NEVIS REEFFIX PROJECT REEFFIX AN INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (ICZM) ECOSYSTEM SERVICES VALUATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT FOR THE CARIBBEAN SEPTEMBER, 2013 1 NEVIS REEFFIX PROJECT REEFFIX AN INTEGRATED COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT (ICZM) ECOSYSTEM SERVICES VALUATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT FOR THE CARIBBEAN PREPARED BY JANICE D. HODGE, CONSULTANT WITH WRITTEN CONTRIBUTIONS BY A. KARIM AHMED SEPTEMBER, 2013 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. Table of Contents .......................................................................................... 2 List of Acronyms List of Tables .......................................................................................... 5 5 List of Figures .......................................................................................... 6 Acronyms 10 12 Part 1: Situational analysis .......................................................................................... 8 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................... 8 1.2 Physical attributes .......................................................................................... 8 1.2.1 Location .......................................................................................... 8 1.2.2 Area ........................................................................................ 10 1.2.3 Physical landscape ................................................................................. 11 1.2.4 Coastal zone management ...................................................................... 11 1.3 Socio-economic context ..................................................................................... 12 1.3.1 Population ........................................................................................ 13 1.3.2 General economy ................................................................................... 13 1.3.3 Poverty ........................................................................................ 14 1.4 Policy frameworks of relevance to marine resource protection and management in St. Kitts and Nevis (Included in St. Kitts Report) 1.4.1 National Environmental Action Plan (NEAP) 1.4.2 National Physical Development Plan (2006) 1.4.3 National Environmental Management Strategy (NEMS) 1.4.4 National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NABSAP) 1.4.5 Medium Term Economic Strategy Paper (MTESP) 1.5 Legislative instruments of relevance to marine protection and management in St. Kitts and Nevis 1.5.1 Nevis Physical Planning and Land Development Ordinance ................... 14 1.5.2 Fisheries Act (1984) ............................................................................... 14 1.5.3 Nevis Air and Seaports Authority Act (1995) ......................................... 15 1.5.4 Nevis Zoning Ordinance (1991) ............................................................. 15 1.5.5 Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority ............................................. 15 1.5.6 Nevis Development Plan (Draft)............................................................. 15 1.5.7 Nevis Historical and Conservation Society ............................................. 15 1.6 Institutional arrangements for marine resource protection and management ....... 16 1.6.1 Department of Physical Planning, Natural Resources and Environment .. 16 1.6.2 Department of Fisheries ......................................................................... 17 1.6.3 Nevis Turtle Group ................................................................................ 17 1.6.4 Nevis Air and Seaports Authority ........................................................... 18 3 1.7 Regional and international obligations (Included in St. Kitts Report) 1.7.1 CARICOM 1.7.2 OECS 1.7.3 United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1.7.4 Convention for the protection and development of the marine environment of the wider Caribbean region (Cartagena Convention, 1973) 1.7.5 Jakarta Mandate on marine and coastal biological diversity under the Convention on Biological Diversity 1.8 Relevant regional project initiatives ................................................................... 18 1.8.1 OECS Protected Area and Associated Livelihoods (OPAAL – St. Kitts) 18 1.8.2 Caribbean Regional and Environmental Project (CREP) ......................... 19 1.8.3 Caribbean Challenge Initiative ............................................................... 21 1.8.6 (Sustainable finance of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystems Project) 1.8.4 SocMon ........................................................................................ 23 1.8.5 Ecosystems Approcah to Fisheries (EAF) ............................................... 24 1.8.6 Caribbean Conservation Association ...................................................... 24 1.8.7 OECS PERB ........................................................................................ 24 1.8.8 RAPAMM ........................................................................................ 25 1.8.9 CRFM ........................................................................................ 25 1.9 Data collection and analysis ............................................................................... 25 Part 2: Identification of critical marine habitats ....................................................... 27 2.1 Valuable marine ecosystems within the EEZ ...................................................... 27 2.2 Coastal resources of Nevis ................................................................................. 28 2.2.1 Coral reefs and seagrass beds ................................................................. 28 2.2.2 Mangroves ........................................................................................ 31 2.2.3 Salt water ponds and freshwater lagoons ................................................ 33 2.2.4 Marine fishes ........................................................................................ 35 2.2.5 Marine turtles ........................................................................................ 36 2.2.6 Seabirds and shorebirds .......................................................................... 36 2.2.7 Beaches ........................................................................................ 36 2.2.8 Migrant mammals .................................................................................. 39 2.2.9 Invasive species...................................................................................... 39 2.2.10 Thermal Vents ........................................................................................ 40 2.3 Users of marine resources .................................................................................. 41 2.4 Causes of marine resource depletion .................................................................. 47 2.4.1 Natural stresses on coastal resources ...................................................... 47 2.4.2 Human impacts ...................................................................................... 50 2.4.3 Stress related signs ................................................................................. 52 4 2.5 Marine Management Areas proposed for Nevis .................................................. 53 2.5.1 The Narrows Marine Protected Area ...................................................... 53 2.5.2 i. Camps River Wetland Protected Area ............................................... 55 ii. Pinneys Beach Coastal Conservation Area iii. Sea Haven Beach Coastal Conservation Area iv. Bath Bogs / Wetland Protected Area Part 3: Valuation of marine ecosystems .................................................................... 57 3.1 Economic and environmental services of marine ecosystems ............................. 57 3.2 Methodology to determine economic valuation of goods and services derived from marine ecosystems in St. Kitts and Nevis ................................................... 59 3.3 Economic valuation results ................................................................................ 61 3.4 Conclusion ........................................................................................ 62 Bibliography 63 Annexes (Included with St. Kitts Report) Annex 1: Common fish species found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 2: Species of algae found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 3: Species found in Cnidaria (excluding corals) found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 4: Species of corals found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 5: Species of mollusks found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 6: Species of porifera found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 7: Species of echinoderms found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 8: Species of annelids found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 9: Species of sea turtles found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 10: Species of sharks found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 11: Species of rays found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 12: Species of marine mammals found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 13: Species of lobsters found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 14: Species of shrimps found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 15: Species of crabs found in coastal waters of St. Kitts and Nevis Annex 16: Benefits transfer matrix – ecosystem services values by cover type for marine parks