Eastern Caribbean Islands IMMA
Size in Square Kilometres
133 300 km2
Qualifying Species and Criteria
Sperm Whale – Physeter macrocephalus
Criterion A; Criterion B (1)
Short-finned Pilot Whale – Globicephala macrorhynchus
Criterion B (2)
Fraser’s dolphin – Lagenodelphis hosei
Criterion B (2)
Melon-headed Whale – Peponocephala electra
Criterion B (2)
Pantropical spotted dolphin – Stenella attenuata
Criterion B (1)
Spinner dolphin – Stenella longirostris
Criterion B (2)
Marine Mammal Diversity
Balaenoptera brydei, Feresa attenuata, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Grampus griseus, Kogia breviceps, Kogia sima, Lagenodelphis hosei, Megaptera novaeangliae, Mesoplodon densirostris, Mesoplodon europaeus, Orcinus orca, Peponocephala electra, Physeter macrocephalus, Pseudorca crassidens, Stenella attenuata, Stenella clymene, Stenella coeruleoalba, Stenella frontalis, Stenella longirostris, Steno bredanensis, Tursiops truncatus, Ziphius cavirostris
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Summary
The Eastern Caribbean IMMA encompasses the Lesser Antillean arch from Anguilla in the north to Grenada in the south, including Barbados. It extends from the island coasts to the 2,000m contour, encompassing a large portion of the Grenada Basin. The area includes a variety of important habitats: continental shelf, shallow banks, shelf break, canyons, inter-island channels, deep waters and seamounts. Within this area there are three distinct cultural clans of Vulnerable sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus); small and resident populations of pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata); aggregations of several delphinid species; as well as feeding areas for multiple delphinid species. The area sustains a high diversity of 22 commonly observed marine mammal species. The IMMA includes portions of the French Agoa and Dutch Yarari Sanctuaries, and fully encompasses the Dominica National Sperm Whale Reserve and many smaller national marine protected areas along the chain. It is also almost entirely contained within the boundaries of the Eastern Caribbean EBSA.
Description of Qualifying Criteria
Criterion A: Species or Population Vulnerability
The area provides important habitat for a unique community of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), that are assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (Taylor. et al., 2019). Data indicate a concerning decline in populations over time (Whitehead and Shin 2022). From an estimated pre-whaling global population of about 1,950,000, the species experienced a significant reduction to about 850,000 in 2022. Concerns persist that some populations of sperm whales continue to decline, including those in the IMMA (Gero and Whitehead 2016) which are estimated to number fewer than 600 individuals (Vachon et al 2024). Based on two large aerial surveys (Remmoa) in February 2008 and October 2017, the density of sperm whales in the IMMA was estimated to be 0.10-0.13 ind/100km² (Laran et al, 2019).
Criterion B: Distribution and Abundance
Sub-criterion B1: Small and Resident Populations
High re-identification rates, small scale movement patterns, and fine-scale habitat use modelling suggest that the community of sperm whales using the IMMA is small and isolated (Gero et al 2014). There have been no matches between female sperm whales from the Eastern Caribbean to any other site in which research has been conducted nearby (Gulf of Mexico, Bahamas, Sargasso Sea; Gero et al 2007), except for 2 recent matches of females with Dominican Republic (CCS, 2024).
In addition, Vachon et al (2022a,b) demonstrate fine scale habitat preferences and dramatically smaller movement patterns for this community compared to those studied in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Capture-Mark-Recapture models based on photo-identification in Martinique and Guadeloupe identified two clusters of pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata), qualified as “frequent users” and “occasional visitors”. Frequent users are estimated to be 657 (95% CI: 525–821) in Guadeloupe, and 336 (95% CI: 253–446) in Martinique. Individuals qualified as visitors were estimated to be 3,063 (95% CI: 2,133–4,398) and 1,443 (95% CI: 1,024–2,033), respectively (Courtin et al. 2023). The distinction in site fidelity between groups and the very low recapture rate between islands (1 individual between 2014 and 2019) also suggests a community residency by island (Courtin et al. 2023).
