establishment of a Fisheries Zone [Machtigingswet instelling
visserijzone] of 1977 a fisheries zone has been established covering the territorial waters and the
Exclusive Economic Zone, now also covering the waters of the Caribbean Netherlands.
Small-scale fishing within the territorial waters of Bonaire, Saba and St. Eustatius is not regulated up
to a certain size. Any larger scale fishing activities are regulated in the Fisheries Act BES. The Minister
of Economic Affairs is responsible for establishing a Fisheries Commission that is concerned with
permits, the equipment that is allowed to be used and the fish species that are allowed to be caught.
The Commission will act as the executive office of the Ministry. Dispensation can be offered for
scientific research. If deemed necessary, the Minister can declare a prohibition concerning all or
certain fishing activities for a certain amount of time.
Public housing, spatial planning and environmental protection Act BES
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment (I&M) is responsible for developing an Environmental
Policy Plan (EPP) once every five years in consultation with the Island Government and in accordance
with the Nature Policy Plan, the Island Nature Policy Plans, the Spatial Development plans and the
Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their
Disposal.
The EPP sets the framework for the islands’ annual environmental programmes, which contain
actions to protect the environment, actions to prevent and/or contain of the production and
management of waste, actions to manage sewage water, a summary of incidents and a financial
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
prospect. The Island Governments are also required to develop Island EPPs, which should contain the
principles, objectives and priorities of the environmental policy that is to be followed.
The act administers the protection of the environment through prevention and/or containment of the
production and management of waste and sewage, recycling of waste products and prohibition of
dumping waste materials on land (dumping at sea is covered by the Maritime Management Act BES).
The act contains building guidelines and a building permit system, the option for a building ordinance,
a housing ordinance, a waste product ordinance containing regulations on waste collection and
treatment, and prevention and cleaning of litter, and a sewage water ordinance for the collection and
treatment of sewage water and the prohibition of dumping sewage water.
On each of these ordinances the Minister of I&M has to be consulted and if deemed necessary the
Minister has the authority to intervene.
Furthermore, the act contains a section on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) both for the
application of single permit and for larger scale plans.
Dutch National Policy Strategy applies to the entire Kingdom of the Netherlands,
both its terrestrial areas and waters including the Dutch Caribbean islands of
Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius and their Exclusive Economic Zone.
Spatial Development Planning Framework Act BES [Wet grondslagen ruimtelijke
ontwikkelingsplanning BES]
The act prescribes a national policy for a period of 10 years for the sustainable development of the
Caribbean Netherlands. In order to do so, the Minister of Infrastructure and Environment (I&M)
consults with the Island Governments of the Caribbean Netherlands and can have research done by a
Planning Agency.
The policy aims for:
• a sustainable balance between available area and the development to anticipate population
increase
• spatial conditions that preserve a healthy environment by safeguarding areas for nature and
recreation in accordance with the population increase as well as the preservation of clean water,
earth and air
• availability of residential areas and the accompanying social and cultural facilities to go hand in
hand with population increase and the implementation of development projects
• measures to be taken for the modification of existing residential areas to new developments and
to improve poor living conditions
These goals are to be fixed in a development programme in close consultation with the Island
Governments.
The development programme states the desired long-term economic, socio-cultural development, as
long as it is in compliance with the future spatial development and sets the framework for multi-year
programmes and other implementation projects.
Island Governments are to develop long-term development plans in accordance with the national
development programme.
A Coordination Commission Development Planning will be instated that aims to stimulate the
coherence and focus of the national policy for the development of the Caribbean Netherlands within
the spatial development framework. The Commission consists, among others, of representatives of
the islands.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Island Ordinances
- 30 -
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
6. Key elements of biodiversity conservation
The key elements within the Biodiversity Strategy are:
 Biodiversity monitoring
 Nature management
o Habitat (s.l.) management
o Species management
o Genetic resources
 Mainstreaming
o Participation/Human use
o Communication and value
o Social integration
(NOTE: Habitat management includes protected as well as non-protected area
management)
The development and implementation of a biodiversity monitoring strategy is the
key to informed decision making.
Protected Area Management
The establishment and active management of at least one marine and one land park,
large enough to have biological integrity, on each island has long been considered
the keystone to biodiversity conservation in the Dutch Caribbean.
The designation and protection of nature areas is the prerogative of each island’s
governing body.
Successful management requires:
 Clearly defined goals and objectives
 Management driven research and monitoring
 Active communication, education and awareness programmes
 Legal and policy support
 Engagement and support from the local community
Internationally protected areas
UNESCO World Heritage sites
There is currently one cultural World Heritage site in the Dutch Caribbean:
 Historic area of Willemstad, Curacao (cultural site)
Two further sites are on the tentative list for nomination:
 Bonaire National Marine Park (natural site)
 Plantations in West Curacao (cultural site)
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Ramsar sites
There are currently 10 Ramsar sites in the Dutch Caribbean:
Aruba
Spaans Lagoen
# 198
Bonaire
Pekelmeer
# 200
Lac
# 199
Klein Bonaire
# 201
Salina Slagbaai
# 203
Gotomeer
# 202
Malpais/Sint Michiel.
# 2117
Muizenberg
# 2118
Northwest Curaçao
# 2119
Rif-Sint Marie
# 2120
Curaçao
Management of these areas is the responsibility of the local island
governments who can request assistance from the National Government if
necessary particularly for the evaluation and management of these sites.
SPAW areas
There are currently three SPAW recognized protected areas in the Dutch Caribbean



Bonaire National Marine Park
Saba Bank National Park
Quill Boven National Park
Management of these areas is the responsibility of the local island
governments.
Nationally protected areas
Exclusive Economic Zone
The borders for the Exclusive Economic zone for the Dutch Caribbean were
established in June 2010. The area is managed by an EEZ Committee, which
includes representation from Bonaire, Curacao, Saba and St Eustatius. The
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Committee oversees the implementation of an EEZ management plan.
Marine Mammal and Shark Sanctuary
It is the intention to designate the Dutch Caribbean EEZ as a Marine Mammal and
Shark Sanctuary.
National Parks
The following National Parks have been designated in the Dutch Caribbean:







Parke Nacional Arikok, Aruba
Bonaire National Marine Park
Saba National Marine Park
Saba Bank National Park
Quill Boven National Park
St. Eustatius National Marine Park
Man of War Shoal National Marine Park
The management of these National Parks is the responsibility of the local islands
governments and management is a based on a Management Plan.
Locally protected areas
Nature conservation is nothing new to the Dutch Caribbean. The first
terrestrial protected area, or “park” in the Dutch Caribbean, was established
over 40 years ago on Bonaire on the 9th of May 1969 and was followed in
1978 with the Christoffel Park on Curaçao and in 1979 by the creation of the
first marine park in the Dutch Caribbean, the now famous Bonaire National
Marine Park. Other islands quickly followed suit and the goal is to create at
least one terrestrial and one marine park on each island in order to optimally
protect and preserve the island’s natural heritage whilst allowing for wise and
sustainable use of these resources, particularly by tourism.
Locally protected areas are the responsibility of the local island governments.
Common constraints on Dutch Caribbean parks include limited and at times
unreliable government support, lack of funding and poor/unregulated spatial
planning. The main threats include development pressure, particularly in the
coastal zone, invasive species and overuse such as overgrazing by free
roaming goats, sheep, cattle and donkeys. There are entrenched local issues
over land tenure and persistent over harvesting of marine resources such as
grouper, lobster and conch.
Each of the parks within the Dutch Caribbean is managed by a not-for-profit
nongovernmental organisation under contract with the island government:
TABLE [overview of parks and management bodies]
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Day to day management
Day to day management tasks of the locally protected areas include:
Administration
This includes organising an office, correspondence, filing, bookkeeping,
accounting, organising invoices and payments. It also includes work planning
and developing work schedules for staff, some project management,
collecting and administering admission fees and the sale of souvenir items and
similar.
Financial administration
Management will also be responsible for planning, budgeting, routine
reporting, as well as all aspects of personnel management. Income related
activities including administering government subsidies, admission fee
collection, franchises, concessions and similar, grant funding, organising and
purchasing souvenir items. Additionally Protected areas may run ‘friends of ...’
groups, actively soliciting donations from the public and from corporate
sponsors.
Field Operations
The maintenance of moorings in MPAs, trails and roads in TPAs accounts for a
considerable amount of staff time. Other maintenance tasks include running
and maintaining buildings vehicles, boats and communications equipment.
Patrolling is also a core field tasks that takes up considerable amounts of staff
time. Formal patrols often include some other activities such as assisting PA
users, maintaining moorings/trails and basic monitoring e.g. inventory.
Research and Monitoring
Protected area management organization are all engaged at some level in
collecting information on the state of their natural resources and the use of
resources. Monitoring programmes, as well as being used to look at changes
over time, are frequently run to address specific management issues. Site
characterisation is an important part of every protected area management
organisation’s dataset and includes physical mapping and biological
inventories. Additionally, they run hypothesis-driven scientific research
projects to address specific issues such as the impact or control of invasive
species or the impact of user groups on a resource. Damage assessment,
evaluation and the effects of restoration work are other possible subjects for
research and monitoring work.
