KNOW YOUR COUNTRY – UNDERSTAND ITS MARINE RESOURCES

Compiled Jacqueline Armony for the St. Christopher National Trust Product of the Global Environmental Facility Small Grant Programme Reef Monitoring Project January 2011

Conaree beach View of northern coast line of St. Kitts Nevis White House Bay

WHAT IS THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY OUR COUNTY

?

LAND SPACE

– St. Kitts and Nevis is a twin island state with a total landmass of just 104 square miles (270 km 2 ). The island of St. Kitts, the larger of the two, is 68 square miles (180 km 2 ) in size and is located at latitude 17.30 N and longitude 62.80 W. Nevis is 36 square miles (93 km 2 ) and located at latitude 17.10 N, longitude 62.35 W, approximately 3 km south-east of St. Kitts.

St. Kitts and Nevis are washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean lies further east. St. Kitts and Nevis form part of the chain of islands that make up the Eastern Caribbean.



Coastline:

135 km



Maritime claims:

continental shelf:

200 nautical miles (370 km) or to the edge of the continental margin

territorial sea:

12 nautical miles (22 km)

contiguous zone:

24 nautical miles (44 km)

exclusive economic zone:

(370 km) 200 nautical miles http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_Saint_Kitts_and_Nevis

HOW IMPORTANT ARE OUR MARINE RESOURCES TO OUR COUNTRY?

 Our climate is referred to

Tropical Marine

– the sea has a cooling effect on the land and contributes to regulating global temperatures.

 The reefs along the coast protect the land in times of rough seas and hurricanes.

 The sea provides us with food and other useful products that humans use.

  Other forms of employment are also generated by the sea.  The sea provides a major source of recreation.  The beaches and sea are a major tourism attraction that provide jobs and allows the country to generate revenue.

The sea is important to transportation, allowing people and products to travel from country to country.

 The history of the country is intimately connected to the sea.

Trash HOW IS THE HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE SEA THREATENED BY HUMAN ACTIVITIES?

 We cut down trees on the land, exposing the soils which wash into the sea when it rains heavily thereby smothering coral reefs and other plants and animals that live there.

Trees cut down

 The insecticides and pesticides we use run into the sea poisoning marine life.

Bleached coral

 Abandoned fish pots litter the sea floor trapping and killing fish  We do not always dispose of our garbage properly – too much of it ends up in the sea, harming the plants and animals that live there.

 We anchor our boats on or near coral reef causing damage to the reefs.  We cut down the protective vegetation on the beach and build too close to the sea!

 We build sea walls and groins that change the flow of water and sand.

WHAT IS CORAL?

 Coral is made up of the skeletons of many tiny living animals. Their bodies are called polyps and they have a mouth surrounded by tentacles.



Coral polyps

The coral polyp lives in symbiosis with a special type of algae (which use carbon dioxide produced by the polyp) that give the coral a variety of different colours.  The coral animal and its partner, the algae, need warm, clear, salty water and sunlight to live in.

WHAT IS A CORAL REEF?



Stony Corals

Rose Coral  Our coral reefs are made up of many Brain Coral Finger Coral different kinds of corals that sometimes take their names Sea whip Sea fan from their shape. There are Sea feather soft corals and hard or stony corals.

Soft Corals

Most corals grow very slowly; maybe only 1cm per year (less than ½”) Even the fastest ones only grow by 12 –15cm per year.

 The remains of the hard coat of the coral along with the remains of other sea creatures forms the coral reef with the living coral polyps forming only a thin layer on the outside.

 Reefs come in a number of forms –

barrier reefs

,

fringe reefs

and

patch reefs.

 A wide variety of plants and animals depend on the reef for food and shelter including

vertebrates

such as fish,

invertebrates

such as sponges and lobster as well as plants like sea moss.

Four-eyed butterfly fish Barrel Sponge

Coral reefs are found all around the Caribbean including St. Kitts and Nevis

Some major reefs in St. Kitts & Nevis 1. Monkey Shoals 2. Ballast Bay 3.

South Friar’s Bay 4. South Frigate Bay 5. Brimstone Shallows 6. Old Road Reef 7. Sandy Shoals 8. Dieppe Bay 9. Conaree 10. Booby High Shoals 11. The Thermal Vents 12. Coral Gardens

WHY ARE REEFS IMPORTANT ?

 They are the Rain Forests of the Ocean – they nurture a huge diversity and abundance of marine life.

 They protect our coast lines during rough seas and tidal surges.

 They are the source of the white and golden sand that make up our beaches.

 They are important to our food security and to our tourism-based economy.

HOW ARE CORAL REEFS MONITORED?

    SCUBA diving is the primary way of carrying out hands on coral reef monitoring To SCUBA dive one needs to be a certified SCUBA diver Various techniques and methodologies may be adapted to gather data from vulnerable reefs.

SCUBA diving and reef monitoring are both very equipment intensive activities.

SNORKELLING

• Snorkeling is an easy and fun way to gain a first hand feel of the reef. • Many places in St. Kitts are shallow and close to shore making them ideal for snorkeling. E.g. Ballast Bay, Whitehouse Bay and Half Moon Bay

WHAT CAN WE DO TO UNDERSTAND OUR COUNTRY’S MARINE ENVIRNOMENT BETTER?

   Get to understand the sea and the plants and animals that live there.

LEARN TO SWIM! It is a wonderful form of exercise and recreation.

Learn to snorkel and scuba dive – a whole new world awaits you!

 Get involved in activities such as beach clean ups and coral reef monitoring.

  Join groups and organisations that help protect our beaches and seas. Learn the skill of Life Saving – it should be part of your education as an island person.

REMEMBER, OUR COUNTRY INCLUDES THE SEA AROUND US!

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS RESOURCE SO THAT WE CAN ENSURE IT PROTECTION AND PRODUCTIVITY

SOME SEA AND FISHY SAYINGS!

  Smooth seas do not make skilful sailors.

It is too late to learn to swim when the water is up to your lips.

 Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.

 "The freshest fish smell after three days." (i.e. Don't wear out your welcome.)

THE END

The photos in this presentation were taken by Jason Phillip Simon Spooner Jacqueline Armony Kate Orchard