Sub-criterion B2: Aggregations
Recent boat surveys conducted in the IMMA during both wet and dry seasons have documented spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris), Fraser’s dolphins (Lagenodelphis hosei), melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra), and short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) aggregated in groups of 100s to 1000s (Gandilhon, 2012, Bernus et al., 2024; CCS, unpublished data). Such aggregations have also been documented in the past and include mixed species assemblages (Gero et al 2006; Coché et al 2021, 2024). The underlying reason(s) for such aggregations are still unclear but the high densities are likely to be linked to the high diversity of habitats found along the Caribbean coast and continental slope; as well as being associated with foraging patches perhaps driven by both the island eddies, upwelling, and sargassum patches.
Criterion D: Special Attributes
Sub-criterion D2: Diversity
The area includes a variety of important habitats for cetaceans, including shallow banks, continental shelf, shelf breaks, canyons, channels, deep waters and seamounts; therefore supporting a large diversity of species. In addition to the six species listed above, a further 18 cetacean species have been commonly recorded in the Eastern Caribbean through ongoing research including humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni), Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), Clymene dolphins (Stenella clymene), striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens), pygmy killer whales (Feresa attenuata), Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis), common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis), killer whales (Orcinus orca), pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps), dwarf sperm whales (Kogia sima), Gervais’ beaked whales (Mesoplodon europaeus), Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) and Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius longirostris) (Gero et al 2006, Yoshida et al, 2010, Gandilhon, 2012, Coché et al 2021, 2024, Bernus et al., 2024, CCS Unpublished data, Gero unpublished data). Importantly, photo identification has yielded matches between islands across the IMMA for several of these species suggesting inter-island movement and a need for cross-boundary international management (Gero et al 2007; Vachon et al 2022a,b, 2024, Bernier et al., 2023, Martin-Marin et al., 2023, Renia et al., 2023, Simon et al., 2023, Bernus et al., 2024; CCS unpublished data; Gero, unpublished data).
Supporting Information
Bernier Lucas & CCS team. 2023. ‘Fraser’s dolphin in the Lesser Antilles: Distribution, Habitat Preferences and Co-occurrence Behavior. Master 2 University of Leeds’, Caribbean Cetacean Society. Available at: https://www.ccs-ngo.com/_files/ugd/7593c5_71be2e0e8657488a9d6f7379e5f9c0db.pdf (Accessed: 14 May 2024)
Bernus, J., Mac Donald, S., and The CCS Team. 2024. ‘Ti Whale An Nou: Preliminary results from standardised cetacean monitoring in the highly geopolitically complex Lesser Antilles demonstrating the need for harmonised marine governance’. Paper presented to the Small Cetacean Subcommittee at the 58th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Committee (SC/69B/SM/13)
Brakes, P., Carroll, E.L., Dall, S.R., Keith, S.A., McGregor, P.K., Mesnick, S.L., Noad, M.J., Rendell, L., Robbins, M.M., Rutz, C. and Thornton, A., 2021. ‘A deepening understanding of animal culture suggests lessons for conservation’. Proceedings of the Royal Society B, 288(1949), p.20202718.
Brakes, P., Dall, S.R., Aplin, L.M., Bearhop, S., Carroll, E.L., Ciucci, P., Fishlock, V., Ford, J.K., Garland, E.C., Keith, S.A. and McGregor, P.K., 2019. ‘Animal cultures matter for conservation’. Science, 363(6431), pp.1032-1034.
CCS, 2024. ‘Scientific Report: Marine Megafauna Research Expedition for the Establishment of a Marine Protected Area around the Beata Ridge’, Dominican Republic.
