The Bahamas National Trust Co-hosts Caribbean Shark Conservation Symposium

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1 Volume 10 Issue 21 July 2016 The Newsletter of the Bahamas National Trust IN THIS ISSUE The Bahamas National Trust Co-hosts Caribbean Shark Conservation Symposium Expanded regional shark protections discussed during meeting On the Hunt for Endangered Species Conservationists Work on buoys to Demarcate Marine Reserves New Research on the Rarest Bird in The Bahamas San Salvador National Parks plan for the future College students complete summer internship at the Levy Preserve P.O. Box N-4105 Nassau, Bahamas Tel: BNT Executive Director Eric Carey, and Dr. Edward Brooks at the Shark Symposium. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) joined the Government of St. Maarten, St. Maarten Nature Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts as hosts of the Caribbean Shark Conservation Symposium, which took place from Tuesday, June 13 through Thursday, June 16. The gathering of Caribbean island government officials, environmental NGOs, and global shark conservation experts was coordinated to discuss the future of shark conservation in the region. As the first Caribbean country to establish a shark sanctuary and a leader in the region, the voice of the The Bahamas was represented at the meeting by Eric Carey, Executive Director of the BNT. The Bahamas National Trust has been promoting shark conservation for many years. Our efforts to secure the longline ban nearly 30 years ago, presented an incredible opportunity to protect intact shark populations. Our being asked to cohost this meeting is a clear indication that the actions taken by The Bahamas to protect our sharks, has distinguished us as a leader in ocean conservation in the Caribbean. BNT is proud to have played a part in this, said Mr. Carey. Also in attendance was Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, who has been supportive of establishing regional shark protections throughout the Caribbean, and cohosted a similar meeting in Bimini, The Bahamas in During the meeting, four Caribbean governments committed to fully protecting sharks in their waters. St. Maarten and the Cayman Islands announced that their economic zones (EEZs) are completely closed to commercial shark fishing. Additionally, Curacao announced that they will establish legislation this year that will protect sharks in their waters, and Grenada is considering measures that will safeguard sharks within the country s EEZ. Together, the two new sanctuaries continued on page 2 Follow Us on these Social Media Sites

2 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 21 - July Lead Story continued from page 1 cover a total of 119,631 square kilometers and raise the total number of Caribbean sanctuaries to seven. The findings of a study of the economic impact of sharks on The Bahamas tourism industry were also released at the meeting. Lead investigator, Dr. Edward Brooks from the Cape Eleuthera Institute, was in attendance to discuss the study, which found that sharks generate US$113 million annually in direct expenditure and value added, through tourism, to the Bahamian economy. The results of our study illustrate the importance of the ongoing stewardship of sharks and rays demonstrated by The Bahamian Government over the last 25 years, for which they are now reaping the economic rewards. However, despite the actions of The Bahamas and the other Caribbean nations who protect sharks within their waters, more work is needed on a regional basis in order to effectively manage many of these economically important species which call the entire North West Atlantic and Caribbean home, said Dr. Brooks. Sharks play a vital role in the Caribbean, both to the health of the ocean and to a countless number of people whose livelihoods are directly connected to these animals. With at least 100 million sharks killed each year, establishing additional meaningful and lasting protections in the Caribbean will ensure a healthy shark population for future generations. Education On the Hunt for Endangered Species Abaco Summer Safari campers visited the Abaco National Park, home of the Bahama Parrot. Summer Safari participants on New Providence and Abaco spent the last week of June learning about endangered species and visiting ecosystems and facilities. This provided an opportunity for them to meet endangered iguanas, parrots, Bahamian boas, sea turtles and groupers. The 38 Nassau campers visited Ardastra Gardens where they met the Bahama Parrot; the Adventure Learning Centre where they learned about iguanas; and the Atlantis Water Features Department where they were given a special tour and met the Nassau Grouper, Spiny Lobster and sea turtles that live in the Atlantis aquariums. A behind-thescenes tour provided insight on what was need to care for the animals on a daily basis. Alexiou Brown, Camp Safari Leader created cartoons for each endangered species and the campers all made special crafts featuring the species studied. Campers on Abaco visited the Abaco National Parks and met each park s featured species. Twenty-one participants from Fox Town Primary were able to see Bahama Parrots in their natural habitat and snorkel and swim with sea turtles continued on page 3

3 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 21 - July Education continued from page 2 and groupers in the Pelican Cays Land and Sea Park. The Bahamas National Trust was excited to bring the Summer Safari Camp to Abaco to help campers discover the beauty, uniqueness and fragile nature of Abaco s natural environment. The camp was supported by Elizabeth Whitman, PhD Candidate at Florida International University, and Maya Wilson, PhD candidate at Virginia Tech. Both are residing in Abaco and are in their third year of field research on sea turtles and Bahama swallows respectively. The BNT is thankful to a number of individuals from the communities of Little Abaco who contributed to the success of the camp through in-kind or financial donations. Nassau Summer Safari campers pose like flamingos at Ardastra Gardens. Abaco camper shows off her Bahama Parrot craft. Nassau camper makes friends with a Bahamian boa.

