From Amigoe

WILLEMSTAD — The invasive sea grass Halophila stipulacea has spread to more islands in the Caribbean area since 2011. According to former director of Carmabi, Dr. Dolfi Debrot – currently researcher of Imares, the marine institute of the University of Wageningen – the sea grass is meanwhile seen on Curaçao, Aruba and St. Eustatius.

“Two years ago this sea grass was only seen on St. Maarten and Bonaire. So far I’ve only seen this on Curaçao in the St. Jorisbaai but perhaps it’s also found elsewhere on the island”, Debrot said. The research confirmed that the sea grass is spreading quickly. In ten years, since the first observations of the sea grass, researchers concluded that the species has spread widely over the eastern Caribbean area on nineteen islands. Researchers assume that the commercial and recreational trend play a role with the spread.

According to Debrot, the sea grass Halophila stipulacea, mainly found in habitats without surge, in protected lagoons, on the lee side of the islands, or in deeper water. On St. Eustatius this invasive sea grass was even found at a depth of 26 meters. These findings are included in an article that will soon appear in Aquatic Botany.

Dense overgrowth

The sea grass appears to be an invasive species. It grows in a dense form on the bottom with a cover percentage of 85. A research currently conducted by Imares on Bonaire is to reveal if the sea grass can serve as nutrition for the green turtle and if the spread of the sea grass has an impact on the fish fauna. As the Amigoe reported earlier, Debrot also spoke with local experts some six months ago about developing a strategy against invasive exotic species considered as harmful for the BES-islands. These experts included Gerard van Buurt, an expert on agriculture and invasive species; Faisal Dilrosun, policy worker of the Ministry of Health, Environment and Nature; entomologist Giselle Seferina of the Directorate of Health, and plant expert John de Freitas from Carmabi.

“A strategy must be found to withstand the huge wave of harmful species invading the islands. This wave is mainly caused by the explosive increase in import of live material. An inventory last year showed that the Caribbean islands of the Kingdom are already confronted with the consequences of more than 200 exotic species. The economic consequences due to damage and control are enormous”, Debrot stated earlier before this newspaper.

He said the consequences haven’t been charted entirely yet. The aim is to indicate the most important action points of this huge problem – together with the islands and other partners of Wageningen – for a more effective approach.  Debrot is working out a strategy by order of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs.

For more on this story go to:

http://www.amigoe.com/english/169604-invasive-sea-grass-spreads-to-caribbean-area