Dominica Coral Reef Report Card
Dominica
Dominica has the largest land area (750 km 2 ) of the 6 ECMMAN countries and 197 km of coast. It is located
midway along the Eastern Caribbean island chain between Guadeloupe to the north and Martinique to the south.
Dominica is a tall mountainous volcanic island covered by tropical rainforests, geothermal hotsprings, waterfalls,
rivers, and sandy beaches. The island has a high biodiversity of flora and fauna with extensive natural forests. The
Morne Trois Pitons National Park was the first UNESCO World Heritage Site designated in the Eastern Caribbean.
Dominica has the smallest shelf area of the 6 countries supporting stretches of seagrass meadows, a variety of
coral reefs and limited wetlands. Nearshore waters have been impacted by chronic disturbances like sediment
(coastal development, agriculture, quarries), pollution (pesticides, untreated sewage, trash) and fishing (traps,
spear, nets) and acute impacts like storms and coral bleaching. Dominica’s economy is dependent on tourism and
agriculture. Local communities have a long cultural heritage linked to their coastal waters.
750 km 2 land
Capucin
2 Marine
Managed
Areas
Calibishie
72,000 people
Wesley
Portsmith
Pointe Ronde
Marigot
Dublanc
Morne Diabiotins
Anse Soldat
0.8 km 2 of
coral reefs
Thibaud
4 species
of sea turtles
Dominica
Grande Savanne
Salisbury
Castle
Bruce
Mero
St. Joseph
188 species
of birds
Rosalie
Mahaut
0.8 km 2 of
mangroves
10 Km of
seagrasses
2
Dominica Timeline
18% GDP
from
tourism
La Plaine
78,277
visitors
in 2013
Roseau
Berekua
Soufriere
25% of forest
protected
Scott’s Head
Protection for reefs (above line) / Key events impacting coral (below)
• Cabrits National Park - 1986
• CARDI established - 1975
• Soufriere Scott’s Head MR - 1986
• Morne Trois Pitons National Park • Golden Environmental Awards -
established - 1975
1998
• Independence - 1978
• Mooring buoys at dive sites
1970 - 1980
• Diadema urchin die-off - 1980s
• Mass coral die-off due to disease
1990
• Hurricane Georges - 1998
• Hurricane Lenny - 1999 (west coast)
• Hurricane Omar - 1998 (Scot’s Head)
• $100 million infrastructure
investment - 2004
2000
• Tropical Storm Jeanne - 2004
• Hurricane Dean - 2007
• Mass coral bleaching - 2005
• GOCD / UNEP Organic Island
established - 2010
• Lionfish control efforts
• ECMMAN -2013
2010
• Tropical Storm Erika - 2015
• Mass coral bleaching - 2010
• Invasive lionfish - 2011
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