Abstract

The mangrove forests, formerly called the swamp lands, of the Bahamian islands have been subjected to needs of a growing population and have been lost in the face of unsustainable development. These areas are historically prime real estate for development: filled in to create land, dredged for marinas and fragmented for roads. These areas are also utilized for fishing. The functionality of these degraded mangroves is reduced and habitat for fish is diminished as well. These mangroves function as a nursery habitat for the reef fish surrounding the islands of the Bahamas and protect the investments of those who utilize these areas. A reduced fish habitat impacts the overall quality of the fishing industry. Given the important nature of these habitats, each time the ecosystem is degraded the fishing industry feels the impact; albeit long term. The island of New Providence is no different. The city of Nassau houses roughly 2/3’s of the Bahamian population. The island of New Providence has seen many key mangrove habitats destroyed, fragmented, and degraded during this time. The combination of habitat degradation, increased populations, and increased fishing pressure over the last 50+ years has impacted the quality of the fish on the reefs surrounding New Providence. This presentation aims to quantify the area of fisheries habitat lost on the island of New Providence as a result of unsustainable development and show projects and programmes that aim to change the fate of these ecosystems.

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