Communication and Education
Protected area management organizations are all engaged in multiple
activities designed to provide information and to educate islanders, visitors
and specific PA user groups. Generally, these are formulated in a
communication plan and will include developing programmes for targeted
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
audiences to increase knowledge about the PA, change behaviour and/or
build stewardship. Some PAs have visitor centres or a museum with
information on their protected area. Most provide guided tours, dives and
hikes, have signage and outreach materials, including posters, brochures and
leaflets (often in multiple languages). Protected area management
organisations actively engage their local media through published material,
television and radio. In addition to snorkel programmes some have structured
Junior Ranger programmes, school programmes and courses for local
teachers. All have websites and most have some form of regular newsletter or
weblog. Communication refers to the passive supply of information to an
audience and the active dissemination of information; education refers to
formal training.
Policy and law Enforcement
Local and international legislation forms the basis for the legal protection of
the PA and enforcement of conventions, laws, rules and regulations are a core
task of every protected area. Managers and their staff are engaged in
interpreting the legislation for all user groups, providing guidance and advice
as well as actually enforcing the law by issuing verbal and written warnings,
giving summary fines and writing up offences. Other legal mechanisms such as
forming rules, publishing guidelines, permitting and issuing exemptions are
useful tools to control and regulate activities in PAs. Protected area
management organisations are frequently involved in the permitting
processes not only for activities with the protected area but also in adjacent
buffer areas. Protected area management organisations also provide
emergency response and are involved in identifying and developing
appropriate response scenarios for high-risk threats and site damage
assessment.
Representation
All Protected area management organisations are represented at DCNA Board
meetings; additionally many attend international events such as conferences
and symposia in other countries around the world. Staff spend significant also
amounts of time representing Protected area management organisations at
training courses that are held by other local, regional and international
organisations.
Working with Stakeholders
Protected area management organisations work with decision makers to
integrate management priorities into island and national planning, give
advice, petition government and are frequently represented on government
advisory boards. Protected area management organisations engage other
stakeholder groups through a process of collaboration, providing training,
information and advice. Partnerships are built and nurtured with other
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
organisations such as research institutions, conservation organisations and
funders both on island and abroad to strengthen the PA and to gain access to
resources and expertise. Some Protected area management organisations
have structured or informal volunteer groups with whom they work on a
regular basis.
Management Plans
The following management plans have been developed:
Park Nacional Arikok
Washington Slagbaai National Park
Bonaire National Marine Park
Christoffel Park
Curaçao Underwater Park
Saba Terrestrial Park
Saba National Marine Park
Saba Bank National Park
Quill Boven National Park
St. Eustatius National Marine Park
Emilio Wilson Estate
Man OWar Shoals Marine Park
Status
Under development
Out of date, new
plan under
development
2006
None
None
Out of date
Out of date
2008
None
2007
2009
2007
Review due
Past
Past
Past
Past
Species Management
Of all the known species occurring in the Dutch Caribbean, 51 are on the IUCN Red
List of threatened species as ‘critically endangered’, ‘endangered’ or ‘vulnerable’.
This list is generally recognised as the most extensive and objective approach to the
evaluation of the protection status of plants and animal species based on strict
scientific criteria.
Internationally protected species
Species that occur in more than one country and are under threat globally are
protected by international agreements such as CITES (Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species), the Inter-American Convention for the Protection and
Conservation of Marine Turtles (IAS), the Convention on the Conservation of
Migratory Species (CMS) and the regional SPAW protocol concerning Specially
Protected Areas and Wildlife. The species named in these international agreements
must be protected, usually according to specific measures, as stated in the
corresponding convention. Appendix 2 contains a list of the internationally protected
species that occur on the islands of the Dutch Caribbean, their status on the IUCN
Red List and their specific protection status on the basis of the various conventions.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Priority species
Red List species
Of all the species occurring on the islands, 51 appear on the IUCN Red List of
threatened species as ‘critically endangered (CR), ‘endangered (EN) or ‘vulnerable’
(VU). This list is generally recognised as the most extensive and objective global
approach to the evaluation of the protection status of plant and animal species, on
the basis of strict scientific criteria. It forms the basis for identifying the species that
require protection, both locally and internationally, when species occur in more than
one country.
Locally endemic and endangered species
The islands’ Red Lists
Some species that are not considered to be threatened elsewhere, could be under
threat locally on one of the islands. Each island must identify these species and
decide on protective measures and so make an island specific Red List. It is necessary
to identify these species to effectively protect the island’s biodiversity. If necessary
the Minister will support the formulation of island specific Red Lists.
Species Management Plans have been developed in 2012 for the Audubon’s
Shearwater, Red-billed Tropicbird and Yellow-shouldered Amazon.
Genetic Resources
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
7. Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy
Background
The Nature Policy Plan Caribbean Netherlands acknowledges research and
monitoring as essential components for the management of protected areas.
Species protected by international agreement have to be locally protected,
monitored and reported on. Monitoring also provides information relevant for
management, provides insight in the biodiversity, the functioning of ecosystems, the
success of management actions, and the socio-economic relationships between man
and nature. The monitoring focus should be chosen based on the main threats
impacting nature on the islands. One of the actions listed in the nature policy plan is
the development and implementation of a Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy,
including an appropriate governance system, involvement of stakeholders and
outreach for the Caribbean Netherlands. This resulted in the document before you.
It is the result of a consultation process with the relevant island government
departments of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, the protected area (park)
management organizations and other nature conservation organizations of the
islands, and the Ministry of EZ. Various scientific experts also provided input.
Through DCNA it was also possible to involve the park management organizations of
Aruba, Curaçao, and St. Maarten.
Information on biodiversity, human impact, and natural changes on the Islands is
currently piecemeal and not always adequate to the requirements of effective
safeguarding of biodiversity. Although monitoring has been conducted for many
years by many entities, the resulting information tends not to be widely available or
coordinated and there are significant gaps in what has been monitored. A strategic
approach to biodiversity monitoring is needed to set priorities, fill in information
gaps, support monitoring efforts, and establish readily-accessible, centralised data
storage, all of which are essential to successfully manage and conserve Islands
biodiversity in the face of human pressures and inevitable changes.
Initiative
Following the constitutional change of October 10, 2010, the BES Islands became
special municipalities of the Netherlands. As a result, the Netherlands has acquired
new responsibilities regarding conservation of the rich biodiversity in and around the
islands. These responsibilities relate to national obligations for biodiversity
conservation and international commitments resulting from treaties and
conventions to which the Netherlands is a signatory. Although such responsibilities
are formally relegated to the island governments through the Nature Conservation
Framework Act BES, the National Government will be held accountable for
compliance with the international commitments. Consequently it is important for
the Netherlands to work together with the islands on this.
The initiative for this Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy stems from these obligations
and commitments and intersects with already-existing monitoring efforts primarily
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
carried out by non-governmental conservation organizations, and the government
mandated park management organizations,as well as with a strategic monitoring
initiative of the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance.
Purpose
The purpose of this Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy is to make a significant
contribution towards safeguarding biodiversity in the Dutch Caribbean
Goals
The goals of the Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy are to:
1. Facilitate and support biodiversity conservation management, resource
management for sustainable development, and decision-making for
sustainable development
2. Provide relevant and timely information to stakeholders on biodiversity in
the Dutch Caribbean
3. Contribute to regional and global biodiversity status and trend data by
meeting international and national biodiversity conservation reporting
obligations
4. Guide policy, regulation and enforcement
5. Build awareness and support for biodiversity conservation action among the
BES Islands communities, the Kingdom of the Netherlands and regional and
global bodies
The program will enhance the network of expert monitoring groups on the islands to
produce a coordinated body of baseline and monitoring data. The scope of data will
provide information on the status and trends of the islands biodiversity, as well as
the natural and anthropogenic stressors that drive those trends.
The program will facilitate effective analysis and accessible data storage to improve
our ability to detect significant trends within a reasonable time frame. The program
will use the resulting information to communicate the significance of the data to
appropriate stakeholders in order to further biodiversity conservation in the BES
Islands.
Baseline – monitoring - research
Successful biodiversity conservation management requires a combination of
information resources, which can be broadly categorized as:
-
Baseline data: information on resource status
Monitoring: ongoing evaluation of trends over time
Research: aimed at answering specific questions about biodiversity
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Baseline data: In many cases baseline information is all that is needed to effectively
inform conservation management and to ensure that conservation goals are being
met. Collecting baseline data is a one time event with periodic reviews to verify the
status of the resource.
Monitoring: It is essential to study and evaluate how biodiversity is changing over
time, such as to assess:
- Effects of resource use
- Effectiveness of management interventions
- Population or ecosystem trends and natural variability
- Impacts of development
- Status of endemic, threatened, endangered, keystone or critical species
- Monitoring needs to be ongoing, it needs to be carried out at regular time
intervals, normally over long time periods to inform conservation
management and drive biodiversity conservation decision-making.
