Shannon Gore - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Shannon Gore

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

Anegada, the easternmost island of the Virgin Islands group (Caribbean Sea), is a low Pleistocene... more Anegada, the easternmost island of the Virgin Islands group (Caribbean Sea), is a low Pleistocene carbonate platform surrounded by Horseshoe Reef, the world’s third-largest fringing reef. The western part of the island consists of an extensive beachridge plain (>40 ridges). The sandy carbonate shoreline exists in three morphodynamic domains that exhibit distinctive behaviour over the 59-year study period (1953 to 2012). The northern shore is dominated by westerly longshore drift under fair-weather conditions and cross-shore sediment transport during high-energy events. Storm wave run-up and high nearshore sediment availability contribute to the construction of shore-parallel beachridges. The western end of the island is affected by refracted waves that drive strong erosion and sediment transport. This is reflected in a succession of alternating rapid shoreline recession and progradation phases over the study period. The south–central shoreline is exposed to low wave energy and is...

Marine Protected Areas and Management in the British Virgin Islands

Coral reefs of the world, 2013

The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition... more The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition, the ‘British Virgin Islands Protected Areas System Plan 2007–2017’ identifies another 40 areas for inclusion in the marine protected area (MPA) network, with designation in progress. The overall goal of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI) was to create a network of marine protected areas that reflects the major marine and coastal habitats of the BVI, whilst protecting 30 % of the important biological habitats; to cluster protected areas together so that they can be easily managed; and to ensure that there are MPAs distributed across the BVI in order to ensure ‘resilience’ within the network. Network design utilised a mixed approach, with Marxan modelling, field assessment of marine habitats and stakeholder input.

UK Overseas Territories in the Northeast Caribbean: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat

Abstract Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Over... more Abstract Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) located in the north-eastern Caribbean region. Their local economies shifted from agriculture and artisanal fishing to tourism after the advent of international travel to the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s, but this has not been without adverse environmental impacts. Ensuring the protection of the very assets that attract visitors to each Territory is critical, but is increasingly more difficult due to both preexisting issues and due to the increasingly prevalent impacts of climate change. What immediate actions each Territory takes now will ultimately determine the future sustainability of their marine and coastal resources.

Framework development for beach management in the British Virgin Islands

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2007

Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability an... more Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability and long-term commercial success of beaches and nearby coastal habitats in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Legislation pertaining to beach management is limited and specific ...

Introduction to Reefs and Shorelines of the British Virgin Islands

Coral reefs of the world, 2013

The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a... more The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a carbonate microplate located on a subsiding island arc. There are over 60 high volcanic islands with granite-like magma intrusions on which the present reefs have developed, on approximately 420 km of coastline. Marine habitats around the volcanic islands include seagrass meadows, muds, carbonate banks and coral reefs. Most reefs are fringing reefs which have developed on narrow shelves which average 500 m in width between low tide and the 20 m depth contour. Some coral cays exist also, a number supporting rich mangroves. Tourism has become increasingly important, and with it a shift occurred in the BVI from preserving natural resources for local subsistence to its exploitation for economic gain; one aspect of the tourism being development of the world’s largest concentration of charter yachts which, initially at least, severely damaged several reefs by extensive anchoring. Reefs also suffer from shoreline development, resulting in extensive damage around the main populated island. Environmental legislation that did exist did not keep up with the advancement of scientific knowledge, and updating legislation has since become a well-recognized need in the BVI, with some success, though resources are insufficient. As with many Caribbean locations, the white-band disease of Acropora, and the Diadema mortality, along with (more recently) warming episodes, have caused substantial degradation to the reefs of the BVI.