Coché, L., Arnaud, E., Bouveret, L., David, R., Foulquier, E., Gandilhon, N., Jeannesson, E., Le Bras, Y., Lerigoleur, E., Lopez, P.J. and Madon, B., 2021. ‘Kakila database: Towards a FAIR community approved database of cetacean presence in the waters of the Guadeloupe Archipelago, based on citizen science’. Biodiversity Data Journal, 9.
Coché L, Arnaud E, Bouveret L, David R, Foulquier E, Gandilhon N, Jeannesson E, Le Bras Y, Lerigoleur E, Lopez P J, Madon B, Sananikone J, Sèbe M, Le Berre I, Jung J (2024). ‘Kakila database of marine mammal observation data around the French archipelago of Guadeloupe in the AGOA sanctuary – French Antilles (old version)’. Version 1.2. GBIF France. Sampling event dataset. Available at: https://doi.org/10.21373/qcqr4k (Accessed via GBIF.org: 10 April 2024)
Courtin, B., Millon, C., Feunteun, A., Safi, M., Duporge, N., Bolaños-Jiménez, J., Barragán-Barrera, D.C., Bouveret, L. and de Montgolfier, B., 2023. ‘Site fidelity and population parameters of pantropical spotted dolphins in the Eastern Caribbean through photographic identification’. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10, p.939263.
Gandilhon, N., 2012. Contribution au recensement des cétacés dans l’archipel de Guadeloupe (Doctoral dissertation, Université des Antilles (UA)-Site de Guadeloupe, FRA).
Gero, S., and Whitehead, H., 2006. ‘Opportunistic sightings of small cetaceans off the leeward shore of the Commonwealth of Dominica’. Report SC/58/SM1 presented to the Small Cetacean Subcommittee at the 58th annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission Scientific Commitee.
Gero, S. and Whitehead, H., 2016. ‘Critical decline of the Eastern Caribbean sperm whale population’. PLoS One, 11(10), p.e0162019.
Gero, S., Bøttcher, A., Whitehead, H. and Madsen, P.T., 2016. ‘Socially segregated, sympatric sperm whale clans in the Atlantic Ocean’. Royal Society Open Science, 3(6), p.160061.
Gero, S., Milligan, M., Rinaldi, C., Francis, P., Gordon, J., Carlson, C., Steffen, A., Tyack, P., Evans, P. and Whitehead, H., 2014. ‘Behavior and social structure of the sperm whales of Dominica, West Indies’. Marine Mammal Science, 30(3), pp.905-922.
Feunteun, A., Safi, M. and de Mongolfier, B., 2019. ‘État des connaissances sur la fréquentation des cétacés en baie de Fort-De-France et les risques de perturbations liés au trafic maritime’. Rapport final pour le Grand Port Maritime de Martinique. 68p.
Hersh, T.A., Gero, S., Rendell, L., Cantor, M., Weilgart, L., Amano, M., Dawson, S.M., Slooten, E., Johnson, C.M., Kerr, I. and Payne, R., 2022. ‘Evidence from sperm whale clans of symbolic marking in non-human cultures’. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(37), p.e2201692119.
Hugon, F., Maalouf, J-P., Combes, M., Olhasque, O., Polinice, L., Virgili, A. and Couvat, J. Forthcoming. ‘Modelling cetacean habitats in the Eastern Caribbean: a study combining data from multiple sources’. PCI Ecology.
Kennedy, A.S. and Clapham, P.J., 2017. ‘From Whaling to Tagging: The Evolution of North Atlantic Humpback Whale Research in the West Indies’. Marine Fisheries Review, 79(2).
