Eastern Caribbean Coral Reef Report Cards
6 PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
224,813 SQUARE KM OF OCEAN
44 AREAS DESIGNATED SINCE 1973
526 SQUARE KM OF OCEAN
50 AREAS PROPOSED
990 SQUARE KM OF OCEAN
Barbuda
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22
St. Kitts
Nevis
Antigua
# of Marine
Managed Areas
# of MMAs
proposed
The 2016 Coral Reef Report Cards
The Eastern Caribbean Seascape is an arc of islands linked through diverse coral reef
ecosystems, oceanic currents, migratory pathways and a rich cultural heritage. The
Eastern Caribbean Coral Reef Report Cards are a series of individual reports for the
6 participating countries and provide an easy-to-understand summary of the state of
the region’s marine resources. The Report Cards collate data from 277 comparable coral
reef surveys and map in detail 383 km 2 of coral reefs, 19 km 2 of mangrove, 286 km 2 of
seagrass, 44 designated and 50 proposed Marine Managed Areas (MMA).
2
Dominica
The Report Cards provide an initial baseline on the current state of the reef and identify
gaps. Reporting this type of information will help track progress in protecting reefs and
inform future monitoring and management. The vision is to produce report cards every
2 years and share data through the CaribNode regional spatial data platform. Future
report cards will include key socioeconomic and management effectiveness information.
Each Report Card includes information on:
• Key Habitats (location and extent of coral, mangrove, seagrass)
• Reef Health Index (a measure of the health of four key coral reef indicators)
• Marine Managed Areas (size and location of designated and proposed areas)
9
Saint
Lucia
The Framework
St. Vincent
To protect the region’s marine biodiversity, it is essential to
understand key issues and share critical data. The Climate-
Resilient Eastern Caribbean Marine Managed Areas Network
(ECMMAN) project developed the following framework to
advance national and regional data collection and strengthen
marine managed areas in the region.
1) ECMMAN Monitoring Network: The Network collects,
analyzes and shares data through standardized methods.
Three main themes include ecological, socio-economic, and
marine management effectiveness. Indicator data (diagram
right) are shared through the CaribNode.
2) CaribNode: This online information
system combines regional and national
data to create resource management tools.
The Coral Reef Assessment Tool provides
standardized indicators to monitor the marine
environment, evaluate management, and
track the wellbeing of coastal communities
(www.caribnode.org).
8
Grenadines
3
Grenada
ECMMAN countries and number of MMAs with designated borders
3) Coral Reef Report Cards: Includes the Reef
Health Index, an assessment tool to measure
coral reef health. The Report Card integrates
monitoring data and engages stakeholders to
help protect marine ecosystems.
Kramer PR, Roth LM, Constantine S, Knowles J, Cross L, Steiner S. 2016. Dominica’s Coral Reef Report Card 2016. The Nature Conservancy.
(www.CaribNode.org).
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