Anegada: An Emergent Pleistocene Reef Island

Springer eBooks, 2013

Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum... more Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum elevation of 8 m. It has extensive salt ponds and wetlands. It is entirely different from the rest of the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico which together form the Puerto Rican/Virgin Islands microplate. It formed as part of a massive coral reef system during the last Interglacial highstand 130,000 ± 2k to 119,000 ± 2k years before present. Its western side is comprised of dune and beach ridge complexes, lagoons and mangroves, known as the Anegada Ridge Plain Formation. The eastern side of the island is distinguished by the indurated coral reef limestone with modified karst topography including solution pits and sinkholes. Contiguous with Anegada is the Horseshoe Reef and together these cover approximately 133 km2. The reefs have two distinctive facies, a high energy reef front along the north-eastern windward side of the island, and a series of patch reefs with a marked northwest/southeast orientation aligned to prevailing wind and waves on the southern leeward side. The width from shoreline to the reef crest varies widely, from 5 m to 3 km with a sandy lagoon with abundant seagrasses and algae. From the eastern tip of the island a barrier reef extends approximately 14 km southeastwardly to an area where the horseshoe shape of the reef turns almost 90 to the south. As with many reefs in the Caribbean, heavy mortalities of Acropora (and Diadema) greatly reduced live coral cover in the 1980s. The island has considerable resiliency and ability to adjust to both extreme events and prevailing conditions including, perhaps, those introduced by climate change. Although the coastline displays alternating areas of erosion and accumulation of sand with up to 300 m of change, the long-term result has been a counter-clockwise rotation of the western side of the island.

for inclusion in Oceanography Faculty Articles by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. Recommended Citation

See next page for additional authors

Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such ... more Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such as rates of recruitment, survival, and growth. In the Caribbean, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been historically exploited in huge numbers to satisfy trade in their shells and meat. In the present study, we estimated growth rate of juvenile hawksbill turtles around Anegada, British Virgin Islands, using capture-mark-recapture of 59 turtles over periods of up to 649 days. Turtles were recaptured up to six times, having moved up to 5.9 km from the release location. Across all sizes, turtles grew at an average rate of 9.3 cm year À1 (range 2.3-20.3 cm year À1), and gained mass at an average of 3.9 kg year À1 (range 850 g-16.1 kg year À1). Carapace length was a significant predictor of growth rate and mass gain, but there was no relationship between either variable and sea surface temperature. These are among the fastest rates of growth reported for this species, with seven turtles growing at a rate that would increase their body size by more than half per year (51-69% increase in body length). This study also demonstrates the importance of shallow water reef systems for the developmental habitat for juvenile hawksbill turtles. Although growth rates for posthatching turtles in the pelagic, and turtles larger than 61 cm, are not known for this population, the implications of this study are that Caribbean hawksbill turtles in some areas may reach body sizes suggesting sexual maturity in less time than previously considered.

Connectivity of Caribbean coral populations: complementary insights from empirical and modelled gene flow

Molecular Ecology, 2012

Understanding patterns of connectivity among populations of marine organisms is essential for the... more Understanding patterns of connectivity among populations of marine organisms is essential for the development of realistic, spatially explicit models of population dynamics. Two approaches, empirical genetic patterns and oceanographic dispersal modelling, have been used to estimate levels of evolutionary connectivity among marine populations but rarely have their potentially complementary insights been combined. Here, a spatially realistic Lagrangian model of larval dispersal and a theoretical genetic model are integrated with the most extensive study of gene flow in a Caribbean marine organism. The 871 genets collected from 26 sites spread over the wider Caribbean subsampled 45.8% of the 1900 potential unique genets in the model. At a coarse scale, significant consensus between modelled estimates of genetic structure and empirical genetic data for populations of the reef-building coral Montastraea annularis is observed. However, modelled and empirical data differ in their estimates of connectivity among northern Mesoamerican reefs indicating that processes other than dispersal may dominate here. Further, the geographic location and porosity of the previously described east-west barrier to gene flow in the Caribbean is refined. A multi-prong approach, integrating genetic data and spatially realistic models of larval dispersal and genetic projection, provides complementary insights into the processes underpinning population connectivity in marine invertebrates on evolutionary timescales.

Green turtle and hawksbill genetic analysis in three feeding grounds in the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean: Preliminary results and conservation implications

Co-management potential for marine turtle fisheries in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and turks and Caicos Islands

Book of Abstracts, 2006

FISHERIES 239 Order: 286 Abstract ID: 1744 Type: Oral Subject: Fisheries CO-MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL ... more FISHERIES 239 Order: 286 Abstract ID: 1744 Type: Oral Subject: Fisheries CO-MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL FOR MARINE TURTLE FISHERIES IN ANGUILLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, MONTSERRAT, AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS Lisa M. Campbell1, Annette ...

