EPIC Projects: Tracking Red-footed Boobies, Seafloor Surveys
Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) is expanding its protection of seabird nesting islands to identifying and protecting the islands where birds find food. In March last year an EPIC team outfitted GPS data loggers on 28 adult red-footed boobies nesting on Battowia island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which is a globally recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) and a wildlife reserve. Battowia hosts two globally important seabird colonies — red-footed booby and red-billed tropicbird — and it’s one of the most threatened habitats.
Researchers found that while the birds generally flew eastward, some traveled far into the exclusive economic zone waters of neighboring nations, such as Barbados, Saint Lucia and Martinique, while others approached important seabird nesting islands farther south in the Grenadines, such as Petit Canouan and Sail Rock. This indicates that some birds are far-ranging. One went north of Barbados on an overnight trip, covering about 500 kilometers (300 miles), and was recaptured at the same nest where it was initially caught, an important data tool for advocating for the protection of marine habitats.
Field efforts were led by Juliana Coffey and Dr. Louise Soanes, with field support and local expertise provided by fisherfolk and seafarers from Bequia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Carriacou, Grenada. The project was funded by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund.
In other EPIC news, the group has been selected to conduct an assessment of the biodiversity in key land areas on St. Maarten, as part of the CORENA (Coastal Resilience and Needs Assessments) project in partnership with the Nature Foundation.
The Nature Foundation has started mapping the seafloor to observe seagrass, reef and sandy areas. EPIC is conducting field surveys to document the variety of plants and animals found in St. Maarten, with the goal of establishing a baseline upon which informed decisions can be made about the sustainable management of the marine and coastal environment.
EPIC will share its findings through updates on social media. Those interested in bringing a particular species to EPIC’s attention should send an email to epicsxm@epicislands.org.
Partnership Aims at Coastal Habitat Restoration
A new partnership between World Wide Fund for Nature – Netherlands (WWF-NL), the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) and Coastal Dynamics will spearhead an initiative to define future conservation and restoration projects within coastal habitats and create projects which will fortify mangroves and seagrass beds against escalating threats like climate change, pollution, and unsustainable coastal development. The principal aim of the study is to develop a nature-inclusive approach with nature-based solutions to enhance resilience and sustainability.
Sailors for the Sea Launches Clean Class Initiative
Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana has launched a Clean Class initiative, which recognizes entire classes of boats whose members are committed to sustainability. The initiative is open to any interested one-design fleet with a desire to lessen the class’s environmental impact. For Clean Class recognition, 25 percent of a class’s events need to achieve at least a Bronze-level Clean Regatta certification.
The Thistle Class, which has more than 50 active fleets across the United States, worked with Sailors for the Sea to develop and pilot the Clean Class initiative. During the first full year of the pilot in 2021, the Thistle Class registered 21 new Clean Regattas, a 420 percent increase in Thistle events participating in the program. In 2022, six additional events registered, with many of the recurring regattas achieving higher levels of sustainability certification.
Most sailors are advocates for protecting their waters, and sustainability is at the forefront of many regattas. The Clean Class framework provides guidance and the tools necessary to help standardize sustainability initiatives across class events. Sailors for the Sea looks forward to working with interested class associations to support and grow this community of sailors who are taking action to restore the health of our seas.
To learn more, check out www.sailorsforthesea.org/programs/clean-regattas/clean-class
