#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Status of Coral Reefs in the Eastern Caribbean
Barbados
The west coast fringing reefs continue to be in poor condition, although some early signs
of recovery are evident. The patch reefs to the southwest have also deteriorated
significantly over the last 20 years. Reefs on the Atlantic coast are in better condition with
high diversity but low coral cover, due to exposure to oceanic waves. Anthropogenic
impacts on this coast are slowly increasing, but the implementation of an integrated
management plan is starting to have a positive effect with most stakeholders cooperating.
The last extensive surveys were in 1997/8 on the east, southeast and north coasts and the
results indicated 10 distinct habitat types down to the 5m depth contour.
There has been no specific bleaching monitoring, but there was 65–90% bleaching in
1998 around the island with Diploria sp and Siderastera siderea the most affected. At one
site, monitoring showed that approximately 20% of bleached corals did not survive, but
this site was also impacted by effluent from the rum refinery. Reef Check surveys in April
2001 showed 10-42.5% (mean 28%) hard coral cover, and fleshy algal cover of 0-20%
(mean 6.3%) along the west and southwest coast.
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