Nature in the Bahamas

The Bahamas are an island archipelago whose marine and coastal ecosystems are especially characteristic. Key habitats include coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass meadows, pine forests, so-called pineyards or pine barrens, coppice forests, wetlands, tidal flats, salt marshes, sandy and rocky coasts, inland waters, and submerged karst features (Blue Holes). Pine forests cover approximately 6,185 km² on Abaco, Andros, and Grand Bahama; mangrove forests and other wetlands cover approximately 4,286 km². Coral reefs contribute to exceptionally high marine biodiversity. These habitats store and filter water, protect the freshwater lens (Freshwater Lens) from pollution, serve as nurseries for fish, and reduce coastal erosion and flooding. They also provide the basis for fishing, tourism, and other local incomes. Protected or threatened species include the Bahama Oriole on Andros, the Bahamian Rock Iguana, the Bahama Parrot, the Bahama Hutia, the Piping Plover, the West Indian Flamingo, various marine mammals, and the Queen Conch. The national park trust (Bahamas National Trust (BNT)) manages 33 national parks covering approximately 2.2 million acres in total. The protected-area system includes land parks, marine parks, and combined land-and-marine parks. Well-known areas include the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park, the Blue Hole and marine parks on Andros, Abaco National Park, Inagua National Park, Union Creek Reserve, Lucayan National Park, the Joulter Cays, and Bonefish Pond. Other categories also include fisheries protected areas, Forest Reserves, protected or preserved forests, and protected areas for wild birds. The BNT conducts national park management, environmental education, and research policy. The environmental planning and protection authority (Department of Environmental Planning and Protection (DEPP)) is responsible for environmental regulation, conservation, sustainable use, research permits, and international environmental agreements. The marine resources authority (Department of Marine Resources (DMR)) regulates fisheries and marine resources. The forestry permitting unit (Forestry Unit) handles permits for protected trees and forest products, while the agriculture authority (Department of Agriculture) is involved in CITES matters and the import and export of protected species. The antiquities and museums authority (Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation (AMMC)) is responsible for cave and Blue-Hole exploration. National parks are generally open to the public. The BNT charges BD$8 per day for children aged 6 to 14, BD$15 for adults aged 15 to 59, and BD$10 for seniors aged 60 and over. Annual passes cost BD$80, BD$140, and BD$90 respectively; BNT members enter free. Additional fees may apply for anchorages or buoys in the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Typical activities include birdwatching, boating, kayaking, hiking, camping, diving, snorkeling, and photography. Additional rules apply depending on the area and activity. Foreign sport fishers need a permit through the official cruising permit (Cruising Permit) or Bahamas Customs. Limits for pelagic fish, for example, are 18 animals; in season, the limit for lobster is 10 animals and for conch 6 animals. For other fish, the limit is either 60 pounds or no more than 20 demersal fish, depending on the category. People over 12 need a licence for flats fishing (Flats Fishing). When there are at least two anglers per boat, a certified Bahamian guide is required, and the boat must be registered in the Bahamas. Commercial fishing and flats-guide permits require Bahamian citizenship; commercial sale of flats catches is not permitted. Research projects need permits from different authorities depending on their subject. The DEPP provides a central application portal for this purpose. Typical documents include identification or a passport, a curriculum vitae, proof of institutional affiliation, a research proposal with a budget and data-management plan, and, for marine trips, a cruise plan. Marine research, marine mammals, or sharks may also require a DMR permit. Research in a national park requires BNT approval through the DEPP; samples may require a CITES or Department of Agriculture permit, and cave or Blue-Hole research may involve the AMMC. Listed fees range from BD$50 for local Bahamian students to BD$1,500 for researchers; no published processing times are available. Marine mammals may not be captured, harassed, hunted, or killed without a permit. Research, import, export, possession, transport, and commercial observation of protected species may also require a permit. Additional permit and BNT requirements apply to protected trees and to construction work, piers, shoreline armoring, wastewater facilities, or dredging below the high-water mark. Projects with significant impacts on land, water, or protected habitats may require an environmental impact assessment with mitigation and monitoring measures as well as a public-hearing report. Hurricanes, tropical storms, storm surges, coastal flooding, erosion, and wildfires affect the natural areas of the Bahamas. Around 80 percent of the land area lies less than 1.5 meters above the high-water level. The Department of Meteorology provides early warnings for storms and hurricanes, while the Disaster Risk Management Authority uses a warning system with color codes from green to red. Further pressures result from coral bleaching, reef damage, loss of mangroves and seagrass, illegal fishing, overharvesting of conch, invasive lionfish, anchoring and vessel damage, and coastal development and tourism in sensitive habitats.