Monitoring needs to be ongoing, it needs to be carried out at regular time intervals,
normally over long time periods to inform conservation management and drive
biodiversity conservation decision-making.
Research: Research projects are effective means of answering specific questions
affecting conservation and should be carefully formulated to ensure that they
support biodiversity conservation management. Research is a one-time event
though it may last several or even many years.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Governance
The Biodiversity Monitoring Committee oversees the implementation of the
Biodiversity Monitioring Strategy
Membership
Role
Tasks
Bonaire, Saba, and St.
Eustatius Island
Platform
representatives
Supervisory and
co-ordinatory
Agreement on yearly program
Oversight/coordination of program
implementation
MinEZ representative
DCNA representative
[observers: Aruba,
Curaçao, St. Maarten]
Evaluate and set priorities
Resource acquisition and allocation
Facilitate and support island platforms
identify/engage expertise for specific
advice
Liaise with relevant
international/regional organizations
Review and submit reports
The Monitoring Committee is responsible for
 Co-ordinating the implementation of the biodiversity monitoring programme
 Liaising with relevant international bodies such as ICRI, GCRMN, SCSCB, SCCN
and ECCN
 Agreeing annual monitoring programmes and setting programme objectives
 Communicate with Nature Commission
 Optimizing communication between stakeholders, advisors and all parties
involved in biodiversity monitoring in the Dutch Caribbean
 Organising regular (annual) meetings
 Identify/engage necessary (scientific) expertise on a case by case basis
 With the use of external expertise reviewing and evaluating monitoring
priorities, protocols, resources, knowledge gaps, etc.
 Providing support to Island Platforms to ensure they are able to achieve their
monitoring objectives
 Improving the capacity for biodiversity monitoring in the Dutch Caribbean
 Set policy and oversee database management
 Agree on communication strategy and oversee its implementation
 Issuing regular programme reports
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Technical Database Management
Membership
Role
Tasks
IMARES
Implementation
Data input
?
Data analysis
?
Data access
?
Report generation
Biodiversity monitoring principles
Monitoring of biodiversity is an essential tool on three levels. It can guide
management action to ensure the sustainability of resource use when it provides
data on threats/impacts from human interactions or changing environmental
conditions. It is also essential to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of biodiversity
conservation management and interventions. Finally it is required to report on the
status of particular species and ecosystems to Dutch Parliament as well as in
fulfillment of regional and international biodiversity conservation agreements.
The responsibility for effective monitoring lies firstly with the island governments (or
the national government in the EEZ), secondly with the organizations that have a
mandate of the island government, and finally with the National government as
dictated by international agreements.
In order to fulfill its purpose, monitoring must be structural and standardized.
Efficient and effective monitoring should be based on widely accepted standards to
enable inter-island, regional or global comparisons. Monitoring activities of various
kinds are ongoing throughout the Dutch Caribbean islands, and any future or
supplementary monitoring activities should be built on these as much as possible.
Historical as well as recent data sets need to be identified and reviewed in order to
establish solid baselines to compare future data against.
Monitoring ++
Monitoring activities of various kinds are ongoing in the BES islands and throughout
the Dutch Caribbean, and any future or supplementary monitoring activities should
be built on these. Historical as well as recent data sets need to be identified and
reviewed in order to establish solid baselines to compare future data against and in
some cases new baseline data need to be collected.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Sustainability
It is essential that monitoring programmes are sustainable at the islands level.
Solutions should be sought to ensure that monitoring can be continued for as long as
is necessary such as by providing on-going funding, external support and/or setting
up monitoring “swat teams” to collect data. Provision must be made for training as
well as periodic retraining in monitoring protocols. Monitoring programmes must be
appropriate and ‘do-able’.
Standard protocols
To be effective biodiversity monitoring must be structured and standardized.
Efficient and effective monitoring should be based on widely accepted standards to
enable the Dutch Caribbean to contribute to inter-island, regional or global data. For
this reason standard monitoring protocols should be adopted and applied
throughout the Dutch Caribbean.
Centralized data storage
To optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of monitoring of biodiversity, good
coordination and good accessibility of data are essential. Monitoring can only be
effective if data are stored, and back-up, in a useful way. This is the basis for analysis
and generation of regular reports and prioritization evaluation. Robust mechanisms
need to be in place to ensure this. Coordination not only within the BES islands but
also with the other Dutch Caribbean islands and Dutch reporting agencies should be
sought and supported where possible. A network of monitoring partners, both on
island, between islands and with partners in the Netherlands, will be set up to
achieve this. Cooperation with regional efforts should also be the aim.
Open access
Centralized data storage is based on the principle of open and transparent access for
stakeholders.
Adaptive
Strategic monitoring must feedback to management action in order to optimize its
effect. This is achieved through monitoring results of conservation action and then
updating knowledge bases and adjusting future action. Monitoring activities
themselves should be reviewed regularly and updated to reflect results and
identified trends.
Setting monitoring priorities
The reality of the BES islands being of small scale and insufficient capacity dictates
that efforts must be limited. This can be somewhat ameliorated by bringing in
outside expertise and by working together, but funding to do this is also limited. It
follows that priorities for monitoring must be set in order to ensure that the limited
capacity and funding is used to best effect.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Communicating results
A core component of the Monitoring Strategy needs to be the development of a
communication plan to deliver the results of on-going monitoring back to
stakeholders.
Centralized data storage
In order for any monitoring strategy to be successful it needs to address the
following core elements:
-
Data collection
Data storage
Data access
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Data re-prioritization
Data communication
Data collection
The program will coordinate and support the development of a network of expert
monitoring groups on the islands, which will use standard protocols to collect a body
of baseline and monitoring data. This data will provide information on the status and
trends of islands biodiversity, as well as natural and anthropogenic stressors, which
drive those trends. The program will facilitate effective data analysis.
Data storage
To optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of monitoring of biodiversity, good
coordination and good accessibility of data are essential, both within the Caribbean
Netherlands as within the whole of the Dutch Caribbean. This program will need a
centralized open-access database with data stored in a useful way, including
sampling protocols, good metadata, and extraction of data in several formats. The
Dutch Caribbean Biodiversity Database will provide the information necessary for
analysis and generation of regular reports. Robust mechanisms need to be in place
to ensure this. Inclusion of the other Dutch Caribbean islands will be sought through
DCNA.
Data access
Open access to biodiversity information improves our ability to detect significant
trends within a reasonable time frame. Biodiversity monitoring information of the
Caribbean Netherlands (and other Dutch Caribbean islands) will be stored in a
centrally managed, open-access database with transparent access for conservation
practitioners, policy makers and all other stakeholders.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Data Analysis and Interpretation
Data patterns, trends and relationships should be assessed and underlie subsequent
management recommendations. In many instances these data may only require
descriptive analyses rather than detailed and statistically significant relationships. In
the latter case, it should be important to distinguish between statistical findings and
biological relevance. To this end, an a priori list of thresholds and biological
significance should be established against which the data may be evaluated.
Data Re-prioritization
Data findings may require a re-evaluation of monitoring prioritizations so that a
continual loop-feedback mechanism informs subsequent data collection, analysis
and subsequent biodiversity management.
Data Communication
Effective monitoring is the foundation of responsive decision-making: however,
unless the right information is reported in the right formats to the right audiences,
the results of such monitoring are lost. Therefore, a core component of the
Biodiversity Monitoring Plan for the Caribbean Netherlands will be the development
of a communications strategy that will identify key audiences for biodiversity
information and develop approaches to reach these audiences.
Prioritizing monitoring activities
Both available capacity and funding limit the amount of monitoring that is feasible.
Also, not all monitoring is equally necessary or useful. Consequently, choices need to
be made as to what monitoring is most needed and what can be realized with the
available means. In order to make such a selection the following questions were
asked:
1. Does it support current biodiversity conservation management or sustainable
resource use or development needs?
2. Does it help to evaluate the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation
interventions or the sustainability of resource use strategies?
3. Does it address current threats or impacts (e.g. effects of climate change,
coastal development)?
4. Does it address globally or regionally important species or ecosystems?
5. Does it address national or locally important species and ecosystems (e.g.
key/indicator species/critical habitats/endangered endemics)?
6. Does it address communication and awareness needs?
7. Is it sustainable (i.e. are there sufficient resources to maintain it in the long
term)?
8. Does it build on existing monitoring activities (if a monitoring activity
complies with (one or more of) the previous criteria and continues an existing
program it should be chosen above an activity that does not)?
