Saba Bank research expedition 2013 - Progress Report

Abstract

The Saba Bank is the largest submerged carbonate platform of 2,200 km2 in the Caribbean Sea, which lies partially within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Netherlands and partially within the territorial waters of Saba and St. Eustatius. The Saba Bank houses an expansive coral reef ecosystem with a rich diversity of species and as such is also an important source of commercial fish for the nearby islands. The Saba Bank research program aims to obtain information on the biodiversity, ecological functioning and carrying capacity for commercial fisheries to facilitate sustainable management of the area