Data from: High rates of growth recorded for hawksbill sea turtles in Anegada, British Virgin Islands

UK Overseas Territories in the Northeast Caribbean: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat

World Seas: an Environmental Evaluation, 2019

Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Terr... more Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) located in the north-eastern Caribbean region. Their local economies shifted from agriculture and artisanal fishing to tourism after the advent of international travel to the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s, but this has not been without adverse environmental impacts. Ensuring the protection of the very assets that attract visitors to each Territory is critical, but is increasingly more difficult due to both preexisting issues and due to the increasingly prevalent impacts of climate change. What immediate actions each Territory takes now will ultimately determine the future sustainability of their marine and coastal resources.

Anegada: An Emergent Pleistocene Reef Island

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum... more Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum elevation of 8 m. It has extensive salt ponds and wetlands. It is entirely different from the rest of the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico which together form the Puerto Rican/Virgin Islands microplate. It formed as part of a massive coral reef system during the last Interglacial highstand 130,000 ± 2k to 119,000 ± 2k years before present. Its western side is comprised of dune and beach ridge complexes, lagoons and mangroves, known as the Anegada Ridge Plain Formation. The eastern side of the island is distinguished by the indurated coral reef limestone with modified karst topography including solution pits and sinkholes. Contiguous with Anegada is the Horseshoe Reef and together these cover approximately 133 km2. The reefs have two distinctive facies, a high energy reef front along the north-eastern windward side of the island, and a series of patch reefs with a marked northwest/southeast orientation aligned to prevailing wind and waves on the southern leeward side. The width from shoreline to the reef crest varies widely, from 5 m to 3 km with a sandy lagoon with abundant seagrasses and algae. From the eastern tip of the island a barrier reef extends approximately 14 km southeastwardly to an area where the horseshoe shape of the reef turns almost 90 to the south. As with many reefs in the Caribbean, heavy mortalities of Acropora (and Diadema) greatly reduced live coral cover in the 1980s. The island has considerable resiliency and ability to adjust to both extreme events and prevailing conditions including, perhaps, those introduced by climate change. Although the coastline displays alternating areas of erosion and accumulation of sand with up to 300 m of change, the long-term result has been a counter-clockwise rotation of the western side of the island.

Introduction to Reefs and Shorelines of the British Virgin Islands

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a... more The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a carbonate microplate located on a subsiding island arc. There are over 60 high volcanic islands with granite-like magma intrusions on which the present reefs have developed, on approximately 420 km of coastline. Marine habitats around the volcanic islands include seagrass meadows, muds, carbonate banks and coral reefs. Most reefs are fringing reefs which have developed on narrow shelves which average 500 m in width between low tide and the 20 m depth contour. Some coral cays exist also, a number supporting rich mangroves. Tourism has become increasingly important, and with it a shift occurred in the BVI from preserving natural resources for local subsistence to its exploitation for economic gain; one aspect of the tourism being development of the world’s largest concentration of charter yachts which, initially at least, severely damaged several reefs by extensive anchoring. Reefs also suffer from shoreline development, resulting in extensive damage around the main populated island. Environmental legislation that did exist did not keep up with the advancement of scientific knowledge, and updating legislation has since become a well-recognized need in the BVI, with some success, though resources are insufficient. As with many Caribbean locations, the white-band disease of Acropora, and the Diadema mortality, along with (more recently) warming episodes, have caused substantial degradation to the reefs of the BVI.

Marine Protected Areas and Management in the British Virgin Islands

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition... more The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition, the ‘British Virgin Islands Protected Areas System Plan 2007–2017’ identifies another 40 areas for inclusion in the marine protected area (MPA) network, with designation in progress. The overall goal of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI) was to create a network of marine protected areas that reflects the major marine and coastal habitats of the BVI, whilst protecting 30 % of the important biological habitats; to cluster protected areas together so that they can be easily managed; and to ensure that there are MPAs distributed across the BVI in order to ensure ‘resilience’ within the network. Network design utilised a mixed approach, with Marxan modelling, field assessment of marine habitats and stakeholder input.

