Fourth National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity: ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA March 2010 Prepared by: Dr. Janil Gore Francis ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA – FOURTH NATIONAL REPORT TO THE CBD, 2009 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................12 BACKGROUND - FAUNA AND FLORA ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................13 AGRICULTURAL BIODIVERSITY ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................14 ECOSYSTEMS ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................17 COASTAL AND MARINE BIODIVERSITY - CRITICAL HABITATS ........................................................................................................................................................17 Coral Reefs ..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Wetlands......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................21 Seagrass Beds ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................23 Beaches.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................25 WATERSHEDS .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................27 THREATS, ROOT CAUSES AND BARRIERS ANALYSIS............................................................................................................................................................................28 Natural Threats ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Drought ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................30 Hurricanes ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Invasive Species ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31 ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................32 Unplanned Housing, Hotel and Industrial Development .......................................................................................................................................................................................33 Over Grazing of Livestock..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Fires..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................33 Pollution.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................34 Dredging.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Sewage Disposal..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................35 Sand Mining ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................36 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF BIODIVERSITY ......................................................................................................................36 CONCLUSIONS: ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................37 BACKGROUND......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................39 KEY ASPECTS OF NBSAP AND STATUS OF IMPLEMENTATION .........................................................................................................................................................41 Summary of Implementation Status ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................................63 AN OVERVIEW OF STRATEGY FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF NBSAP ..................................................................................................................................................64 ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA – FOURTH NATIONAL REPORT TO THE CBD, 2009 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT STRATEGY (NEMS) ................................................................................................................................................64 LEGISLATIVE REVIEW AND ACTION;............................................................................................................................................................................................................66 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS ................................................................................................................................................................................................................66 IMPLEMENTATION OF BIOSAFETY NATIONAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................................................66 CONCLUSIONS .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................67 SECTORAL INTEGRATION OF BIODIVERSITY – POLICY.......................................................................................................................................................................70 PHYSICAL PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT.............................................................................................................................................72 PUBLIC SECTOR BUDGETARY PROCESS:...................................................................................................................................................................................................73