Once potential monitoring topics were identified they were categorized by habitat,
species or management and ranked based on the following criteria:
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Habitat
1. Habitats for which there are National/International Obligations
2. Habitats that are functionally critical
3. Habitats at risk, in decline, or rare
4. Habitats important for key species
5. Habitat associated with a significant threat to biodiversity
Species
6. Species for which there are National/International Obligations
7. Locally important or restricted range species
8. Species exhibiting or thought to have at least 25% decline
9. Species that can act as surrogate
10. Species indicating significant threat to biodiversity
Management
11. Indicator of climate change
12. Supporting management needs
13. Evaluating management effectiveness
14. Addressing threats/impacts
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Communication
For the purposes of developing a communication strategy and identifying target
audiences with whom to communicate the results of on-going monitoring the
following stakeholder groups can be identified:
Government
Community groups
Media organisations
Park stakeholders
Research institutes
Academic institutions
General public
[Target groups, objectives, who communicates what to whom]
Resources
Monitoring costs money. With a shared responsibility funding will have to come
from the various partners involved. The island governments carry primary
responsibility for the island’s biodiversity and will need to provide part of the
necessary funding. The management of the nature parks has been delegated to the
park organizations on each of the islands and consequently the budget available for
this management will also need to provide for monitoring that is considered
necessary for park management. Where the National government has delegated
international obligations for biodiversity conservation to the islands it will also have
to provide the necessary means for this including the costs for monitoring of such
biodiversity.
It is recognized that not all costs can be covered by all the partners and ways have to
be sought to minimize the costs of monitoring. One way to do this is to prioritize the
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
monitoring needs. Another way of reducing costs is to engage volunteers to help
with monitoring. This has the added advantage of bringing civil society into closer
interaction with nature, and serves to increase awareness of the need to protect the
islands’ biodiversity.
Implementation
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
8. Action Plan
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
9. Appendix
Internationally protected species in the Dutch Caribbean
Common
name
IUCN
Category
SPAW
Annex
CMS
Annex
CITES
Appendix
PLANTS (15)
All Cactaceae
All cacti
II
All Orchidaceae
All orchids
II
Syringodium filiforme
(= Cymodocea manitorum)
Manatee grass
LC
3
Thalassia testudinum
Turtlegrass
LC
3
Halophila baillonis
(= aschersonii)
Tapegrass
VU
3
Halophila decipiens
Tapegrass
LC
3
Halophila engelmannii
Tapegrass
NT
3
Ruppia maritima
Wigeongrass
LC
3
Rhizophora mangle
Red Mangrove
LC
3
Avicennia germinans
(= nitida)
Black Mangrove
LC
3
Laguncularia racemosa
White Mangrove
LC
3
Conocarpus erecta
Buttonwood
LC
3
Guaiacum officinale
Common Lignum Vitae
EN
3
Guaiacum sanctum
Holywood Lignum Vitae
EN
Nectandra krugii
Black Sweet Wood
EN
Swietenia mahagoni
West Indian Mahogany
EN
Zanthoxylum flavum
West Indian Satinwood
VU
II
II
CORALS (12)
All Milleporidae
All fire corals
3
II
All Stylasteridae
All lace corals
3
II
All Antipatharia
All black corals
3
II
All Gorgonacea
All gorgonians
3
All Scleractinia
All hard corals
3
II
Acropora palmata
Elkhorn Coral
CR
3
II
Acropora cervicornis
Staghorn Coral
CR
3
II
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Common
name
IUCN
Category
SPAW
Annex
CMS
Annex
CITES
Appendix
Agaricia lamarcki
Lamarck's Sheet Coral
VU
3
II
Agaricia tenuifolia
Thin Leaf Lettuce Coral
NT
3
II
Dendrogyra cylindrus
Pillar Coral
VU
3
II
Dichocoenia stokesi
Elliptical Star Coral
VU
3
II
Montastrea franksi
Humpy Star Coral
VU
3
II
Montastrea annularis
Head Star Coral
EN
3
II
Montastrea faveolata
Boulder Star Coral
EN
3
II
Mycetophyllia ferox
Rough Cactus Coral
VU
3
II
Millepora striata
Bladed Box Firecoral
VU
3
II
Oculina varicosa
Large Ivory Coral
VU
3
II
–
3
II
OTHER INVERTEBRATES (3)
Strombus gigas
Queen Conch
Typhlatya monae
Mona Cave Shrimp
VU
Panulirus argus
Caribbean Spiny Lobster
DD
Pristis pectinata
Wide Sawfish
EN
Manta birostris
Manta Ray
NT
Aetobatus narinari
Spotted Eagle Ray
NT
Rhincodon typus
Whale Shark
VU
Alopias vulpinus
Thresher Shark
VU
Isurus oxyrinchus
Shortfin Mako
VU
Sphyrna mokarran
Great Hammerhead Shark
EN
Carcharhinus longimanus
Oceanic Whitetip Shark
VU
Carcharhinus perezi
Caribbean Reef Shark
NT
Dermatolepis inermis
Marble Grouper
NT
Epinephelus flavolimbatus
Yellowfinned Grouper
VU
Epinephelus itajara
Goliath Grouper
CR
Epinephelus morio
Red Grouper
NT
Epinephelus niveatus
Snowy Grouper/
Spotted Grouper
VU
Epinephelus striatus
Nassau Grouper
EN
Balistes vetula
Queen Triggerfish
VU
Lachnolaimus maximus
Hogfish
VU
3
FISH (25)
I
2
II
2
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Common
name
IUCN
Category
Lutjanus analis
Mutton Snapper
VU
Lutjanus cyanopterus
Cubera Snapper
VU
Mycteroperca bonaci
Black Grouper
NT
Mycteroperca interstitialis
Yellowmouth Grouper
VU
Mycteroperca venenosa
Yellowfin Grouper
NT
Pagrus pagrus
Red Porgy
EN
Scarus guacamaia
Rainbow Parrotfish
VU
Thunnus obesus
Bigeye Tuna
VU
SPAW
Annex
CMS
Annex
CITES
Appendix
MAMMALS (27)
Marine mammals (24)
All Cetacaea
All cetaceans
2
II
Tursiops truncatus
Bottlenose Dolphin
LC
2
II
Lagenodelphis hosei
Fraser's Dolphin
LC
2
II
Delphinus delphis
Common Dolphin
LC
2
II
Stenella attenuata
Pantropical Spotted Dolphin
LC
2
II
Stenella frontalis
Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
DD
2
II
Stenella longirostris
Spinner Dolphin
DD
2
II
Stenella coeruleoalba
Striped Dolphin
LC
2
II
Stenella clymene
Clymene Dolphin
DD
2
II
Grampus griseus
Risso's Dolphin/Grey Dolphin
LC
2
II
Ziphius cavirostris
Cuvier's Whale
LC
2
II
Mesoplodon europaeus
Gervais's Beaked Whale
DD
2
II
Pseudorca crassidens
False Killer Whale
DD
2
II
Orcinus orca
Orca / Killer Whale
DD
2
Kogia breviceps
Pygmy Sperm Whale
DD
2
II
Kogia simus
Dwarf Sperm Whale
DD
2
II
Peponocephala electra
Melon-headed Whale
LC
2
II
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Shortfin Pilot Whale
DD
2
II
Balaenoptera physalus
Fin Whale
EN
2
1
I
Balaenoptera borealis
Coalfish Whale
EN
2
1
I
Balaenoptera edeni
Bryde's Whale
DD
2
2
I
Balaenoptera musculus
Blue Whale
EN
2
1
I
Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpback Whale
VU
2
1
I
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2
II
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Common
name
IUCN
Category
SPAW
Annex
CMS
Annex
CITES
Appendix
1
I
Physeter macrocephalus
Sperm Whale
VU
2
Trichechus manatus
West-indian Manatee
VU
2
Hummelinck's Vesper Mouse
VU
Leptonycteris curasoae
Lesser Long-nosed Bat
VU
Tadarida brasiliensis
Mexican Free-tailed Bat
LC
Sarkidiornis melanotos
Comb Duck
LC
Buteo albicaudatus
White-tailed Hawk
LC
II
Buteo jamaicensis
Red-tailed Hawk
LC
II
Pandion haliaetus
Osprey
LC
Caracara cheriway
Northern Caracara
LC
2
Falco peregrinus
Peregrine Falcon
LC
2
Falco sparverius
American Kestrel
Falco columbarius
I
Rodents (1)
Calomys hummelincki
Bats (2)
2
1
BIRDS (29)
2
II
2
II
II
2
I
LC
2
II
Merlin
LC
2
II
Tyto alba
Barn Owl
LC
II
Chrysolampis mosquitus
Ruby-topaz Hummingbird
LC
II
Chorostilbon mellisugus
Blue-tailed Emerald
–
II
Eulampis jugularis
Purple-throated Carib
LC
II
Sericotes holocericeus
Green-throated Carib
–
II
Orthorhyncus cristatus
Antillean Crested
Hummingbird
LC
II
Cindocerthia ruficauda
Brown Trembler
LC
Aratinga pertinax
Brown-throated Conure
LC
Amazona barbadenis
Yellow-shouldered Amazon
VU
2
Charadrius melodus
Piping Plover
NT
2
Contopus cooperi
Olive-sided Flycatcher
NT
Dendrocygna arborea
West Indian Whistling Duck
VU
3
2
Dendrocygna bicolor
Fulvous Whistling Duck
LC
3
2
Dendroica cerulea
Cerulean Warbler
VU
Fulica caribaea
Caribbean Coot
NT
Phoenicopterus ruber
Flamingo
LC
3
2
2
II
I
II
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Common
name
IUCN
Category
SPAW
Annex
CMS
Annex
CITES
Appendix
Pterodroma hasitata
Black-capped Petrel
EN
Puffinus lherminieri
Audubon’s Shearwater
LC
2
Pelecanus occidentalis
Pelican
LC
2
Sterna antillarum antillarum
Least Tern
LC
Sterna dougallii dougallii
Roseate Tern
LC
Alsophis rijersmai
Leeward Islands Racer
EN
Alsophis rufiventrus
Red-bellied Racer
EN
Iguana delicatissima
Lesser Antillean Iguana
EN
3
II
Iguana iguana
Green Iguana
-
3
II
Chelonia mydas
Green Turtle
EN
2
2
I
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill Turtle
CR
2
2
I
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead Turtle
EN
2
2
I
Lepidochelys olivacea
Olive Ridley
EN
2
2
I
Dermochelys coriacea
Leatherback Turtle
CR
2
2
I
Monarch Butterfly
-
2
2
REPTILES (9)
INSECTS (1)
Danaus plexippus
Total # species 121
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2
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Definition of Terms
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Baseline data
BES islands
Biodiversity
CARMABI
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on Curacao
Co-management
A system whereby stakeholders are
included in the decision making body
(Board) of a legally designated protected
area management organisation
Conservation management
DCNA
Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance:
umbrella organisation supporting and
assisting the parks and other
conservation organisations in the Dutch
Caribbean.
