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

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
St. Maarten is the Netherlands part at the southern end of the island of St. Martin with the
remainder being under French administration. This island is on the shallow submarine
Anguilla Bank, together with Anguilla and St. Barth. Patch reefs with spur and groove
structures are concentrated at the east and south-eastern part of the island from 8-18m
depth. In 1999, average hard coral cover was about 30% with bleaching and some diseased
corals evident.
Trinidad and Tobago
CARICOMP data for Eastern Reef, Tobago shows virtually unchanged cover of hard and
soft corals, or algae over 5 years. There are occasional elevated values of ammonia,
nitrates and petroleum hydrocarbons on some of the reefs with discharges from land
being the likely cause. The most common problems are coral bleaching and diseases, but
these have been much less than elsewhere in the Caribbean. There was a major fish kill
around on Trinidad and Tobago reefs in 1999 that correlated with flooding of the major
South American rivers.
Live coral cover for Eastern Reef, Tobago has changed little between 1996 and 2000.
Reef Component
Total Percent Cover
1996 1997 1998 2000
Algae (fleshy & turf) 44.9 37.3 32.9 42.8
Hard Coral 29.4 29.9 33.6 30.6
Soft Coral 3.1 4.7 5.0 4.8
STATUS OF CORAL REEF FISHES
Most reef fisheries are artisanal in most of the English-speaking islands, but few data are
available. The pelagic fishery includes 40-55 species, most of which appear to be overfished.
Barbados
Fisheries are an important tradition in Barbados contributing 1% of GDP in 1995 and
employing 2,000 people. The objective of the Fisheries Management Plan of 1997 was to
ensure the optimum utilisation of the fisheries resources in waters of Barbados. The
principal fisheries in the plan are: shallow reef fishes; deep reef slope fishes; coastal
pelagics; large pelagics; flying fish; lobsters; and sea urchins (Tripneustes ventricosus).
However, all targeted reef fish species have been over-fished, particularly the parrotfishes
(algal grazers), which are caught on lines, in traps and are speared by divers.
The Netherlands Antilles
There are hundreds of artisanal fishermen in the coastal areas of Curaçao, and the major
target fishes are pelagic species. Fish traps and gill nets are used and spear-fishing is
illegal, but still practiced. Fish populations have been severely reduced and few large
fishes, lobsters or conchs are seen on the reefs due to heavy fishing pressures. Large
groupers and full-size parrotfish are very rare, however, snappers and small parrotfish are
still fairly frequent. Turtles are protected, but are occasionally caught as by-catch and
sometimes slaughtered. Similarly on Bonaire there are hundreds of fishermen who fish
for recreation, as well as 20-30 commercial fishermen who fish exclusively for pelagic
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