Ecology and evolution, 2014

Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such ... more Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such as rates of recruitment, survival, and growth. In the Caribbean, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been historically exploited in huge numbers to satisfy trade in their shells and meat. In the present study, we estimated growth rate of juvenile hawksbill turtles around Anegada, British Virgin Islands, using capture-mark-recapture of 59 turtles over periods of up to 649 days. Turtles were recaptured up to six times, having moved up to 5.9 km from the release location. Across all sizes, turtles grew at an average rate of 9.3 cm year(-1) (range 2.3-20.3 cm year(-1)), and gained mass at an average of 3.9 kg year(-1) (range 850 g-16.1 kg year(-1)). Carapace length was a significant predictor of growth rate and mass gain, but there was no relationship between either variable and sea surface temperature. These are among the fastest rates of growth reported for this species, with s...

Framework development for beach management in the British Virgin Islands

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2007

Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability an... more Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability and long-term commercial success of beaches and nearby coastal habitats in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Legislation pertaining to beach management is limited and specific ...

Marine Policy, 2009

Co-management between local communities and government agencies is promoted as a strategy to impr... more Co-management between local communities and government agencies is promoted as a strategy to improve fisheries management. This paper considers the potential for co-management of sea turtle fisheries within four UK Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean, and for coordinated management among those territories. We focus on fisher incentives for engaging in co-management and on the potential to scale up co-management to a regional level. This paper presents data from Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos Islands, where 110 turtle fishers participated in a socioeconomic survey undertaken as part of the 'Turtles in the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean' project. Based on three established criteria for co-management (perceived crisis in stock, willingness to participate and community cohesion), results suggest that fisher support for co-management exists within each OT, but the extent of support for and views of specific management interventions varies among OTs. The implications of results for co-management in each territory, and for establishing coordinated management regimes in the region, are discussed in the context of current debates about the nature of resources and scalar (mis)matches between resource and management regimes.

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

Anegada, the easternmost island of the Virgin Islands group (Caribbean Sea), is a low Pleistocene... more Anegada, the easternmost island of the Virgin Islands group (Caribbean Sea), is a low Pleistocene carbonate platform surrounded by Horseshoe Reef, the world’s third-largest fringing reef. The western part of the island consists of an extensive beachridge plain (>40 ridges). The sandy carbonate shoreline exists in three morphodynamic domains that exhibit distinctive behaviour over the 59-year study period (1953 to 2012). The northern shore is dominated by westerly longshore drift under fair-weather conditions and cross-shore sediment transport during high-energy events. Storm wave run-up and high nearshore sediment availability contribute to the construction of shore-parallel beachridges. The western end of the island is affected by refracted waves that drive strong erosion and sediment transport. This is reflected in a succession of alternating rapid shoreline recession and progradation phases over the study period. The south–central shoreline is exposed to low wave energy and is...

Marine Protected Areas and Management in the British Virgin Islands

Coral reefs of the world, 2013

The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition... more The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition, the ‘British Virgin Islands Protected Areas System Plan 2007–2017’ identifies another 40 areas for inclusion in the marine protected area (MPA) network, with designation in progress. The overall goal of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI) was to create a network of marine protected areas that reflects the major marine and coastal habitats of the BVI, whilst protecting 30 % of the important biological habitats; to cluster protected areas together so that they can be easily managed; and to ensure that there are MPAs distributed across the BVI in order to ensure ‘resilience’ within the network. Network design utilised a mixed approach, with Marxan modelling, field assessment of marine habitats and stakeholder input.

UK Overseas Territories in the Northeast Caribbean: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat

Abstract Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Over... more Abstract Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) located in the north-eastern Caribbean region. Their local economies shifted from agriculture and artisanal fishing to tourism after the advent of international travel to the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s, but this has not been without adverse environmental impacts. Ensuring the protection of the very assets that attract visitors to each Territory is critical, but is increasingly more difficult due to both preexisting issues and due to the increasingly prevalent impacts of climate change. What immediate actions each Territory takes now will ultimately determine the future sustainability of their marine and coastal resources.

Framework development for beach management in the British Virgin Islands

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2007

Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability an... more Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability and long-term commercial success of beaches and nearby coastal habitats in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Legislation pertaining to beach management is limited and specific ...