Endangered ecosystem
Endangered species
Endemic species
Indicator species
Issue
Keystone species
Legally designated protected area
management organisation
Park management organisation e.g on
Bonaire STINAPA Bonaire
Ministry E, L + I
Ministry LNV
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Ministry of Agriculture
Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Monitoring
Nature Foundation
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on St Maarten
Parke Nacional Arikok
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on Aruba
RCN
Rijks Caribbisch Nederland
Research
Saba Conservation Foundation
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on Saba
Stakeholder
STENAPA
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on St
Eustatius
STINAPA Bonaire
The legally designated protected area
management organisation on Bonaire
Threat
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
RAMSAR SITES
Aruba
Spaans Lagoen. 23/05/80; Aruba; 70 ha; 12º30’N 070º00’W. Conservation Area. A narrow coastal
inlet, fringed by tidal mudflats and mangrove swamps. An important feeding and breeding area for
waterbirds, and nursery area for various species of fish and crustaceans. Ramsar site no. 198.
Bonaire
Slagbaai. 23/05/80; Bonaire; 90 ha; 12º16’N 068º25’W. Within a National Park. A shallow,
permanent, saline lagoon, isolated from the sea by a bank of beach rock. Brine shrimp and brine flies
provide valuable food sources for birds. The lagoon is a resting area for Phalacrocorax olivaceus (max.
50), and a staging area for a variety of Nearctic breeding species. Ramsar site no. 203.
Gotomeer. 23/05/80; Bonaire; 150 ha; 12º14’N 068º22’W. Within a National Park. A shallow,
permanent, saline lagoon, isolated from the sea by a beach rock bank. Brine shrimp and brine fly are
abundant in the hypersaline areas, providing valuable food sources for birds, including
Phoenicopterus ruber ruber (100-500). The site is important for several species of breeding birds and
for staging shorebirds which nest in North America. Ramsar site no. 202.
Lac. 23/05/80; Bonaire; 700 ha; 12º06’N 068º14’W. Underwater Park. A shallow bay of dense sea
grass, fringed by mangroves and separated from the sea by coral debris and red algae. The mangroves
provide shelter for fish and invertebrates and contribute large quantities of organic debris to the bay,
creating highly productive waters. An important feeding area for waterbirds and invertebrates,
supporting several species of breeding waterbirds. Ramsar site no. 199.
Pekelmeer. 23/05/80; Bonaire; 400 ha; 12º02’N 068º19’W. A shallow seawater lagoon located
between a ridge of recrystalized coral debris (beach rock) and a commercial saltworks, linked to the
open sea by an artificial channel. Sparsely vegetated, the site provides a flamingo nesting sanctuary
and supports one of the most important nesting colonies of Phoenicopterus ruber ruber in the
Caribbean (1,000 pairs). It serves as an important feeding area for Pelecanidae, Ardeidae (herons,
bitterns, etc.), and various migratory shorebirds which breed in North America. Ramsar site no. 200.
Klein Bonaire Island & adjacent sea. 23/05/80; Bonaire; 600 ha; 12º10’N 068º19’W. Underwater
Park. A small uninhabited coral island supporting a sparse cover of shrubs and cacti. Brackish lagoons
and fringing coral reefs support a rich marine fauna. The reefs experience heavy diving pressure.
Ramsar site no. 201.
Curacao
Malpais/Sint Michiel. 05/02/2013; Curaçao; 1,100 ha; 12°10'N 069°00'W. Important Bird Area.
Malpais is a former plantation just to the north of Sint Michiel. There are two freshwater lakes and
the hyper-saline St. Michiel lagoon connected to a bay in which coral reefs are found, surrounded by
dry deciduous vegetation and a well-developed woodland habitat. The area provides refugee for
many birds, such as the IUCN Red Listed Caribbean coot (Fulica caribaea). The lagoon also supports a
significant fraction of the global population of the Common tern (Sterna hirundo) and is part of a
regional network of foraging sites for the Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber), protected under
the Convention of Migratory Species. Freshwater is scarce in Curaçao and therefore of great
ecological, social and economic value. The dam of Malpais is located downstream. Freshwater
infiltrates into the soil, recharging groundwater reservoirs which allow woodlands to grow in the area.
Some of the current threats which may affect the ecological character of the site are the landfill and
runoff from a pig farm situated only 1km away. Ramsar Site no. 2117. Most recent RIS information:
2013.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Muizenberg. 05/02/2013; Curaçao; 65 ha; 12°09'29"N 068°55'07"W. Important Bird Area; Natural
Park. Muizenberg comprises an intermittent shallow lake created by the damming of a stream that
drains the surrounding low hills. Periodically inundated grassland and shrubland surround the
wetland. A separate small pond, Kaya Fortuna, is situated 200m to the west. This area is
internationally significant for its population of the Caribbean coot (Fulica caribaea), near-threatened
under the IUCN Red List, and the Caribbean flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber) conserved under the
Convention of Migratory Species, but it also supports many other waterbirds, both residents and
migrants. The Muizenberg dam was built by Shell Curaçao in 1915 to collect freshwater for industrial
cooling purposes; with a capacity of 650,000 m3, it represents the largest freshwater reservoir on the
island. The area was designated as a Natural Park for the improvement of the urban living conditions
of the nearby population and is mainly used by hikers for recreational purposes. Illegal dumping of
garbage, pollution, drainage of surrounding wetlands, and recreational disturbance are seen as the
main potential threats. A general environmental education programme is being implemented. Ramsar
Site no. 2118. Most recent RIS information: 2013.
Northwest Curaçao. 05/02/2013; Curaçao; 2,441 ha; 12°21'11"N 069°05'00"W. Important Bird Area,
Natural Parks. The area comprises a great variety of ecosystems such as coral reefs, coastal lagoons
with sea grass beds and mangroves, coastal limestone terraces, inland hills supporting evergreen
woodland, freshwater dams, natural springs and dry deciduous shrublands. The Ramsar site includes
parts of Shete Boka and Christoffel Natural Parks. The wetland covers approximately 20 km of the
rocky, wave-exposed north coast of Curaçao, including 10 pocket beaches (bokas) and 3 inland bays
that are used as nesting and foraging sites for threatened sea turtle species as Dermochelys coriacea
and Eretmochely imbricata. There is also a breeding colony of more than 500 individuals of Least
Tern. Moreover, the northwestern coast of Curaçao locally harbours a fringing coral reef,
characterized by more than 50% coral cover and the presence of such critically endangered coral
species as Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis as well as endangered fish species like the
Epinephelus itajara. Some of the caves in the area were used for spiritual rituals in the past, and
Indian drawings can be found estimated to be more than 5,000 years old. Numerous manmade dams
in the area retain freshwater for several months after the wet season has passed. Subterraneous
groundwater reservoirs in turn sustain local vegetation types year-round which are used by several
bird species, pollinating bats and mammals to survive during Curaçao's dry season. Ramsar Site no.