Laran, S., Bassols, N., Dorémus, G., Authier, M., Ridoux, V. and Van Canneyt, O. 2019. ‘Distribution et abondance de la mégafaune marine aux Petites Antilles et en Guyane’. REMMOA II Petites Antilles et Guyane – 2017. Rapport final Observatoire Pelagis (UMS 3462, Université de La Rochelle / CNRS) & Agence française pour la Biodiversité. Available at: https://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/12-RAPPORT_REMMOA_ANTGUY_FINAL_2019.pdf (Accessed: 14 May 2024)
Martin-Marin Salomé & CCS team, 2023. ‘Etude préliminaire de la distribution, des mouvements et de l’abondance de la population de globicéphales tropicaux (Globicephala macrorhynchus), dans les Petites Antilles’. Master 2 La Rochelle Université, Caribbean Cetacean Society, Available at: https://www.ccs-ngo.com/_files/ugd/7593c5_9edfa1624bc241ccb550e7b853f46d01.pdf (Accessed 14 May 2024)
Rendell, L.E. and Whitehead, H., 2003. ‘Vocal clans in sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)’. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, 270(1512), pp.225-231.
Renia Ludvina & CCS team, 2023. ‘Etude préliminaire de la distribution, des mouvements, de l’abondance relative et des menaces associées des dauphins tachetés pantropicaux « Stenella attenuata » dans les Petites Antilles’. Master 2 Université des Antilles , Caribbean Cetacean Society, Available at : https://www.ccs-ngo.com/_files/ugd/7593c5_ed9bc8259adf49b0a52c97e885279d37.pdf (Accessed 14 May 2024)
Robbins, J., Bérubé, M., Clapham, P.J., Mattila, D.K., Palsbøll, P.J., Asmutis-Silvia, R., Hill, A., Howes, L.J., Landry, S., Lonergan, S. and Schulte, D., 2024. ‘Before and after delisting: population dynamics of North Atlantic humpback whales over two decades in the Gulf of Maine’. bioRxiv, pp.2024-02.
Simon Louise & CCS team, 2023. ‘Distribution, déplacements et utilisation de l’habitat des différents clans du Grand Cachalot dans les Petites Antilles’. Diplôme Ingénieur ENGEES, Caribbean Cetacean Society, Available at: https://www.ccs-ngo.com/_files/ugd/7593c5_aecad3f796a041379d8dcffd5e7b65ec.pdf (Accessed 14 May 2024)
Strevick, P.T., Bouveret, L., Gandilhon, N., Rinaldi, C., Rinaldi, R., Broms, F., Carlson, C., Kennedy, A., Ward, N. and Wenzel, F., 2018. ‘Migratory destinations and timing of humpback whales in the southeastern Caribbean differ from those off the Dominican Republic’. J. Cetacean Res. Manage., 18, pp.127-133.
Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2019. ‘Physeter macrocephalus (amended version of 2008 assessment)’. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T41755A160983555. Availablele at: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T41755A160983555.en. (Accessed 14 May 2024)
Vachon, F., Hersh, T.A., Rendell, L., Gero, S. and Whitehead, H., 2022a. ‘Ocean nomads or island specialists? Culturally driven habitat partitioning contrasts in scale between geographically isolated sperm whale populations’. Royal Society Open Science, 9(5), p.211737.
Vachon, F., Eguiguren, A., Rendell, L., Gero, S. and Whitehead, H., 2022b. ‘Distinctive, fine‐scale distribution of Eastern Caribbean sperm whale vocal clans reflects island fidelity rather than environmental variables’. Ecology and Evolution, 12(11), p.e9449.
Vachon, F., Rendell, L., Gero, S. and Whitehead, H., 2024. ‘Abundance estimate of Eastern Caribbean sperm whales using large scale regional surveys’. Marine Mammal Science. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13116 (Accessed 14 May 2024)
Watkins, W.A. and Schevill, W.E., 1977. ‘Sperm whale codas’. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 62(6), pp.1485-1490.
Whitehead, H. and Shin, M., 2022. ‘Current global population size, post-whaling trend and historical trajectory of sperm whales’. Scientific Reports, 12(1), p.19468.
Yoshida, H., Compton, J., Punnett, S., Lovell, T., Draper, K., Franklin, G., Norris, N., Phillip, P., Wilkins, R. and Kato, H., 2010. ‘Cetacean sightings in the eastern Caribbean and adjacent waters, spring 2004’. Aquatic Mammals, 36(2).
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