andros barrier reef

• Location

  Located in the Bahamas, off the southeast coast of Florida, USA
• Andros Barrier Reef

  • Third most extensive coral reef system in the world
  • Stretches for approximately 200km
• Species found in the Andros Barrier Reef

  • 164 species of fish and coral, including red snapper, reef shark and green turtle
• Interdependence

  Fish benefit from safety and shelter of the reef for breeding
• Coral benefits from

  Nitrogen excreted by the fish and the material from the sea bed swept up by fish shoals
• Value -Tourism

  • Recreational activities such as fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving
  • Brings in over $150 million a year for the local economy
• Value -Fish

  • Attract the tourists and caught and sold both within the Bahamas and abroad
  • Lobster and snapper earn locals millions of dollars
• Value -Breeding grounds

  Shelter for fish to breed, especially in mangrove forests
• Value -Coastal protection

  Reduces coastal erosion and flooding as the shallow water causes waves to break before they reach the land
• Value -Medicine

  Chemicals released by coral species may help cure various diseases including asthma
• Value -Research

  The Andros Barrier Reef is one of the healthiest in the world and so scientists use it for research
• Threats to the Andros Barrier Reef

  • Overfishing
  • Tourism (tourists touching and standing on the coral)
  • Land-based pollution (chemicals from agriculture or sewage)
  • Marine-based pollution (oil, chemicals, anchors)
  • Climate change (higher temperatures causing coral bleaching)
• Andros West Side National Park

  • Created by the government in 2002 to balance long-standing traditions of the island such as sponging and fishing
  • Aims to promote ecotourism, conservation and recreational fishing
  • Developments in the National Park are strictly controlled
• North and South Marine Park

  • Established in 2002
  • Areas of conservation where some activities are regulated or prohibited (fishing, mining, scuba diving, anchoring of ships, discharging of materials)
• Crab Replenishment Reserve


  • Identified as the best land crab habitat in central Andros
  • Set aside to ensure a sustainable crab population for the future generations
• Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park

  • A coral nursery has been established
  • Threatened species are conserved and monitored before being planted back in the coral reef
• Future Management Plans


  • Plans to establish a new National Park to the north of Andros Island at Joulter Cays
  • This part of the reef is well known for its fishing but is under pressure from excessive fishing, damage from boats and marine discards (oil etc)
• Lionfish are invading the reef and since they have no natural predators, they can wipe out up to 80% of fish stocks
• The BNT who look after the reef have lost money every year since 2002. Can this continue?
• Tourism is harming the reef. Boat anchors and divers can damage the reef
• Pollution is a serious challenge. Cloudy water starves the polyps from photosynthesising