2119. Most Recent RIS information: 2013.
Rif-Sint Marie. 05/02/2013. Curaçao; 667 ha; 12°12'16"N 069°03'16"W. Conservation Area, Important
Bird Area. The area of Rif-Sint Marie is relatively undisturbed and undeveloped and comprises a salt
mash surrounded by mud flats, shrub land, and forests. The marsh is a strategic feeding habitat for
flamingos and several waterbirds. The coral reef of Rif-Sint Marie is well developed and shelters
several threatened coral species such as Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis, as well as such
endangered turtle species as Dermochelys coriacea and Eretmochely imbrica and threatened fishes
like Goliath grouper Epinephelus itajara. Dense thickets of Elkhorn coral sustain major ecological
processes such as gross community calcification and nitrogen fixation; dense populations of this
branching species dissipate wave energy and thus protect the coast. The area is currently used for
recreational purposes like hiking, biking and guided eco-tours. The major threats to the site are
uncontrolled access of visitors with dogs disturbing flamingos and potentially unwise development of
touristic infrastructures in the surrounding area. Ramsar Site no. 2120. Most recent RIS information:
2013.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Protected Areas: site description and value statements
Aruba
Parke Nacional Arikok
Parke Naçional Arikok was established in 2000 to protect a terrestrial area of
3,400 hectares (8,400 acres) including desert/shrub, dry forest, sand dunes
and sandy shores. The protected area has extensive cave systems that contain
freshwater environments as well as culturally valuable pre-Colombian
paintings and sites. The area and shoreline is a home, migratory stopover and
breeding site for 56 IUCN Red List species, eight CITES Appendix I species and
237 CITES Appendix II species as well as the endemic ‘Cascabel’ or Aruba
Island Rattlesnake. Parke Naçional Arikok attracts many local and
international visitors every year and helps contribute to the income of the
island’s population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services.
The protected area is located in the east of Aruba with most of the hilliest
parts of the island located within the park's boundaries, including Aruba's
highest hill, Mt. Jamanota (188 metres). The protected area is unofficially
divided into four zones (these zones have yet to be ratified by the
government):
 The northern and southern areas are highly sensitive areas and
have controlled access. Cars are not permitted to enter the
southern zone and any other activities that may cause disturbance
are banned. The northern zone is accessible to motorized vehicles
under controlled conditions.
 The middle area is a multi-use zone for human activity. It
incorporates the main road (a loop) for cars, which leads to a
number of cultural and historical landmarks as well as the protected
area’s main natural points of interest (Dos Playa, Boca Druif).
 The "transition zone" is located on the outskirts of the three other
zones. It aims to provide a buffer zone that offers some control on
any development within one kilometre of the protected area’s
boundaries.
Value statement
Parke Naçional Arikok was established in 2000 to protect a terrestrial area of
34.9 square kilometres including desert/shrub, dry forest, sand dunes and
sandy shores. The PA has extensive cave systems that contain freshwater
environments as well as culturally valuable pre-Colombian paintings and sites.
The area and shoreline is a home, migratory stopover and breeding site for
species that are internationally recognised for conservation, including two
IUCN Red List species (one critically endangered), two CITES Appendix I and 23
CITES Appendix II species, 24 island endemic species including the threatened
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
‘Cascabel’ or Aruba Rattlesnake, 38 locally endemic and 15 regionally endemic
species. Parke Naçional Arikok attracts many local and international visitors
every year and helps contribute to the income for the islands population
employed in restaurants, hotels and other services. The marine environment
around Aruba, none of which is currently protected, is a home to species
internationally recognised for conservation, including 54 Red List species and
six CITES Appendix I species and 214 CITES Appendix II species.
Bonaire
Washington Slagbaai National Park
Located in the northwest part of Bonaire, Washington Slagbaai National Park
is the first and the largest terrestrial protected area in the Dutch Caribbean. It
provides a safe habitat for the island’s native species such as the endemic
parrot (Lora), flamingos, parakeets and iguanas. Additionally, many species of
migratory birds from North America find shelter in the protected area during
their annual migrations and some species have become residents as well.
The parks 15 kilometres (9 miles) of shoreline form part of the Bonaire
National Marine Park and its beaches are important nesting sites for
Caribbean sea turtles. Originally inhabited by native Indians and later
comprising two of the largest and more productive plantations during the
colony times, the park is rich in cultural and historical heritage.
Value statement
Established 1969, Washington Slagbaai National Park protects 5,600 hectares
(13,838 acres) of habitats including desert/shrub, dry forest, sand dunes,
sandy shores and globally threatened mangroves. The area contains 2 former
plantations, which feature a rich diversity of cultural, historical and ecological
heritage. The area and shoreline is a home, migratory stopover and breeding
site for six IUCN Red List species, two CITES Appendix I species and 34 CITES
Appendix II species including the endemic parrot, the Lora. The Park attracts
around 40,000 local and international visitors every year and helps contribute
to the income for the islands population employed in restaurants, hotels and
other services.
Bonaire National Marine Park
The marine environment of Bonaire is unique as the island is a true oceanic
island, which is separated from the South American mainland by a deep-water
trench. The marine park was established in 1979 and has been under
continuous active management since 1991. It was recognised as a National
Park by the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles in 1999 and has
been designated as a Demonstration Site by UNEP (United Nations
Environment Programme) and ICRAN (International Coral Reef Action
Network).
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
The Bonaire National Marine Park, which encircles the island and Klein
Bonaire, includes 2,700 hectares (6,672 acres) of globally threatened coral
reef, seagrass beds and mangrove ecosystems. Bonaire’s reefs are considered
the healthiest in the Caribbean according to data from the Atlantic and Gulf
Rapid Reef Assessment protocol. Bonaire’s marine environments are home to
251 globally endangered species including six which are on the IUCN Red list,
eight species on CITES Appendix I and 230 on CITES Appendix II.
Lac
Lac is unique in the Dutch Caribbean. Located on the windward shore of
Bonaire, it is the largest semi-enclosed bay in the Dutch Caribbean and
contains examples of all three threatened marine ecosystems: coral reefs,
seagrass beds and mangroves. A fringing barrier reef with stands of rare
Elkhorn Coral protects the bay from the high seas that routinely pound
Bonaire’s windward shore. Magnificent Frigatebirds nest here and the
mangroves provide a safe haven and roosting place for herons, egrets, stilts,
terns, flamingos, ospreys and pelicans. The seagrass beds are extensive and
together with the adjacent mangroves they form a critical nursery ground for
countless species of coral reef fish and invertebrates and a foraging ground
for Green Sea Turtles. Cushion Stars and conch can still be found amongst the
seagrasses as well as fields of pulsating upside-down jellyfish ‘Cassiopeia’.
Klein Bonaire
The entire uninhabited island of Klein Bonaire is managed by the Bonaire
National Marine Park and the sandy beach of No Name is particularly
important, not only as a tourism attraction but also as it is the most important
turtle-nesting site on Bonaire. Popular dive sites are located all around Klein
Bonaire but access to the island itself is limited and the only provisions for
tourism are two open huts that provide shade, BBQ pits and bins.
Overnighting is not permitted in order to safeguard the unspoilt natural
beauty of the island.
Value statement
The marine environment of Bonaire is unique in the Caribbean being one of
only four true oceanic islands separated from the South American mainland
by a deep-water trench. The marine park on Bonaire, which was established in
1979 and has been under active management since 1991, has been
recognised as a National Park by the Central Government of the Netherlands
Antilles and as a Demonstration site by UNEP (United Nations Environment
Programme) and ICRAN (International Coral Reef Action Network). It includes
2,700 hectares (6,672 acres) of globally threatened coral reef, seagrass and
mangrove ecosystems all of which are considered to be in excellent condition.
Bonaire’s reefs are considered the healthiest in the Caribbean according to
data from the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment protocol. Bonaire’s
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
marine environments include all five of the Ramsar sites within the
Netherlands Antilles and are home to globally endangered species including
59 on the IUCN Red list, eight species on CITES Appendix I and 230 on CITES
Appendix II. In 2010, 50,000 people registered to use the marine park and
around 200,000 people visited as cruise boat tourists.
Curaçao
Christoffel Park was established in 1978 and covers 1,860 hectares (4,600
acres) of wooded hills. The Christoffel Park is the largest terrestrial protected
area of Curaçao. The park has many species that are rare elsewhere on the
island, such as wild orchids and the Palabrua, a rare native Barn Owl species.
The Curaçao White-tailed Deer (of which only ~250 individuals are left) also
lives in the park. There are eight managed hiking trails, including one to the
top of Mt. Christoffel. Scenic roads that were asphalted in 2004 help visitors
find their way throughout the park. ‘Landhuis’ Savonet is situated within the
park and is one of the oldest plantation houses that remain on the island.
Shete Boka Park was established in 1994 and covers 200 hectares (495 acres).
It is an area adjoining the Christoffel Park bordering more than ten0
kilometres (six miles) of the rocky wave-exposed north coast of the island.
This stretch of coastline includes ten pocket beaches where three species of
sea turtles lay eggs. The most well-known inlet is Boka Tabla, which is
accessible by 4-wheel drive via on a dirt road. The road leads from Boka Tabla
across the desolate north coast to six smaller inlets: Boka Wandomi, Boka
Kortalein, Boka Plate, Boka Mansalina, Boka Djegu and Dos Boka. In addition,
there are two hiking trails.
Jeremi hill was established in 1999 and covers 233 hectares (575 acres). With
funding from the Dutch DOEN foundation, CARMABI bought this area
andadded it to the Christoffelpark because of the high number of rare plant
species that occur in this area.
Hato Caves, Kueba di Raton and Kueba di Yèchi cover three hectares (seven
acres) in total. Hato Caves are being managed as a tourist attraction by
CARMABI. The Kueba di Raton (mouse-cave) and the Kueba di Yèchi, are kept
closed and off limits to the public to protect the large number of endemic and
ecologically important bats living there.
