Transcript Improved Watershed Management

Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean
Lauretta Burke / Jon Maidens
World Resources Institute
Presentation Overview
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Background on Reefs at (R@R) project series
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Partnership for R@R Caribbean
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Project concept and method
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Key findings of analysis
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Future events and products
The Information Need
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Few Coral Reefs Have Been Monitored
Inadequate Information on Changes in Coral
Reefs
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Much Data Is Unavailable
Integrated Monitoring
Programs Are Needed
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Global Analysis
released in 1998 by
World Resources Institute,
in collaboration with
ICLARM, WCMC and UNEP
The Reefs at Risk Index
Low
Medium
High
Global Reefs at Risk
successful at raising
awareness.
 Relatively coarse-scale
(4km.)

Regional Reefs at Risk series
 Higher resolution analysis –
valuable for management
 More integration and
improvement of data
Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean
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Collaboration of
over twenty
international and
regional partners
Uses Geographical
Information
System (GIS) to
evaluate threat to
coral reefs
Caribbean Project Collaborators
Research Institutions
and Universities
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AGRRA
CARICOMP
Florida International
University
GCFI
NCORE
University of Miami
University of South Florida
University of the West
Indies (UWI)
NGOs
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CCA
CORALINA
Environmental Defense
FoProBiM
IRF
TNC
REEF
Reef Check
WWF
Caribbean Project Collaborators
Government Agencies and
International
Organizations
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GCRMN
ICRAN
UNEP-CEP
UNEP-WCMC
US NASA
US NOAA
World Bank / GEF MBRS
Project
The World Fish Center
Financial Support
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The Munson Foundation
The Henry Foundation
Netherlands Ministry of
Foreign Affairs
Swedish International
Development Cooperation
Agency (SIDA)
United Nations Foundation
UNEP-CEP
USAID
Goals of Reefs at Risk
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Raise awareness about threats to coral reefs
Establish linkages between human activity
and coral condition
Develop a standardized indicator of threat to
coral reefs from human activities
Promote sharing and improvement of
information through data integration and
distribution
Main Components of Reefs at Risk
project:
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Collection and integration of background
data sets on coral reefs and factors
contributing to reef degradation
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Modeling of threats to coral reefs
Evaluate economic losses likely to result
from coral reef degradation
Threats Evaluated in Caribbean:
 Coastal
Development
 Watershed-based
sources of
sediment and pollution
 Marine-based
 Overfishing
threat
Also Examined:
 Coral
Bleaching
 Coral
Disease
Threat: Coastal Development
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Dredging, land
filling and
reclamation
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Mining of sand and
coral
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Runoff from
construction
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Sewage discharge
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Impacts from
tourism
Replace photo
Finding: COASTAL DEVOPMENT
threatens an estimated one-third of
Caribbean coral reefs.
Estimated
threat
Low
Medium
High
Threat: Sediment and Pollution
from Inland Sources
 Land
clearing
 Poor
agricultural
practices
 Fertilizer
and
pesticide runoff
Watersheds are critical units
for analysis and management
Elevation
Puerto Rico
Watersheds are critical units
for analysis and management
Watersheds
& Rivers
Puerto Rico
Watersheds are critical units
for analysis and management
Pour points
Puerto Rico
Watershed-based analysis
Finding: SEDIMENT AND POLLUTION
FROM INLAND SOURCES threaten more
than one-third of Caribbean coral reefs.
Estimated
threat
Low
Medium
High
Threat: Marine-based Pollution and
Damage
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Discharge of
ballast water
Oil spills and leaks
Anchor damage
and groundings
Finding: MARINE-BASED THREATS
to coral reefs are widespread across the
Caribbean.
Estimated
threat
Low
Medium
High
Threat: Overfishing
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Widespread fishing
exceeding
sustainable levels
Alters ecological
balance on coral
reef
Overharvest of
many commercially
valuable species
Finding: OVERFISHING threatens over 60
percent of Caribbean coral reefs.
