Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories - WIDECAST

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120 17: Turks and Caicos Cuba Jamaica Haiti TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS Dominican Republic Puerto Rico Montserrat North Atlantic Ocean Anguilla Caribbean Sea Barbados Green turtle Chelonia mydas Introduction The Turks and Caicos are a group of islands lying at the south-eastern extremity of the Bahamas Archipelago. The islands are limestone with outlying coral reefs and with cliffs present on some windward coasts. The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are low lying with no land over 75 m and over half the land area consists of wetlands. There are over 40 islands in the group of which only six main islands and two small ones are inhabited. The total land area of the Turks and Caicos Islands is 500 km 2 . The population of the islands is estimated at around 12,000 (1990 estimate) There has been a large influx of Haitian immigrants since 1990. Tourism is the main economic activity in the Turks and Caicos, and the off-shore finance industry is also important. Fishing is the third most economically important industry, but in socioeconomic terms it is far more important than offshore finance, being the major employment sector on South Caicos. The two main species supporting the fishery industry are the spiny lobster Panularis argus, and the queen conch Strombus gigas. Most is exported to the USA; for example each year an average of 185,000 kg of conch meat was exported between 1989–1994, representing 20–35% of US total conch imports, more than any other Caribbean nation except Jamaica. International obligations relevant to nature conservation •The Turks and Caicos is included in the UK's ratification of the following international agreements: • Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (World Heritage Convention) • Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat (Ramsar Convention) • Convention for the Protection and Development
TURKS AND CAICOS 121 of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention) Protocol on Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife. • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) • Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention) • International Convention on the Regulation of Whaling Implementation Ramsar: preliminary identification of sites for Ramsar designation took place in 1986 and was followed by detailed survey in 1987 (Clark & Norton 1987). The report of this survey describes the different types of wetlands found in the Turks and Caicos and provides site descriptions. One Ramsar site is identified, comprising representative areas of different wetland types, and recommendations are given for the conservation of other wetlands on the islands. On the basis of the survey report, the designation of a Ramsar site encompassing parts of North, Middle and East Caicos, was announced in June 1990. Vine Point and Ocean Hole Nature Reserves lie within the Ramsar site. The entire Ramsar site is protected as a nature reserve under the 1992 legislation. Most of the extensive Ramsar site has been considered to be inaccessible and, until recently, development pressures seemed unlikely. However, a major development is proposed nearby for East Caicos Port, with a cruise ship terminal and resorts. An environmental appraisal of a proposed aragonite mining operation on West Caicos was carried out in 1985 (Mitchell et al. 1985). This pointed out that such an operation would lead to direct destruction of coral reefs, and indirect effects of turbid water and sedimentation. The UK Dependent Territories Ramsar Study carried out in 1992, listed 29 wetland sites where further research is needed to assess their conservation importance (Hepburn et al. 1992). Development is proceeding apace in the TCI despite national laws and international conventions. Perhaps most worryingly a massive condominium development is planned on East Caicos, immediately adjacent to the Ramsar site. East Caicos is also to be linked to South Caicos (the nearest airport) by a causeway, but impact on the endemic iguana is considered to be minimal. CITES: the export of queen conch (live, shells or meat), whether wild-taken or ranched, is limited by quotas notified to the CITES secretariat and other CITES Parties. Protected areas • The National Parks Ordinance 1992: provides the legal framework for protected areas in the Turks and Caicos. Four categories are specified: National Park: activities permitted within protected areas are governed by the Ordinance. An area designated as a national park shall be open to members of the public for recreational use such as camping, fishing and sailing. Developments, such as the erection of buildings, construction of roads and marinas, must be licensed by the Governor. The criteria which the Ordinance sets down for an acceptable development include the requirement that the proposal will "facilitate the enjoyment by the public of the natural setting of the area". Nature Reserve: certain activities are also allowed within nature reserves. The need to sustain a "proper balance in the natural ecology of the area determines permissible activities in a nature reserve". The Ordinance lists agriculture, arboriculture, pisciculture, sport and recreation as permissible activities. The only buildings and developments permitted are those required for one of the permitted uses and, before a development can be undertaken, a licence has to be granted by the Governor.
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Contents Acknowledgements Chapter 1
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BIODIVERSITY: THE UK OVERSEAS TERRI
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11 2: Anguilla Cuba Turks & Caicos
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ANGUILLA 13 extremely complex lando
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ANGUILLA 15 little information abou
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ANGUILLA 17 Howard, R.A., & Kellogg
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ASCENSION 19 Boatswainbird Island w
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ASCENSION 21 Table 3.2 Some endemic
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23 4: Bermuda United States of Amer
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BERMUDA 25 • Fisheries Act 1972.
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BERMUDA 27 and conservationists to
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BERMUDA 29 Bermuda. Despite repeate
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BERMUDA 31 • Protected Species Or
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BERMUDA 33 475: 1-88. Lever, C. 198
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BRITISH ANTARCTIC TERRITORY 35 Anta
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37 6: British Indian Ocean Territor
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BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 39 e
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BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 41 c
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BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY 43 I
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45 7: British Virgin Islands Cuba T
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 47 marine pa
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 49 dunes, ma
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 51 (British)
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BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS 53 Bibliogra
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55 8: The Cayman Islands Cuba Turks
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 57 status of two
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 59 are included
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 61 endemic to Gr
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 63 Mammals The b
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THE CAYMAN ISLANDS 65 Islands natur
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THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 67 Internation
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Page 73 and 74: THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 73 Unpublished
Page 75 and 76: 75 10: Gibraltar Portugal Spain Gib
Page 77 and 78: GIBRALTAR 77 unique characteristics
Page 79 and 80: GIBRALTAR 79 species may pass over
Page 81 and 82: GIBRALTAR 81 conservation in Gibral
Page 83 and 84: MONTSERRAT 83 Implementation Ramsar
Page 85 and 86: MONTSERRAT 85 The slippery back ski
Page 87 and 88: MONTSERRAT 87 Survey of conservatio
Page 89 and 90: THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 89 • Interna
Page 91 and 92: THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 91 tree or shr
Page 93 and 94: THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 93 The land sn
Page 95 and 96: THE PITCAIRN ISLANDS 95 Collar, N.J
Page 97 and 98: SOUTH GEORGIA 97 International obli
Page 99 and 100: 99 14: South Sandwich Islands Argen
Page 101 and 102: 101 15: St Helena Atlantic Ocean AS
Page 103 and 104: ST HELENA 103 Peak Forest Reserve (
Page 105 and 106: ST HELENA 105 St Helena gumwood Com
Page 107 and 108: ST HELENA 107 species. The recorded
Page 109 and 110: ST HELENA 109 • The Endangered En
Page 111 and 112: ST HELENA 111 Oldfield, S., Lusty,
Page 113 and 114: THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 113 Im
Page 115 and 116: THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 115 su
Page 117 and 118: THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 117 co
Page 119: THE TRISTAN DA CUNHA ISLANDS 119 Fr
Page 123 and 124: TURKS AND CAICOS 123 by Mumby et al
Page 125 and 126: TURKS AND CAICOS 125 Argythamnia ar
Page 127 and 128: TURKS AND CAICOS 127 Acknowledgemen
Page 129 and 130: TURKS AND CAICOS 129 Sanderson, J.
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Biodiversity: the UK Overseas Territories - WIDECAST

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