158
WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
The Lesser Antilles,
Trinidad and Tobago
MAPS 6c and d
The
Lesser Antilles are a group of islands lying in
an 800 kilometer long arc, stretching from the
Anegada Passage due east of the Virgin Islands,
southwards to Grenada which lies close to the South
American continental shelf These islands form the
eastern margin of the Caribbean Sea, with the oceanic
waters of the Atlantic to the east. The deep waters of the
Puerto Rico Trench lie to the north and northeast. This
trench is the result of the subduction of the Atlantic plate
under the Caribbean plate. Towards the south, these deep
waters rise up towards the island of Barbados, which lies
about 150 kilometers east of the main island chain.
Geologically the islands are quite varied, but are
dominated by two types, older sedimentary islands and
more recent volcanic ones.
There has been progressive degradation of reefs
throughout the Lesser Antilles over the last two decades.
Many have lost large amounts of live coral cover and there
have been considerable increases in algal cover. Fish
numbers have also decreased, and the average size of
many species is now much reduced as large individuals
rarely survive the intensive fishing which takes place across
the region. Recent hurricanes have been very damaging
to important reef-building species such as Montastrea
annularis, and coral diseases have severely affected
populations of the two shallow species of Acropora.
In the following account, brief descriptions are given
of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, following a sequence
from north to south. Trinidad and Tobago, although distinct
from the Lesser Antilles, is also considered here.
Anguilla
Anguilla is an overseas territory of the UK, and consists of
a small carbonate island together with a number of smaller
offshore cays. Fringing reefs are widespread particularly
on the south coast, and there are other reefs on the offshore
cays. Anguilla has suffered fewer impacts than most other
islands in the region. With no rivers there is little pointsource runoff, and although tourism development has been
significant, it has had little direct impact. Dog Island, some
distance off to the northwest, has reefs which are among
the least impacted and visitors are actively discouraged.
Plans to establish a satellite launching pad on the small
island of Sombrero have recently been overturned, largely
due to environmental concerns. It harbors an important
bird colony, and its surrounding reefs are considered
important, although they remain poorly documented.
Left: Antigua is surrounded by intermittent banl< barrier reef structures, a number of wfiich fall within protected areas
15TS064-76-BB. 19941. Right: S(. Eustatius. Netherlands Antilles, clearly showing the volcanic origin common to many
islands in the Lesser Antilles.
WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
The Lesser Antilles,
Trinidad and Tobago
MAPS 6c and d
The
Lesser Antilles are a group of islands lying in
an 800 kilometer long arc, stretching from the
Anegada Passage due east of the Virgin Islands,
southwards to Grenada which lies close to the South
American continental shelf These islands form the
eastern margin of the Caribbean Sea, with the oceanic
waters of the Atlantic to the east. The deep waters of the
Puerto Rico Trench lie to the north and northeast. This
trench is the result of the subduction of the Atlantic plate
under the Caribbean plate. Towards the south, these deep
waters rise up towards the island of Barbados, which lies
about 150 kilometers east of the main island chain.
Geologically the islands are quite varied, but are
dominated by two types, older sedimentary islands and
more recent volcanic ones.
There has been progressive degradation of reefs
throughout the Lesser Antilles over the last two decades.
Many have lost large amounts of live coral cover and there
have been considerable increases in algal cover. Fish
numbers have also decreased, and the average size of
many species is now much reduced as large individuals
rarely survive the intensive fishing which takes place across
the region. Recent hurricanes have been very damaging
to important reef-building species such as Montastrea
annularis, and coral diseases have severely affected
populations of the two shallow species of Acropora.
In the following account, brief descriptions are given
of the islands of the Lesser Antilles, following a sequence
from north to south. Trinidad and Tobago, although distinct
from the Lesser Antilles, is also considered here.
Anguilla
Anguilla is an overseas territory of the UK, and consists of
a small carbonate island together with a number of smaller
offshore cays. Fringing reefs are widespread particularly
on the south coast, and there are other reefs on the offshore
cays. Anguilla has suffered fewer impacts than most other
islands in the region. With no rivers there is little pointsource runoff, and although tourism development has been
significant, it has had little direct impact. Dog Island, some
distance off to the northwest, has reefs which are among
the least impacted and visitors are actively discouraged.
Plans to establish a satellite launching pad on the small
island of Sombrero have recently been overturned, largely
due to environmental concerns. It harbors an important
bird colony, and its surrounding reefs are considered
important, although they remain poorly documented.
Left: Antigua is surrounded by intermittent banl< barrier reef structures, a number of wfiich fall within protected areas
15TS064-76-BB. 19941. Right: S(. Eustatius. Netherlands Antilles, clearly showing the volcanic origin common to many
islands in the Lesser Antilles.