Abstract

As a component of the Bahamas Protected project, Bahamas National Trust led stakeholder consultations to gain local knowledge from communities on areas being proposed for future proection. The Natural Capital Project was also contracted to quantify the economic value of ecosystems within the Bahamian MPAs and to determine the current tourism and fisheries values to better inform the selection process for the next 10% (towards our 20% by 2020 goal). The economic value of ecosystem services and the livelihoods they support indicate the importance of managing the MPA network now in order to help safeguard against the loss of economic and societal benefits to Bahamians, the Caribbean, and people worldwide in the future. Traditional approaches to MPA management focus on ecological considerations, such as a sufficient diversity and proximity of habitats. While such factors are essential for sustaining species, they may miss the societal importance of MPAs. Increasingly, conservation practitioners, governments, and other stakeholders are considering the benefits that nature provides to people or ‘ecosystem services’. Diverse, functioning ecosystems provide myriad benefits that can be sustained through effective protected area management. Nearshore habitats bolster the stocks of fisheries, beaches and reefs draw tourists, and coastal forests and seagrasses buffer storm waves, mitigate climate, and promote water quality. Ensuring these are taken into consideration when selecting sites for protection and management, will secure sustainable sources of income for The Bahamas

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