Caribbean Archipelago Biosphere Reserve: Regional Marine Protected Area System

The proposed MSP would support conservation of critical habitats in the Archipelago as a means to protect and restore species diversity, sustainable marine and coastal resource use, and equitable benefit distribution to local populations. Achievement of these objectives is vital to the survival of the native culture, both socially and economically. Under the project, marine protected areas (MPAs) would be established to be part of a comprehensive system that includes representative strategic marine and coastal ecosystems of the region: a variety of coral formations, seagrass beds, mangroves, beaches and deep water areas. In this way, the widest goals of biodiversity conservation and recovery can be met as habitats that support both coastal and marine plants (mangroves, ferns, epiphytes, seagrass, seaweed, algae) and endemic, resident and migrant animals (fishes, reptiles, birds, invertebrates, fungi, micro-organisms) are included in the protected areas. Community involvement and both formal and informal training in multiple-use MPA management will be given particular attention.