4 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 21- July Parks Conservationists work on buoys to demarcate Marine Reserves Representatives from the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the Bahamas Reef Environmental Education Foundation (BREEF) and the St. Lucia National Trust, recently completed a week-long workshop on marine protected areas. The workshop was hosted by the BNT at the Retreat on Village Road, and funded by the Washington DC-based National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. The lead facilitator was Jamaican marine biologist Llewelyn Meggs, who coordinates the Pedro Bank Management Programme, the country s first offshore marine managed area. The workshop focused on the construction, signage and maintenance of marine reserve demarcation buoys for better enforcement. This included handson training in making and installing the buoys to demarcate marine protected areas. Participants produced some 30 clearly labeled buoys for deployment in marine protected areas of The Bahamas, as well as a manual of procedures and maintenance and guidance on public communications. The training addressed practical Buoy building demonstration. skills to help national park wardens and related personnel to deploy buoys to properly identify the boundaries of marine protected areas, Meggs said. We have been building these types of buoys in Jamaica since 2012 for similar applications and are glad to be able to share what we have learned. We had a very enjoyable and successful workshop and want to thank the BNT for organising this opportunity. Stuart Cove s Dive Bahamas helped the BNT with the testing and deployment training for the buoys. Representatives from the BNT, BREEF and the St Lucia National Trust are pictured holding their certificates after completing the buoy demarcation workshop.

5 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 20 - July, Parks San Salvador National Parks plan for the future Pictured from left to right: Eric Carey (BNT Executive Director), Garnell Williams (SSLJ), Lakeshia Anderson (BNT Director of Parks), Shelley Cant- Woodside (BNT Director of Science and Policy), Lynn Gape (BNT Deputy Executive Director), Andrea D Arceuil (BNT Conservation Planner), Michael Goffe (SSLJ). Not pictured: Sandy Voegli. The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) and San Salvador Living Jewels (SSLJ) met in June to discuss finalization of a Management Plan for the five new national parks that were established on San Salvador in April The parks have substantial marine components, and are part of the recently announced 10% protection of The Bahamas nearshore and marine environments, which advanced the goal of protecting 20% of the nearshore marine environment as part of The Bahamas commitment to the Caribbean Challenge Initiative. As a result of a Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) Grant, the BNT and SSLJ were able to consult with stakeholders and draft a management plan for the five new national parks. At the meeting in June, the BNT and SSLJ were able to discuss the vision for the new national parks, re- establishing San Salvador as a major dive destination. The need to establish an office and provide staffing for new parks was also discussed. Funding will be key for implementing the management plan and discussions covered opportunities to strengthen relationships with the Ministry of Tourism, dive operators and hotel owners on San Salvador. SSLJ has been implementing a Dive Tag Programme to support the work involved in creating the new parks and this funding will now be used to support national park management and infrastructure. BNT and SSLJ will be working together to identify new funding resources for the San Salvador parks. The management plan will be revised and the final consultation process which lasts between days will begin and include meetings with marine resource users to discuss zoning and proper fishing and motor craft guidelines for the new national parks.