Estimated
threat
Low
Medium
High
Regional Summary
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Coastal
Sedimentation Marine-based
development
pollution
Low
Medium
Overfishing
High
Integrated
threat
Very High
Finding: INTEGRATED THREAT - nearly
two-thirds of Caribbean coral reefs are
threatened by human activities.
Estimated
threat
Low
Medium
High
Very High
How much reef are we talking
about here?
How much reef are we talking
about here?
Bahamian
Greater Antilles
Eastern Caribbean
Southern Caribbean
Southw estern Caribbean
Western Caribbean
Gulf of Mexico
Florida
Bermuda
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
Reef area (sq km)
8,000
10,000
Finding: Degree of human pressure on
coral reefs varies considerably across
the region.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Bahamian
Low
Greater
Antilles
Eastern
Caribbean
Southern
Caribbean
Medium
Southw estern
Caribbean
Western
Caribbean
High
Gulf of Mexico
Florida
Very High
Sub-Regional Summary –
Continental SW Caribbean
Reefs at Risk in the Continental Southwestern Caribbean
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Coastal
development
Low
Sedimentation Marine-based
pollution
Medium
Overfishing
High
Integrated
threat
Very High
Country Summary –
Puerto Rico
Reefs at Risk in Puerto Rico
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
Coastal
development
Low
Sedimentation
Medium
Marine-based
pollution
Overfishing
High
Integrated
threat
Very High
Finding: Diseases and rising sea
temperatures threaten to damage coral
reefs across the Caribbean region.
Management effectiveness of
285 Caribbean MPAs
With the growth of tourism, fisheries, and other development in
coral reef areas, marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important
tool for safeguarding coral reefs.
6% of MPAs rated as good
13% of MPAs rated as partially
effective
48% of MPAs rated as inadequate
33% of MPAs under an
unknown level of management
Protection of the 26,000 sq km of
coral reefs in the region
Ineffective management of protected areas
further threatens Caribbean coral reefs.
80% of reefs outside of MPAs
1% of reefs in MPAs rated as
good
3% of reefs in MPAs rated as
partially effective
9% of reefs in MPAs rated as
ineffective
7% of reefs in MPAs under an
unknown level of management
Finding: If current trends in coral
reef degradation continue, coastal
communities and national
economies are poised to sustain
substantial economic losses.
Valuation: Coral reef-associated
fisheries
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Net annual revenues of
over $300 million in
2000.
Fisheries could decline
by 30-45% by 2015
Estimated loss of net revenues between
US$95 million to US$140 million per year
by 2015.
Valuation: Dive Tourism
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Net annual revenues of
over $2 billion in 2000.
Coral degradation could
results in a 2-5%
reduction in revenues
by 2015
Estimated loss of net revenues between
US$100 million to US$300 million per year
by 2015.
Valuation: Shoreline Protection
Over 20% of Caribbean
coastline protected by
coral reefs.
 Estimated value of this
service is between $700
million and $2.2 billion.
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Reef degradation could result in losses
estimated between US$140 million to
US$420 million per year by 2050.
Policy Recommendations
 Create
 Build
the Will for Change
Capacity for Change
 Improve
Management
 International
Action
Create the Will for Change
 Raise
awareness
 Consider
long-term economic
value in decision-making
Build Capacity for Change
 Training
 Exchange
 Facilitate
Experience
Participation in Decision-
making
 Integrate
Socioeconomic and
Environmental Monitoring
Improve Management
 Sustainable
 Holistic
Fisheries
\ Integrated Management
 Improve
MPA management
 Develop
Tourism Sustainably
 Manage
Wastes
International Action
 International
Agreements
 International
cooperation and
exchange
Products / Information
Integrated Data Sets for Region on CD
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Coral reef maps
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Coral reef status parameters
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Physical landscape data
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Infrastructure
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Socioeconomic variables
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Estimated threat to coral reefs
Products
English and Spanish reports
 Data CD
 Web Site
 Interactive online GIS
 Country Profiles on the Web
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Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean
Thank you!
http://reefsatrisk.wri.org
World Resources Institute