The report focuses on three habitats that are characteristic of coastal ecosystems in the wider Caribbean, namely coral reefs, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows. These three habitats are part of the reef fisheries ecosystem, one of the three focal sub-ecosystems of the CLME+ SAP. Although other sub-ecosystems, such as the mudflats of the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NBSLME), are part of the reef fisheries ecosystem, they are not included in this report as the focus is driven by the reporting needs of the SPAW Sub-programme.
The report highlights the status and trends of the three habitats, identifies the drivers and pressures, summarises the interventions to address the pressures, identifies gaps in response, identifies emerging challenges, and proposes actions to improve management of the target habitats. The report also provides background information and context for the development of a Regional Strategy and Action Plan for the conservation of coral reef, mangrove, and seagrass habitats in the wider Caribbean, which is also being prepared by the SPAW Sub-programme of the CEP as an output of the CLME+ Project. The Regional Strategy and Action Plan will be presented to the Eleventh Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the SPAW Protocol in 2021.