Kabouterbos was established in 1997 and covers 13.2 hectares (33 acres). A
‘Green Area’ situated in the middle of a suburban area (between Cas Coraweg
and Jongbloed) is used mainly for recreation.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
Daaibooi Beach was established in 1999 and covers 110 hectares (270 acres).
The beach and surrounding natural area are both known Loggerhead Turtle
nesting sites.
Flamingo Park Jan Kok was established in 1998 and covers 81.9 hectares (200
acres). It also includes part of plantation Hermanus, an area known as a saliña.
Midden Senpost was established in 1998 and covers 17 hectares (42 acres). A
hill top situated in the middle of a neighbourhood named Roi Santu that
has
been extensively reforested by CARMABI since 1998. More than 15 important
plant species have been successfully reintroduced to help restore the
ecological function of the area.
Value statement
The Christoffel Park (established 1978) and Shete Boka Park (established
1994) protect 2,293 hectares (5,670 acres) of habitats including desert/shrub,
dry forest and sandy shores. These parks were merged in 2013. The areas
consist of several former plantations and feature a rich diversity of cultural,
historical and ecological heritage. The area and shoreline is a home, migratory
stopover and breeding site for three IUCN Red List Species, one CITES
Appendix 1 species and 37 CITES Appendix 2 species as well as the endemic
White-tailed deer. The Parks attract around 35,000 local and international
visitors every year that help contribute to the income for the islands
population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services.
Curaçao Underwater Park
There is currently no active management of Curaçao Underwater Park. The
marine protected area was established in 1982 and covers 600 hectares
(1,480 acres). It runs along the southeast coast of the island, from Breezes
Hotel (formerly Princess Beach Hotel) to the most eastern point of the island.
It includes the healthiest reefs of the island and several inland bays with
mangroves and sea grass beds. CARMABI aims to have a balance between
recreation (in this case diving, water sports etc.) and protection of the reef.
(E.g. by placing buoys to prevent anchor damage). Spearfishing is not
prohibited in Curaçao waters.
Value statement
Although it is not currently actively managed, the Curaçao Marine Park covers
1,036 hectares (2,560 acres) of globally endangered habitats including
mangrove, seagrass beds, coral reef and open ocean. Curaçao Marine Park
was established to protect, maintain and/or improve the coral reefs and
associated marine ecosystems to safeguard them for the future. The park and
the entire coast of Curaçao is a home, migratory stopover and breeding site
for 61 IUCN Red List Species, nine CITES Appendix I species and 230 CITES
Appendix II species including whales, dolphins, turtles and hard coral species.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
The Park and coastline of Curaçao attracts many local and international
visitors every year and helps contribute to the income for the islands
population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services.
Saba
Saba Terrestrial Park and Trails
The Saba Terrestrial Park has not been formally designated. It belonged to the
McNish Sulphur Mining Company and the land was donated to Saba
Conservation Foundation (SCF) in 1998, on the condition that it would forever
remain wild and developed as a national park. The area covers 43 hectares
(106 acres) and is located on the northern side of Saba. It consists of a deep
gorge, which runs from an altitude of 820 metres (2,690 feet) on Mount
Scenery down to the shoreline. The upper half of the gorge is known as Island
Gut, the bottom is called Deep Gut. Two ridges form Island and Deep Gut; the
eastern ridge is known as ‘Pirate Cliff’ and the western ridge ‘All Too far
Ridge’. The area contains biologically diverse rainforest, montane forest and
drought-resistant habitats.
Additionally, Saba has a network of 12 trails that circle the island reaching the
coast and the summit of Mt. Scenery, which Saba Conservation Foundation
maintains with support of the Island Government. These 15 kilomtres (9.3
miles) of trails offer some of the best hiking in the Caribbean with views of
neighbouring St. Eustatius and other islands through pristine forest that clings
to the slopes of the magnificent Mt. Scenery.
Value statement
The Saba Sulphur Mine Property (established 1999) and trails consist of 43
hectares of land as well as numerous walking routes. The areas include
habitats including dry forest, Elfin forest and some arable/pastoral land. The
area and trails have considerable historical, cultural and ecological values. The
areas and shoreline is a home, migratory stopover and breeding site for two
Red List species, one CITES Appendix I species and 37 CITES Appendix II
species as well as the endemic Saban Anole. The property and trails attract
many local and international visitors every year and help contribute to the
income for the islands population employed in restaurants, hotels and other
services.
Saba National Marine Park
The Saba National Marine Park was established in 1987 with the objective of
preserving and managing Saba's marine resources. The Marine Park was not
developed to repair a damaged environment but rather to ensure the
continued quality of an extraordinary resource for the benefit and enjoyment
of everyone. The Marine Park circles the entire island from the high-water
mark to a depth of 60 metres, including the seabed and overlying waters. A
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
zoning plan divides the marine park for various recreational and commercial
uses. A system of permanent mooring buoys facilitates diving and prevents
damage to corals. One of the few self-sustaining marine parks anywhere in
the world, the marine park raises revenue through visitor fees, souvenir sales,
and donations.
Value statement
The Saba National Marine Park includes more than 1,300 hectares of globally
threatened coral reef as well as seagrass habitat. Saba’s marine environment
and coastline is a home, migratory stopover or breeding site for 52 IUCN Red
List Species, seven CITES Appendix I species and 230 Appendix II species
including sea turtles and a number of shark species. The beaches and waters
attract around 23,000 visitors a year, creating employment for many of the
islands population. Saba National Marine Park is a UNEP target site because of
its success in promoting eco-tourism. Tourism contributes significantly to the
economy and depends on the well being of Saba’s marine resources.
Saba Bank National Park
Saba Bank NationalPark, established in 2010, protects an offshore atoll
covering 268,000 hectares (662,000 acres) — the third largest atoll of its kind
in the world. Saba Bank is a flat-topped seamount rising 1,800 meters (5,900
feet) from the sea floor, crowned by living coral reefs. The wealth of
biodiversity on the Saba Bank is astounding and includes sea turtles,
Humpback Whales, more than 200 species of fish and unique marine plants
found nowhere else in the Caribbean.
Value statement
The marine environment of the Saba Bank is 1,800 sqaure kilometres of
biologically diverse coral reef, macroalgae, rock pavement, sandy seabed, and
open ocean communities. The Bank is one of the, if not the, most diverse in
marine macroalgae in the Caribbean. The Saba Bank Management
Organization was established in 2008 to manage these marine resources for
the benefit and enjoyment of the people and future generations. The Saba
Bank Special Marine Area is a home, migratory stopover or breeding site for
52 IUCN Red Listed species and 230 Appendix II species including sea turtles
and a number of shark species. The Saba Bank is of high economic importance
to the island of Saba. It supports nine full-time fishermen and has a direct
economical value of over one million dollars a year.
St Eustatius
Quill Boven National Park
The Quill/Boven National Park was established in 1997 and was the first national
park to be declared in the Dutch Caribbean. The park is divided into two sections,
which are spatially separated. The northern park area is known locally as Boven
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(Boven sub sector) and the southern park area is known as The Quill (Quill sub
sector). Adjacent to The Quill is a Botanical Garden, which is also managed by the
park.
The Boven sub-sector encompasses hills, which are the remnants of an extinct
volcano, on the northern side of the island. These include Boven, Bergje, Venus and
Gilboa Hills as well as Signal Hill. The total surface area is approximately 320 hectares
(790 acres).
The Quill sub sector includes the volcano above 250 metres (820 feet) as well as the
inside walls of the crater and the adjacent south-eastern side of the White
Wall/Sugar Loaf, a very prominent limestone intrusion on the south west of The
Quill. The total surface area is approximately 220 hectares (543 acres).
The Miriam Schmidt Botanical Garden is adjacent to the boundary of the Quill sub
sector of the National Park and extends for 5.3 hectares (13 acres) across the
southern slopes of the Quill. This land was granted as a lease from the Island
Government to STENAPA in 1999 and is subject to regulations controlling
development and access. The Garden is fenced to prevent entry by roaming
livestock.
Value Statement
Twenty-six per cent (540 hectares) of the terrestrial environment of St. Eustatius is
protected, including biologically diverse rainforest, Elfin forest and drought resistant
habitats. The Quill/Boven National Park and Botanical Garden offer some of the best
hiking in the Caribbean with views of neighbouring Saba and St. Kitts through
pristine forest that clings to the slopes of the magnificent Quill volcano. The
Quill/Boven National Park was established in 1997 to protect the islands natural
resources. The Botanical Garden was established in 1998 to preserve flora and serve
as an attraction for the island as well as place for locals and visitors to spend some
leisure time. The National Parks and St. Eustatius are a home, migratory stopover or
breeding site for three IUCN Red List species, one CITES Appendix I species and 42
Appendix II species including the endemic plant Statia Morning Glory (Ipomoea
sphenophylla) and many others plants and animal species with limited distribution.
