IUCN Management Category VIII Multiple Use Management Area

Biogeographical Province 8.40.13. (Greater Antillean)

Geographical Location Pedro Cays lie about 94km south of Jamaica. 17°00'N, 77°50'W.

Date and History of Establishment The need to manage the exploitation of the islands resources, especially the birds eggs, was the cause for protective legislation in 1907. The Morant and Pedro Cays Act (1975) makes provision for licensing of all fishing and the taking of turtles, turtle eggs, birds and bird eggs from the Morant and Pedro Cays.

Area The total shelf area less than 50m deep is about 8000sq. km, and that less than 20m deep is about 2400 sq. km. The total land area is about 27ha.

Land Tenure All Jamaican cays are owned by the Commissioner of Lands. None of them can be legally occupied, except certain of the Morant and Pedro Cays which are under the control of the Fisheries Division. Despite this houses and shelters have been constructed in the last 10 years by fishermen on many of the smaller inshore cays.

Altitude 2-5m

Physical Features The Pedro Bank is roughly triangular in outline, 70 km in its long axis (east-west) and about 43 km in width at the western end. Most of the bank has water depths between 5 and 40m, and rises from the sea bed at 800m or more. The submarine topography is fairly flat, the bottom covered with coral rubble, sand and silt, with patches of scattered corals and algae increasing to the south-east where the cays and reefs and shoals are situated. The cays are surrounded by strong currents.

There are four cays on the south-east end of the bank, in an arc curving to the south-west, named North East Cay (7.5ha), which is permanently inhabited by fishermen, Middle Cay (4ha), South-West Cay (15.2ha) and South Cay (0.2ha). The island arc is extended at both ends by reefs and shoals which come close to the water surface, and over which strong seas break heavily. Portland and Blower Rocks are two small outcrops of oolitic limestone which break water to the east of the Pdero Cays.

Climate No information

Vegetation The terrestrial flora is low and sparse with only six indigenous species and a few introduced Cordia spp. bushes and coconut palms.

Fauna Twenty-six species of seabirds have been reported from Jamaica. Of these, thirteen are known to breed there and the Pedro cays are one of the two most important sea bird colonies. Bird species most affected by human exploitation are sooty terns Sterna fuscata and brown noddies Anous stolidus. Other birds which are exploited for their eggs include white-tailed tropic-bird Phaethon lepturus, laughing gull Larus artricilla, bridled tern Sterna anaethetus, least tern Sterna antillarum and royal tern Sterna maxima. Other breeding birds present on the cays include the brown booby Sula leucogaster and masked booby Sula dactylatra.

Cultural Heritage No information

Local Human Population There is limited consumption of eggs by fishermen and their families, Haynes (1987) states that no Jamaican is significantly dependent on birds eggs for either diet or livelihood.

Visitors and Visitor Facilities No information

Scientific Research and Facilities No information

Conservation Value No information

Conservation Management Recommendations for the conservation and management of the most importantnesting areas were made in 1940 and 1947. Several attempts were made by the Jamaican government between 1974 and 1981 to improve management practices. In 1982 a programme of management, conservation and research was started by the Natural Resources Conservation Department (NRCD) with the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force Coastguard (JDF), the Fisheries Division and the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Management Constraints Collection of birds eggs is a traditional practice in Jamaica and dates back several centuries. Present collection of eggs is to supply the luxury market, demand from which stems from the supposed aphrodisiac properties of the eggs. A decline in the numbers of sooty tern S.fuscata and brown noddy A.stolidus was first reported in 1939. