Sanctuaire Agoa
Note: The data were entered in the language of the country of origin (English, French or Spanish) and there is no translation available yet.
Chapter 3. SITE DESCRIPTION
d - Human population and current activities
Inhabitants inside the area or in the zone of potential direct impact on the protected area:
|
Inside the area |
In the zone of potential direct impact |
|
Permanent |
Seasonal |
Permanent |
Seasonal |
Inhabitants |
not given |
not given |
849365 |
3442669 |
Comments about the previous table:
On January 1st, 2010, the population of Martinique is estimated to 399 637 inhabitants and welcomed 620 781 tourists, the same year.
According to the last demographic balance sheet of INSEE (NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR STATISTICS AND ECONOMIC STUDIES), the Guadeloupian population is estimated to 404 394 inhabitants on January 1st, 2010. Guadeloupe welcomed approximately 390 000 tourists the same year.
In 2008, the population of Saint Martin French side counted 36 661 inhabitants, increasing by 23,4 % compared with 1999. The population of Sint-Maarten in 2010 is estimated to 37 429 persons. In 2010, both territories welcomed no less than 2 150 616 tourists.
In 2008, the population of Saint-Barthélemy counted 8 673 inhabitants and in 2010 Saint-Barthélemy welcomed a total of 281 272 visitors.
The Agoa sanctuary has a population of approximately 849 365 inhabitants and welcomes 3 442669 visitors / year.
Description of population, current human uses and development:
MAIN THREATS
|
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
|
IMPACTS ON ANIMALS
|
Persistent disturbance
|
Military activities
Watercraft competition
Professional Fishing
Seismic surveys
|
Scientific research
Maritime traffic (commercial and recreational)
Whale watching
|
|
Desertion of habitats
Increased energy expenditure
Decline in reproduction
Disruption of vital activities and social ties
|
Serious injury to the inner ear
Malfunction of the echolocation system
Behavioral changes
Death of the animal
|
|
Vessel strikes
|
Military activities
Watercraft competition
Professional Fishing
Recreational boat
|
Scientific research
Maritime traffic (commercial and recreational)
Whale watching
|
|
Injuries
Death of the animal
|
Chimical pollution
|
Antropiques activities of terrigenous origin (industry, agriculture, assinissements failed, careening areas ...)
Offshore Piling |
Oil dumping, hydrocarbon leaks, tanker accident ...
Sailing (antifouling paints, waste oils, hydrocarbons ...) |
|
Immune capabilities and reproductices affected can lead to death of the animal, tumors ...
Intoxication (hydrocarbons)
|
Physiological dysfunction (nervous system)
Poisoning newborn
Endocrine disruption
|
|
Bacterial pollution
|
Sailing (direct discharge of sinks and WC
|
domestic wastewater discharge
|
|
Developpement of diseases
|
Large waste
|
Terrestrial human activities
Recreational boat
|
Professional Fishing
Maritime traffic (commercial and recreational)
|
|
Injuries
Death by entanglement or intestinal obstruction
|
Physical degradation and modification of the environment
|
Development offshore and inshore
|
Desertion of habitats
|
Acoustic pollution
|
Military activities
Coastal activities
Watercraft competition
|
Seismic surveys
Scientific research
Maritime trafic
|
|
Serious injury to the inner ear
Malfunction of the echolocation system
Behavioral changes
|
Death of the animal
Temporary or permanent hearing loss
|
|
Mortality and direct injuries
|
Depredation phenomenon
|
Accidental take
|
|
Injuries
|
Death of the animal
|
|
Competition for prey
|
Commercial fishing
Recreational fishery
|
Time quotas for increased foraging
|
Activities |
Current human uses |
Possible development |
Description / comments, if any |
Tourism |
very important |
increase |
|
Fishing |
significant |
increase |
|
Agriculture |
significant |
stable |
|
Industry |
significant |
stable |
|
Forestry |
absent |
stable |
|
Others |
not specified |
not specified |
|
e - Other relevant features
Several recent studies allowed us to list, characterize and locate potential and ascertained anthropogenic pressures on marine mammals and their habitat within the sanctuary. (Annex anthropogenic pressures)
According to these researches, the issues of all the anthropogenic pressures on marine mammal within Agoa can be summarized as follows :
- Issues related to the survival of animals: collisions, illnesses caused by stress or contaminants, entanglement, ingestion of macro-waste and noise pollution are so many threats that face directly marine mammals.
- Issues related to animals growth : low energy balance caused by a nutritional deficiency or by an energy expenditure related to a repetitive disturbance (maritime traffic, whale watching); leakage from feeding areas …
- Issues related to the reproduction and birth rate: which can be reduced by the disease, the disturbances, a low energy balance, a contamination by pollutants and chemical molecules....
- Issues related to the environment: which can be threatened by coastal developments and marine pollution.
Scientific feature:
In Guadeloupe, current knowledge mainly concern sperm whales, thanks to a photo-identification catalog made by AET in the leeward coast for 15 years.
Since 2007, monitoring campaign using transects line protocol, combining visual observations and acoustic detections, are conducted by Breach in the dry season and wet season since 2009.
These campaigns cover the entire coastal area up to about 12 NM offshore.
In Martinique, the relative abundance and distribution of cetaceans in territorial waters are followed by SEPANMAR since five years of field campaigns in wet and dry seasons, combining visual observations and acoustic detections. The protocols used in Martinique and Guadeloupe are a priori the same since 2009.
Since 2012, the antenna of the French marine protected areas Agency in the French Antilles and the technical secretariat of the Agoa sanctuary coordinate the scientific activities in collaboration with governments and local associations.
From March 9th to 14th, the Agoa scientific campaign 2012, directed by the French marine protected areas Agency, in collaboration with the SPAW RAC, and the associations Breach and Sepanmar, has initiated an extensive exploration of marine mammals but also birds, waste, vessels and all anthropogenic activities, in all the French Antilles and the Netherlands Antilles with the islands of Sint-Maarten, Saba and St. Eustatius and also the island of Anguilla. First conducted in the "Northern Islands", it continued from April 9th to 15th in Guadeloupe and Martinique was completed in April 30th. More than 10 species were observed in less than two months of observation. Cetacean acoustic recordings were made??, as well as some unidentified noise that can be described as disturbing to cetaceans. The results of this campaign will be available before the end of 2012.