The island has a rich history, evident as archaeological sites in the National Park
include a fort, 10 slave villages, industrial complexes, plantations and related roads
and walls from the 16th and 17th century. The Quill/Boven National Park and
Botanical Garden attract visitors contributing to income for the 70% of the islands
population employed in restaurants, hotels and other services
Statia National Marine Park
St. Eustatius National Marine Park was established in 1996, predating the land park
by one year. It encompasses the entire coastline of St. Eustatius from the high-water
mark to the 30-metre (98-feet) depth contour, covering an area of 27,500 hectares
(67,953 acres). The distance of the Marine Park boundary from shore varies between
one and 3 kilometres (0.62 and 1.86 miles) depending on the slope of the sea
bottom. Within the Marine Park are two welldefined and actively managed reserves
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
in which no fishing or anchoring are allowed. The reserves were established to
conserve marine biodiversity, restore fish stocks and promote sustainable tourism.
Value statement
The marine environment of St. Eustatius supports 27.5 square kilometres of
biologically diverse coral reef, seagrass, sandy seabed and open ocean communities.
The Marine Park is one of the top five sites in the Caribbean for healthy coral and
fish populations. The St. Eustatius National Marine Park was established in 1996 to
manage these marine resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and
future generations. The two reserves have 43% hard coral cover and the park is a
home, migratory stopover or breeding site for 53 IUCN Red List species, nine CITES
Appendix I species and 230 Appendix II species. St. Eustatius National Marine Park
attracts around 500 yacht visitors and 2500 diving/snorkelling visitors per year
contributing to income for the 70% of the islands population employed in
restaurants, hotels and other services
St Maarten
There are no terrestrial protected areas on St. Maarten at this time.
Three areas have been identified as having special conservation value on St.
Maarten. In 2008, a management planning process was undertaken for the
‘Proposed 2009 St. Maarten Land Parks’. They were given the collective name
of ‘St. Maarten Land Parks’.
The terrestrial environment of St. Maarten that is still intact includes
biologically diverse rainforest, drought resistant habitats and lagoons. From a
tourism perspective, St. Maarten terrestrial parks can offer excellent hiking
with views of the island and neighbouring Saba and St. Eustatius. The
proposed protected areas will help conserve and restore St. Maarten’s
natural, cultural and historical resources for the benefit of current and future
generations. St. Maarten and its habitats are a home, migratory stopover or
breeding site for two IUCN Red List species, one CITES Appendix I species and
34 Appendix II species including the 2 endemic plants, the endemic Anguilla
Bank Bush Anole (Anolis pogus) and many other plants and animal species
with limited distribution. St. Maarten terrestrial parks could attract visitors
and contribute to income for many people on the island employed in
restaurants, hotels and other services
Man of War Shoal Marine Park
The Man of War Shoal Marine Park covers 3,100 hectares (7,600 acres), which
is home and migratory stopover or breeding site for five IUCN Red List
Species, eight CITES Appendix I species and 230 Appendix II species. It is an
area with a relatively healthy population of marine mammals including
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
migratory whales and dolphins, numerous species of shark, sea turtles and
numerous fish species. The Man of War Shoal Marine Park also includes
Proselyte Reef, which was named after the HMS Proselyte, a 32-gun frigate
which struck the "Man of War Shoal" on September 4, 1801. Artefacts such as
large anchors, cannons, barrel hoops, cannon balls, and pottery are still
evident on this popular St. Maarten Dive site. The site is also considered a
marine archaeological treasure. Studies conducted by the St. Maarten Nature
Foundation have shown that biodiversity in the area is high as well as coral
cover. The economic value of the goods and services, which the coral reefs of
St. Maarten provide are estimated to be worth in excess of fifty million dollars
annually. The establishment of the Man of War Shoal Marine Park is also in
accordance with the Specially Protected Areas of Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol and
with the Federal Decree on Maritime Management.
Value Statement
The marine environment of St. Maarten includes more than 15 square
kilometres of habitats including globally threatened coral reef, open water
and algae beds. St. Maarten’s marine environment is a home, migratorystop
over or breeding site for 52 IUCN Red List Species, eight CITES Appendix I
species and 230 Appendix II species. The beaches and waters attract in the
region of 2 million visitors a year, creating employment for 85% of the islands
population. Tourism and the marine industry contribute $500 million and $30
million to the economy respectively and both depend on the well being of St.
Maarten’s marine resources.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
REDUNDANT TEXT ????
BACKGROUND AND A PATH FORWARD
The Dutch Caribbean consists of the ‘Caribbean Netherlands’ islands (Bonaire, St
Eustatius and Saba, also referred to as the “BES islands”), which are ‘special
municipalities’ (openbare lichamen) within the Netherlands, and the independent
islands of Aruba, Curacao and St Maarten. Whilst the islands differ in their
administrative structure and degree of independence from the Netherlands, they all
fall within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Island Governments have primary responsibility for biodiversity conservation on
their island and on each island they have delegated responsibility for biodiversity
conservation to local non governmental organisations.
As a result of the constitutional changes, which came into effect on the 10th of
October 2010, the Netherlands has acquired certain legal obligations regarding
conservation of the rich biodiversity in and around the islands. This is not only as a
result of national obligations but also international commitments resulting from
treaties and conventions to which the Netherlands is or, with the integration of the
BES islands, has now become a signatory. The Netherland’s role in terms of
biodiversity conservation is therefore primarily supervisory but includes some direct
responsibilities, such as with respect to the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which
falls outside of island jurisdiction, and for the BES islands reporting requirements
related to international treaties and conventions.
The Dutch Ministry of Economics, Agriculture and Innovation (formerly the Ministry
of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) has full time staff members within the Rijks
Caribisch Nederland (RCN) headquartered on Bonaire and within the local Island
Governments in the form of the Department of LVV. . They are charged with
addressing matters related to nature conservation, fisheries and agriculture, among
other things, on the BES islands and within the EEZ. They interact with the local
government and conservation bodies and are directed by and report to the Ministry
in The Hague.
Each Dutch Caribbean island has one or more protected areas (nature parks)
managed by local, non-governmental, not-for-profit foundations (stichting). These
park management organisations are responsible for conservation management of
the protected areas on their island. They function autonomously under management
agreements with their island government and are run on a co-management basis
with stakeholders. The park management organisations are well organised and
firmly grounded in the local community. Despite a chronic lack of funding, resources
and personnel, the parks are highly successful and several have been recognised by
UNEP, ICRAN and others as global models for conservation management.
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
In 2005 the park management organisations in the Dutch Caribbean came together
to create a regional network of protected areas, called the Dutch Caribbean Nature
Alliance (DCNA). DCNA’s goal is to safeguard nature and promote the sustainable use
of nature in the Dutch Caribbean by working with and supporting the park
management organisations and other nature conservation organisations. The
primary tasks are fundraising to create a sustainable financial future for the parks,
representation, creating access to information and building capacity for conservation
management.
Research and monitoring is a fundamental (‘core’) component of conservation
management in the Dutch Caribbean. In the past parks have developed their own
research and monitoring plans and have implemented their own management
driven research and monitoring programmes with the goal of guiding and informing
conservation management and decision-making.
The constitutional change has provided an opportunity for the Dutch Caribbean to
develop a more structured and strategic approach to biodiversity monitoring which
will not only meet the needs of the conservation management organisations locally
but will also provide open access to biodiversity conservation information as well as
ensure that the Netherlands can meet national and international reporting
obligations for the BES islands.
This Biodiversity Monitoring Strategy is one component of this new initiative and is a
result of a collaboration between RCN, DCNA and the parks and nature conservation
organisations throughout the Dutch Caribbean.
Local and regional meetings allowed for island consultation of
organizations/institutions involved in local monitoring activities to identify the
monitoring priorities specific to their island. The document also describes how those
monitoring priorities can be implemented, what gaps need to be addressed, the
organization of the monitoring including recommendations for data analysis, quality
control, a communication plan, and linkages to other regional initiatives.
It should be noted that it may not always be possible to implement monitoring
priorities due to various constraints.
Path forward
In order to achieve the challenges outlined above, the following deliverables are
proposed. It is important to note that these deliverables are not static, but may
need to be adapted or supplemented as circumstances evolve and/or as new
information is obtained.
1. Search for, and identify novel biodiversity and increase knowledge of
function, distribution and abundance of biodiversity
2. Develop tools for analyzing and managing data which can handle
considerable amounts of information
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Biodiversity Strategy for the Dutch Caribbean
3. Produce, maintain and analyze long-term data-sets, linking changes in
biodiversity physical, chemical, and biological processes. Utilize models to
enhance understanding of the role of biodiversity in ecosystem services
4. Develop integrated physical and biological models that predict the impacts of
individual and multiple pressures on biodiversity and ecosystems, particularly
within marine, unique, prioritized and sensitive habitats
5. Collate evidence of the impact that biodiversity loss or degradation has on
people’s well-being and health. Develop indicators and indices of trends and
patterns in biodiversity loss. Develop measures for assessing direct and
indirect value of biodiversity to society
6. Identify thresholds beyond which a change in biodiversity will lead to
extinctions and irreversible population and/or ecosystem change
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