Introduction to Reefs and Shorelines of the British Virgin Islands

Coral reefs of the world, 2013

The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a... more The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a carbonate microplate located on a subsiding island arc. There are over 60 high volcanic islands with granite-like magma intrusions on which the present reefs have developed, on approximately 420 km of coastline. Marine habitats around the volcanic islands include seagrass meadows, muds, carbonate banks and coral reefs. Most reefs are fringing reefs which have developed on narrow shelves which average 500 m in width between low tide and the 20 m depth contour. Some coral cays exist also, a number supporting rich mangroves. Tourism has become increasingly important, and with it a shift occurred in the BVI from preserving natural resources for local subsistence to its exploitation for economic gain; one aspect of the tourism being development of the world’s largest concentration of charter yachts which, initially at least, severely damaged several reefs by extensive anchoring. Reefs also suffer from shoreline development, resulting in extensive damage around the main populated island. Environmental legislation that did exist did not keep up with the advancement of scientific knowledge, and updating legislation has since become a well-recognized need in the BVI, with some success, though resources are insufficient. As with many Caribbean locations, the white-band disease of Acropora, and the Diadema mortality, along with (more recently) warming episodes, have caused substantial degradation to the reefs of the BVI.

Anegada: An Emergent Pleistocene Reef Island

Springer eBooks, 2013

Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum... more Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum elevation of 8 m. It has extensive salt ponds and wetlands. It is entirely different from the rest of the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico which together form the Puerto Rican/Virgin Islands microplate. It formed as part of a massive coral reef system during the last Interglacial highstand 130,000 ± 2k to 119,000 ± 2k years before present. Its western side is comprised of dune and beach ridge complexes, lagoons and mangroves, known as the Anegada Ridge Plain Formation. The eastern side of the island is distinguished by the indurated coral reef limestone with modified karst topography including solution pits and sinkholes. Contiguous with Anegada is the Horseshoe Reef and together these cover approximately 133 km2. The reefs have two distinctive facies, a high energy reef front along the north-eastern windward side of the island, and a series of patch reefs with a marked northwest/southeast orientation aligned to prevailing wind and waves on the southern leeward side. The width from shoreline to the reef crest varies widely, from 5 m to 3 km with a sandy lagoon with abundant seagrasses and algae. From the eastern tip of the island a barrier reef extends approximately 14 km southeastwardly to an area where the horseshoe shape of the reef turns almost 90 to the south. As with many reefs in the Caribbean, heavy mortalities of Acropora (and Diadema) greatly reduced live coral cover in the 1980s. The island has considerable resiliency and ability to adjust to both extreme events and prevailing conditions including, perhaps, those introduced by climate change. Although the coastline displays alternating areas of erosion and accumulation of sand with up to 300 m of change, the long-term result has been a counter-clockwise rotation of the western side of the island.

for inclusion in Oceanography Faculty Articles by an authorized administrator of NSUWorks. Recommended Citation

See next page for additional authors

Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such ... more Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such as rates of recruitment, survival, and growth. In the Caribbean, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been historically exploited in huge numbers to satisfy trade in their shells and meat. In the present study, we estimated growth rate of juvenile hawksbill turtles around Anegada, British Virgin Islands, using capture-mark-recapture of 59 turtles over periods of up to 649 days. Turtles were recaptured up to six times, having moved up to 5.9 km from the release location. Across all sizes, turtles grew at an average rate of 9.3 cm year À1 (range 2.3-20.3 cm year À1), and gained mass at an average of 3.9 kg year À1 (range 850 g-16.1 kg year À1). Carapace length was a significant predictor of growth rate and mass gain, but there was no relationship between either variable and sea surface temperature. These are among the fastest rates of growth reported for this species, with seven turtles growing at a rate that would increase their body size by more than half per year (51-69% increase in body length). This study also demonstrates the importance of shallow water reef systems for the developmental habitat for juvenile hawksbill turtles. Although growth rates for posthatching turtles in the pelagic, and turtles larger than 61 cm, are not known for this population, the implications of this study are that Caribbean hawksbill turtles in some areas may reach body sizes suggesting sexual maturity in less time than previously considered.

