New Report On Coastal Ecosystems

Very interesting work also including local beach erosion. A must read. The quote below is from the report itself.

This is a critical first step in a country where ecosystem services are typically given very little consideration in decision-making, both in the public and the private sector.

Click to expand...

Thanks for posting the links.

sustainable development

This is the type of study that to some can be a starting point in the education process of sustainable development. To my thinking sustainable development is development (or in some cases nondevelopment) that 'using, conserving and enhancing the community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased'.

Thankfully there's growing recognition that we have to look beyond economic progress to achieve sustainable societies. Sustainable development must be ecologically sustainable. Economic and social progress depends on base ecosystem services (for example oxygen production and carbon dioxide absorption by plants) and a healthy environment. Development also implies an improvement in the quality of life through education, justice, community participation, and recreation.

Some key changes to the way we think, act and make decisions will help ensure development is ecologically sustainable. In particular:
We need to consider, in an integrated way, the wider economic, social and environmental implications of our decisions and actions
We need to take a long-term rather than short-term view when taking those decisions and actions.

Thank you, Lambada.
ratbastard

Incredible read. And more and worse is happening on theNorth Shore....

I know fishemen who agre going 18 miles out to get 10 good fish.

HB

Environmental Minister Jaime Fernandez Mirabal should be ashamed of himself. This yahoo shouldn't even be the minister of a church...

Part of it is people do not realize the value of mangrove areas as nurseries for juvenile fish. The mangroves also are a flocculation area where dissolved nutrients precipitate out from the streams and rivers and provides food for the basis of the food chain there. When a stream goes directly into the ocean the nutrients feed algae that can grow on reefs that kills off the coral life.

It's amazing to see the coral life in the Turks and Caicos Islands compared to the DR. I think a Dominican fisherman would just cry to see the abundance of fish 300 feet off the coastline. I've seen huge mutton fish, parrot fish, surgeons, sharks, eagle rays porcupine fish, groupers and many others just in swimming distance from the dock with snorkel gear. There is very little human population to cause pollution. I would not be surprised at all if the spiny lobster catch is better in the Turks than in the DR with far less labor per catch. They also have a bone fish industry there for tourism and there are tens of thousands of the fish flashing in the shallow. You don't eat bone fish, but they are hugely popular for sports fishermen.

The environmental movement in the States started around 40 years ago before that not much thought was given to environmental issues.

While there is certainly an environmental movement in Europe the damage had already been done to it's flora and flauna and watershed's centuries ago.

As the DR is at least 80 years behind the aforementioned in terms of a proactive (or even efficient government), don't look to them to do anything other than waste money discussing the issue and maybe release a statement or two.

I used to live in Las Terrenas, and over the years, you could see the erosion of the beaches, there is a large coral reef that works block waves, but I believe that pollution from the river going through town has caused the coral reefs to start dieing.

almost all day you can find people washing their cars or motorcycles in that river, and the soap just goes right into the ocean.

At one time there was a road that followed the beach all the way around from Playa Bonita to Punta Bonita, that road is long gone now, underwater.

Costal management has taken a very strong hold in the Turks and Caicos and they only started getting involved when the lobster and conch fisheries suffered over a 50% loss over about five years. There are still numerous problems with the fisheries but with such a low population, there is not nearly the amount of environmental degradation as in the DR.

It's hard to permanently destroy the invertebrate fisheries while the reefs stay intact, but there can be crashes that may take 7-10 years to recover. Reef species are particularly vunerable to overfishing because most do not travel far and are essential bad at "hide and seek" with the fishermen. A 50 pound grouper may stay in the same cave for 30 years and sooner or later, he is going to be found.

Some 25% of pelagic fish spend part of their life cycle in mangrove and coral areas. It is critical to protect these nursery areas for a system to recover from over-explotation.

What some countries have done with some success is to have a state funded "mother boat" that brings a group of fishermen to a common area to fish for the day. The boat has a set quota for how many fish can be caught at the site and when that happens they call the fishermen in for the day. The fishermen save a huge amount of capital since they do not have to pay as much for fuel and ice to keep there fish and the location is properly managed. This has been particularly effective with lobster fisheries where they build concrete garages for the lobsters to use a shelters call "casitas" Because they are easily fished from the casitas, there is no incentive to get lobsters from the reefs where the typically use bleach to get the lobsters out from their shelters.

Coastal management can be a win win situation, but it requires a very proactive program which can benefit the fishermen on the short-term. Australia has one of the most advanced fisheries management program and lobstermen there are very wealthy.