The Underfunded, Underestimated, Yet Critical Side of Conservation

Why Do We Need Effective Management?

At the remote Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park (ECLSP), the first-ever marine protected area in The Bahamas and the Caribbean, regular management takes the form of patrols to make sure boaters are abiding by mooring rules, paying their fees, and not fishing in no-take zones, monitoring the radio for signs of illegal activity at night, conducting educational events, and collecting data on species numbers and development. Then there is all the basic maintenance like generating power, washing down and refueling boats, repairing engines, and daily paperwork.

Staff from the Bahamas National Trust and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force work together to protect the 40,000-hectare (100,000-acre) park, which is popular with tourists and scientists, provides a haven for fish and other species of ocean wildlife as well as seabirds and rare fauna, and supports local communities and livelihoods. And though it’s not always easy work, there are perks. “My favorite part of the job is every morning, despite the weather, I wake up, I make a cup of tea, I go through [the] sliding doors, and I get to look at this beauty that’s around me, whether it’s dark clouds or bright skies,” says Eljin Morrison, the deputy park warden at the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park. 

When we conserve an area, it’s not enough to draw lines on a map and walk away. We need to make sure the goals of the conservation area are clear and that they are achieved far into the future.

Is a conservation area meant to protect a biodiverse coral reef? Then we need to make sure the reef doesn’t get overfished or buried in sediment from a development project. Is a conservation area meant to protect a unique forest frog? Then we need to ensure the frog’s forest remains healthy and intact. The goals of conservation areas are typically more complicated than protecting a single ecosystem or species, but the basic idea of ensuring clear ecological and social outcomes—and reflecting the values, needs and traditions of local communities as well as the realities of a changing climate in conservation area planning—is relevant across the board.

“Expanding protected area systems and effective management need to go hand-in-hand as we tackle high rates of biodiversity loss around the world,” says James Fitzsimons, a senior advisor on protection strategies at TNC. Both are part of Target 3 in the Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for the effective protection and management of 30% of the world’s terrestrial, inland water, and coastal and marine areas by the year 2030. “But, so far, effective management has received relatively less attention compared to new protections,” says Fitzsimons. “You could argue that might be justified—better to get things in the system and stop some immediate threats right away—but we also need to resource the effective management of protected areas to avoid creating paper parks.”

The Path to More Effective Management in The Bahamas

With a strong record in marine conservation, The Bahamas has designated one of the largest systems of marine protected areas in the Caribbean. This network covers more than 17% of the country’s nearshore environment, where extensive seagrass meadows, mangrove forests and coral reefs sustain an astounding diversity of species.

Healthy, well-managed marine protected areas (MPAs) support the thriving ecosystems that sustain a profitable nature-based tourism industry and the growth of more robust fish populations important to local fishers. “Tourism is our number one industry and MPAs play a critical role in that,” says Anderson-Rolle. “Tourists from all over the world are visiting The Bahamas to enjoy unique experiences that are centered around our natural resources.”

The ecosystems in MPAs can also help mitigate the effects of climate change on coastal communities by acting as carbon sinks and buffers against storm impacts.

MPAs are often vast, and it’s hard to have eyes everywhere. Limited staffing and funding, the need to balance conservation and economic development, and the need to adapt protection strategies in the face of climate change also pose challenges to the implementation of long-term, effective marine protection in The Bahamas, says Commander Desiree Corneille, lead designate for the recently established Bahamas Wildlife Enforcement Network (BahWEN).

A “combination of growing national awareness, strategic collaboration, and innovative approaches” bodes well for the future of marine protected areas in The Bahamas, says Corneille.

Through The Bahamas Debt Conversion Project for Marine Conservation, the Government of The Bahamas, with the support of TNC's Nature Bonds Program, the Inter-American Development Bank, Builders Vision, AXA XL and Standard Chartered, has refinanced USD 300 million of its national debt to unlock USD 124 million of new cash funding (plus an additional estimated USD 8 million of endowment investment returns) for marine conservation over the next 15 years. A significant portion of these critically needed funds, to flow though the independent Bahamas Protected Areas Fund, will go toward improving management of the country’s 6.8 million hectares (16.8 million acres) of marine protected areas through capacity building, technical support and funding of essential activities.

Strategies like developing management plans for each of the country’s protected areas, to provide critical roadmaps for on-the-ground (and at-sea) activities, and hiring and retaining experienced staff, including for more remote posts, will increase the country’s ability to monitor and protect areas against threats. Stakeholder engagement will be a key part of ensuring long-term success.

“Marine protected areas in The Bahamas are a cornerstone of conservation, vital at every level,” says Corneille. “[They] position The Bahamas as a beacon of responsible stewardship, demonstrating how a small island nation can make a significant impact in global conservation. MPAs are not just areas of protection; they are a testament to our dedication to preserving our home, culture and future for generations to come.”