Connectivity of Caribbean coral populations: complementary insights from empirical and modelled gene flow

Molecular Ecology, 2012

Understanding patterns of connectivity among populations of marine organisms is essential for the... more Understanding patterns of connectivity among populations of marine organisms is essential for the development of realistic, spatially explicit models of population dynamics. Two approaches, empirical genetic patterns and oceanographic dispersal modelling, have been used to estimate levels of evolutionary connectivity among marine populations but rarely have their potentially complementary insights been combined. Here, a spatially realistic Lagrangian model of larval dispersal and a theoretical genetic model are integrated with the most extensive study of gene flow in a Caribbean marine organism. The 871 genets collected from 26 sites spread over the wider Caribbean subsampled 45.8% of the 1900 potential unique genets in the model. At a coarse scale, significant consensus between modelled estimates of genetic structure and empirical genetic data for populations of the reef-building coral Montastraea annularis is observed. However, modelled and empirical data differ in their estimates of connectivity among northern Mesoamerican reefs indicating that processes other than dispersal may dominate here. Further, the geographic location and porosity of the previously described east-west barrier to gene flow in the Caribbean is refined. A multi-prong approach, integrating genetic data and spatially realistic models of larval dispersal and genetic projection, provides complementary insights into the processes underpinning population connectivity in marine invertebrates on evolutionary timescales.

Green turtle and hawksbill genetic analysis in three feeding grounds in the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean: Preliminary results and conservation implications

Co-management potential for marine turtle fisheries in Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and turks and Caicos Islands

Book of Abstracts, 2006

FISHERIES 239 Order: 286 Abstract ID: 1744 Type: Oral Subject: Fisheries CO-MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL ... more FISHERIES 239 Order: 286 Abstract ID: 1744 Type: Oral Subject: Fisheries CO-MANAGEMENT POTENTIAL FOR MARINE TURTLE FISHERIES IN ANGUILLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, MONTSERRAT, AND TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS Lisa M. Campbell1, Annette ...

Data from: High rates of growth recorded for hawksbill sea turtles in Anegada, British Virgin Islands

UK Overseas Territories in the Northeast Caribbean: Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat

World Seas: an Environmental Evaluation, 2019

Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Terr... more Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Montserrat are three United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) located in the north-eastern Caribbean region. Their local economies shifted from agriculture and artisanal fishing to tourism after the advent of international travel to the Caribbean in the 1950s and 1960s, but this has not been without adverse environmental impacts. Ensuring the protection of the very assets that attract visitors to each Territory is critical, but is increasingly more difficult due to both preexisting issues and due to the increasingly prevalent impacts of climate change. What immediate actions each Territory takes now will ultimately determine the future sustainability of their marine and coastal resources.

Anegada: An Emergent Pleistocene Reef Island

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum... more Anegada is part of the British Virgin Islands, and is a low lying limestone island with a maximum elevation of 8 m. It has extensive salt ponds and wetlands. It is entirely different from the rest of the British Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico which together form the Puerto Rican/Virgin Islands microplate. It formed as part of a massive coral reef system during the last Interglacial highstand 130,000 ± 2k to 119,000 ± 2k years before present. Its western side is comprised of dune and beach ridge complexes, lagoons and mangroves, known as the Anegada Ridge Plain Formation. The eastern side of the island is distinguished by the indurated coral reef limestone with modified karst topography including solution pits and sinkholes. Contiguous with Anegada is the Horseshoe Reef and together these cover approximately 133 km2. The reefs have two distinctive facies, a high energy reef front along the north-eastern windward side of the island, and a series of patch reefs with a marked northwest/southeast orientation aligned to prevailing wind and waves on the southern leeward side. The width from shoreline to the reef crest varies widely, from 5 m to 3 km with a sandy lagoon with abundant seagrasses and algae. From the eastern tip of the island a barrier reef extends approximately 14 km southeastwardly to an area where the horseshoe shape of the reef turns almost 90 to the south. As with many reefs in the Caribbean, heavy mortalities of Acropora (and Diadema) greatly reduced live coral cover in the 1980s. The island has considerable resiliency and ability to adjust to both extreme events and prevailing conditions including, perhaps, those introduced by climate change. Although the coastline displays alternating areas of erosion and accumulation of sand with up to 300 m of change, the long-term result has been a counter-clockwise rotation of the western side of the island.