6 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 21- July With less than 260 remaining on a single island, the Bahama Oriole is the rarest bird in the Bahamas - and one of the rarest in the world. To inform conservation efforts, the Bahamas National Trust is working with University of Maryland scientists to gather vital information on this endangered species. Of the six endemic bird species found in the Bahamas, the Oriole is the most threatened. It once lived on Abaco as well, but disappeared from that island in the 1990s. It has a black head and body with yellow underparts. According to BNT Science and Policy Director Shelley Cant-Woodside, Previous studies indicated that the Oriole relied on coconut trees for nesting, and was in serious decline because these trees were dying from lethal yellowing. The current research is key to understanding the biology of this amazing species. We now know that the Bahama Oriole is not completely reliant upon coconut trees, but uses other trees in residential areas and in the pine forest. This is an important find if we want to ensure a secure future for this very rare bird. Research on the Oriole was last conducted in The current University of Maryland team is led by Dr. Kevin Orland. Their work is funded by the American Bird Conservancy, a Virginia-based group that promotes bird conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere. The current research aims to survey populations of Bahama Oriole on Andros; determine the number of nesting pairs in residential and forested areas; confirm whether coconut trees are the preferred nesting tree; and capture the basic biology of the species, including food sources and predators. The researchers are also training Bahamians in field research and promoting a wider appreciation of this rare bird, which is threatened by forest fires, logging, introduced diseases, invasive species, and the potential effects of climate change in terms of sea-level rise and changes in habitat. Latie Smith and Lehron Rolle, two Science New Research on the Rarest Bird in The Bahamas The Bahama Oriole is only found on the island of Andros. participants in the BNT s ongoing Bird Guide Training Programme, are working with the Oriole researchers on Andros. The bird guide programme is a joint venture with the National Audubon Society to train Bahamians as nature guides. Recent COB graduate Shannan Yates and BNT Science Officer Scott Johnson, are also helping the researchers to band birds to track their movements. A lot of work still needs to be done, says Mrs. Cant-Woodside, but through partnerships like this, coupled with local stakeholder involvement, more reliable information will be obtained to help improve conservation measures. Follow the progress of this project by joining the Bahama Oriole Project Facebook page. continued on page 7

7 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 20 - July Science continued from page 6 Dr. Kevin Orland and and Scott Johnson with University of Maryland researchers. Lehron Rolle and Daniel Stonko. College students complete summer internship at the Levy Preserve Rose Charles tagging trees in a plot. July 1st marked the end of the third annual Levy Preserve summer internship. Three College of the Bahamas students (Rose Charles, Antonette Hudson, and Brendan Toote) came to Eleuthera for an intensive seven weeks of Terrestrial Natural History training. The objective of the programme is to train terrestrial field biologists who are capable of surveying and interpreting the natural environment. As part of the internship they learned plant taxonomy and ecology and to identify 100 common plant species. They then applied their knowledge to installing the third permanent forest plot at the Preserve and measuring all of the trees. continued on page 8

8 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 20 - July Science continued from page 7 Working with different experts the interns spent three weeks learning the geology of the Bahamas, ornithology, and herpetology. While studying each of these areas they also conducted their own research projects in dune ecology, ornithology and forest growth and dynamics. To complete the programme they each gave a 45-minute presentation at the Retreat, showcasing their new knowledge and research findings. Beach Sampling. Ornithology with Scott Johnson. Herpetology with Joe Wasilewski.

9 Science TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 20 - July Juvenile Queen Conch spend one full year buried in the sand. Their shells range in color from white to tan with dark brown stripes. This colouration helps camouflage these small animals. When young Queen Conch do not have a lip like those shown in the image, they are called rollers. The National Conchservation Campaign is a collaborative effort between the Government of the Bahamas and the NGO community to prevent the collapse of the Bahamian Queen Conch population through science and education. Follow the campaign at Staff Highlight BNT congratulates staff on promotions Lakeshia Anderson Shelly Cant-Woodside The BNT wishes to congratulate Lakeshia Anderson and Shelley Cant- Woodside on their recent promotions! Lakeshia Anderson who, during her time with the BNT, served as Parks Planner and then Grand Bahama Parks Manager, was appointed Director of Parks. Lakeshia resides in Grand Bahama and has worked with the BNT for almost five years. Conservation Planner, Shelley Cant- Woodside, was appointed Director of Science and Policy. Shelley has worked in both the Education and Science departments at the BNT and recently received a Masters in Conservation and Biodiversity from Exeter University, UK. We wish them all the best and know that they will do well in their new positions!

10 TrustNotes - Volume 10, Issue 20 - July, BNT BULLETIN Membership Highlight Jane Evans Living in The Bahamas is a Blessing. As a child, Jane Evans father took her to all of the islands in The Bahamas and taught her to appreciate the amazing flora and fauna of our small archipelago. This sense of responsibility and wonder followed Jane into adulthood and inspired her to become a member of the Bahamas National Trust. Now a long-time member and volunteer, Jane has generously given her time, organisational skills and infectious enthusiasm to the BNT and is presently an invaluable member of our Events Committee. Event Calendar Eco Camp Friday, June 08- July 16, Nassau Bahamas Wine & Art Saturday, October 29-30, 2016, Nassau, Bahamas Jollification Saturday, November 19-20, 2016 Nassau, Bahamas. Bahamas National Trust P. O. Box N-4105, Nassau, The Bahamas Tel: bnt@bnt.bs