Monitoring of Portland Bight Monitoring of Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA)Protected Area (PBPA)

Found on Jamaica’s south coast, PBPA is Found on Jamaica’s south coast, PBPA is Jamaica’s Jamaica’s

newest and largest Protected Areanewest and largest Protected Area

Area totals 1,876 kmArea totals 1,876 km22:: 520 km520 km22 terrestrial area is 4.7% of Jamaica's land terrestrial area is 4.7% of Jamaica's land massmass

1,356 km1,356 km2 2 marine area is 47.6% of Jamaica’s shallow marine area is 47.6% of Jamaica’s shallow shelfshelf

area of seagrass beds and coral reefs as yet area of seagrass beds and coral reefs as yet undeterminedundetermined

important habitat for birds, iguanas, crocodiles, important habitat for birds, iguanas, crocodiles, manatees,manatees,

marine turtles, and fishmarine turtles, and fish

The Portland Bight Protected Area The Portland Bight Protected Area (PBPA)(PBPA)

Organizations involved in PBPA Organizations involved in PBPA monitoringmonitoring

The project will be a collaborative effort of a The project will be a collaborative effort of a number ofnumber of organizations:organizations:

Caribbean Coastal Data Centre, Centre for Marine Caribbean Coastal Data Centre, Centre for Marine Sciences, UWISciences, UWI

Caribbean Coastal Area Management (CCAM) Caribbean Coastal Area Management (CCAM) FoundationFoundation

Jamaica Coral Reef Monitoring Network (JCRMN)Jamaica Coral Reef Monitoring Network (JCRMN)• CMS/CCDCCMS/CCDC• USAC – University Sub-Aqua ClubUSAC – University Sub-Aqua Club• NEPA – National Environment & Planning AgencyNEPA – National Environment & Planning Agency• The Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy• JSAC – Jamaica Sub-Aqua ClubJSAC – Jamaica Sub-Aqua Club

Resource Assessment, Monitoring Resource Assessment, Monitoring and Researchand Research

The Project aims to gather information on:The Project aims to gather information on:

Coral reef health through the relative abundance Coral reef health through the relative abundance of hardof hard and soft coral, sponges and other benthic and soft coral, sponges and other benthic substratessubstrates

Hard coral species composition and diversity at Hard coral species composition and diversity at the the different locationsdifferent locations

Densities of key invertebrates e.g. diadema andDensities of key invertebrates e.g. diadema and important fish speciesimportant fish species

Densities of other motile reef organisms such as Densities of other motile reef organisms such as lobster,lobster, conch and shrimpconch and shrimp

Identification of spawning aggregation sites and Identification of spawning aggregation sites and timingstimings of key species, where possibleof key species, where possible

Baseline Data & Data Management Baseline Data & Data Management

Data gathered will:Data gathered will:

Provide a baseline for future coral reef Provide a baseline for future coral reef assessmentsassessments of of the PBPAthe PBPA

Support the Management Plan developed by Support the Management Plan developed by CCAMCCAM

Be added to the CCDC data repository and be Be added to the CCDC data repository and be available available globallyglobally

Be submitted to Reef Check & ReefBaseBe submitted to Reef Check & ReefBase

Inform relevant reports on the status of the reefs:Inform relevant reports on the status of the reefs:• GCRMN Status of Coral Reefs of the World GCRMN Status of Coral Reefs of the World 20042004• NEPA – State of the Environment ReportNEPA – State of the Environment Report

DeliverablesDeliverables

Interim and Final Interim and Final Reports on the status of coral Reports on the status of coral reefs of reefs of

the PBPA:the PBPA: status of hard & soft corals and other benthic status of hard & soft corals and other benthic substratessubstrates density of key invertebrates e.g. fish, diadema, density of key invertebrates e.g. fish, diadema, lobsterlobster damage to the reefs from anchors, siltation etc.damage to the reefs from anchors, siltation etc.

Status of spawning aggregation sitesStatus of spawning aggregation sites

Data submitted to Reef Check & ReefBaseData submitted to Reef Check & ReefBase becomes part of the global coral reef data becomes part of the global coral reef data repositoryrepository

Recommendations on management of the PBPARecommendations on management of the PBPA creation of fish sanctuaries or no-take zonescreation of fish sanctuaries or no-take zones zoning of activities within the PBPAzoning of activities within the PBPA