Introduction to Reefs and Shorelines of the British Virgin Islands

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a... more The British Virgin Islands form the eastern edge of the Greater Antilles island chain, lying on a carbonate microplate located on a subsiding island arc. There are over 60 high volcanic islands with granite-like magma intrusions on which the present reefs have developed, on approximately 420 km of coastline. Marine habitats around the volcanic islands include seagrass meadows, muds, carbonate banks and coral reefs. Most reefs are fringing reefs which have developed on narrow shelves which average 500 m in width between low tide and the 20 m depth contour. Some coral cays exist also, a number supporting rich mangroves. Tourism has become increasingly important, and with it a shift occurred in the BVI from preserving natural resources for local subsistence to its exploitation for economic gain; one aspect of the tourism being development of the world’s largest concentration of charter yachts which, initially at least, severely damaged several reefs by extensive anchoring. Reefs also suffer from shoreline development, resulting in extensive damage around the main populated island. Environmental legislation that did exist did not keep up with the advancement of scientific knowledge, and updating legislation has since become a well-recognized need in the BVI, with some success, though resources are insufficient. As with many Caribbean locations, the white-band disease of Acropora, and the Diadema mortality, along with (more recently) warming episodes, have caused substantial degradation to the reefs of the BVI.

Marine Protected Areas and Management in the British Virgin Islands

Coral Reefs of the World, 2013

The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition... more The British Virgin Islands has 14 declared protected areas in the marine environment. In addition, the ‘British Virgin Islands Protected Areas System Plan 2007–2017’ identifies another 40 areas for inclusion in the marine protected area (MPA) network, with designation in progress. The overall goal of the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands (NPTVI) was to create a network of marine protected areas that reflects the major marine and coastal habitats of the BVI, whilst protecting 30 % of the important biological habitats; to cluster protected areas together so that they can be easily managed; and to ensure that there are MPAs distributed across the BVI in order to ensure ‘resilience’ within the network. Network design utilised a mixed approach, with Marxan modelling, field assessment of marine habitats and stakeholder input.

Ecology and evolution, 2014

Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such ... more Management of species of conservation concern requires knowledge of demographic parameters, such as rates of recruitment, survival, and growth. In the Caribbean, hawksbill turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) have been historically exploited in huge numbers to satisfy trade in their shells and meat. In the present study, we estimated growth rate of juvenile hawksbill turtles around Anegada, British Virgin Islands, using capture-mark-recapture of 59 turtles over periods of up to 649 days. Turtles were recaptured up to six times, having moved up to 5.9 km from the release location. Across all sizes, turtles grew at an average rate of 9.3 cm year(-1) (range 2.3-20.3 cm year(-1)), and gained mass at an average of 3.9 kg year(-1) (range 850 g-16.1 kg year(-1)). Carapace length was a significant predictor of growth rate and mass gain, but there was no relationship between either variable and sea surface temperature. These are among the fastest rates of growth reported for this species, with s...

Framework development for beach management in the British Virgin Islands

Ocean & Coastal Management, 2007

Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability an... more Development pressures along with a growing tourism industry threaten ecological sustainability and long-term commercial success of beaches and nearby coastal habitats in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Legislation pertaining to beach management is limited and specific ...

Marine Policy, 2009

Co-management between local communities and government agencies is promoted as a strategy to impr... more Co-management between local communities and government agencies is promoted as a strategy to improve fisheries management. This paper considers the potential for co-management of sea turtle fisheries within four UK Overseas Territories (OTs) in the Caribbean, and for coordinated management among those territories. We focus on fisher incentives for engaging in co-management and on the potential to scale up co-management to a regional level. This paper presents data from Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos Islands, where 110 turtle fishers participated in a socioeconomic survey undertaken as part of the 'Turtles in the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean' project. Based on three established criteria for co-management (perceived crisis in stock, willingness to participate and community cohesion), results suggest that fisher support for co-management exists within each OT, but the extent of support for and views of specific management interventions varies among OTs. The implications of results for co-management in each territory, and for establishing coordinated management regimes in the region, are discussed in the context of current debates about the nature of resources and scalar (mis)matches between resource and management regimes.