CBC Bahamas Research

BAHAMAS – Supporting the Design and Implementation of Marine Protected Areas

In 2000, building on its pioneering efforts in establishing Land and Sea Parks, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas initiated one of the world's first networks of marine reserves (“no-take” marine protected areas or MPAs). This designation provided Center for Biodiversity and Conservation (CBC) researchers and collaborators with an unprecedented opportunity to analyze the physical, biological, economic, and cultural processes affecting reef ecosystems across seascapes, and to integrate all of these aspects into recommendations for conservation strategies. The CBC is supporting Bahamian marine conservation through an innovative “Biocomplexity” research initiative and associated education and outreach efforts.

Program Highlights
The Bahamas Biocomplexity Project (BBP), led by CBC Marine Program Manager Dan Brumbaugh, with collaborators from nine different institutions, began with a series of workshops in 2000-2001 funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Held in 2000 and 2001. These workshops, involving scientists and representatives from Bahamian governmental and conservation organizations, identified areas of research for developing an integrated study of the design, implementation, and management of an MPA network and led to the formation of an interdisciplinary team to carry out an innovative research program, also funded primarily by the NSF.

Since spring 2002, BBP working groups have been synthesizing existing data and developing new layers of information to integrate within the project. The “Habitat Working Group,” after conducting field surveys and remote sensing studies at various focal sites, is working to understand spatial variation in the relationship between habitat types and species assemblages across the Bahamian archipelago. In April 2005 this group also tested new field methodologies for surveying shallow, nearshore habitats in order to develop predictive models for the nursery habitats of economically important species such as Nassau grouper and spiny lobster. The “Connectivity Working Group” is charged with understanding the levels of populational connectivity between The Bahamas and surrounding parts of the greater Caribbean, as well as within the Bahamian archipelago. Their studies of oceanographic circulation and genetic population structure will help indicate how marine populations across the archipelago may be supported and connected by various potential network configurations. The “Social Working Group” is assessing patterns of resource use and attitudes about resource conservation among stakeholders, and in the summer of 2005 returned to Eleuthera to complete surveys and continue adding to their growing dataset covering several areas of the archipelago. Two other working groups, “Modeling” and “Geographical Information System (GIS),” are addressing the spatial integration of these human dimensions with the biophysical patterns and processes being studied by the Habitat and Connectivity groups. The BBP GIS and associated simulation models will be made available online to assist with conservation planning and environmental education.

In addition, CBC Outreach Program Manager Meg Domroese and CBC Outreach/ Evaluation Specialist Christine Engels are working with the Bahamas National Trust and the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation (BREEF) and the Bahamas Ministry of Education to build the capacity of educators to teach about marine conservation, with an emphasis on methods that actively engage students in learning about and addressing issues in their local environment. A teacher’s resource book will support the curriculum, particularly with Bahamas-specific information and guidelines for student activities and projects to extend learning beyond the classroom to the community. BBP research will provide the context for these educational materials and BBP researchers will advise on the accuracy of the scientific content.

The CBC also worked with partners to produce a companion guide to a marine reserves exhibition (developed by BREEF, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bahamas Department of Fisheries) as it travels around The Bahamas’ Family Islands.

Next Steps

The BBP research team will continue to develop the necessary integrations for analyses of the diverse biodiversity, fisheries, and other socioeconomic functions of MPA networks. The results of ongoing oceanographic, biological, and socioeconomic studies will be synthesized using various computer models to explore MPA design and adaptive management options in The Bahamas. In addition to providing critical information for educators, resource planners, managers, and stakeholders working in The Bahamas, this modeling effort will have relevance for the design of MPA systems throughout the Caribbean and worldwide.

The Habitat Working Group is producing a suite of large posters depicting satellite imagery and habitat maps of its focal study areas. These posters will be made available to Bahamian conservation organizations, schools, and other interested groups.

The Habitat Working Group will continue its studies aimed at predicting areas of potential nursery habitat for the economically important spiny lobster and Nassau grouper.

The Connectivity Working Group will finish collecting samples in different regions of the Bahamian archipelago, and based on analyses of the data thus far, are now planning to collect samples in surrounding parts of the Caribbean to create a complete picture of genetic population structures. Samples are being analyzed in the Museum’s Molecular Systematics Laboratory and at Stanford University’s Hopkins Marine Station.

CBC personnel will continue to work with BBP partners and collaborators on education and communication initiatives. The CBC and partners are planning review sessions, pilot testing, and teacher training, to ensure that teaching resources are appropriate and that methods will be put into practice to raise awareness and increase participation in marine conservation. In addition, the CBC and its partners are beginning to develop a multimedia outreach strategy to target Bahamian decision makers, resource managers, and stakeholders regarding the major results and implications of BBP research on MPA networks. The CBC will continue to produce a newsletter, “BBP in Brief,” and is developing a BBP website to keep researchers, educators, and institutional partners up-to-date on project and related activities.