Project

Koraalriffen incl. koraalherstel

Coral reefs of the Caribbean Netherlands are an important economic resource for the three islands that are heavily dependent on tourism. The reefs are also important for biodiversity, recreation, fishing and coastal protection. For a sustainable economic development of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, it is important to have extensive and up-to-date spatial data on the status of the coral reef environment. Since all three islands are relatively small, any spatial development quickly has an impact on nature quality in the coastal zone. The consequences of climate change will also have an impact on the coral reef. The current project will run for 4 years and will establish a more detailed spatial knowledge base on coral reef health as well as its relationship to human stressors. This keeps a finger on the pulse and allows further economic development to be shaped in a more sustainable way.

In 2022, extensive reporting will be done on the status of Bonaire's coral reef based on new data collected at the end of 2020. The data will be evaluated together with LNV, STINAPA and the local government and compared with the plans in the implementation agenda. For Saba and St. Eustatius, it will also be investigated to what extent current data need to be updated. The collected data and conclusions will be used to shape the research in the next 3 years so that, among other things, extensive reporting can be provided on the conservation status of the coral reefs of the Caribbean Netherlands in 2024.

Publications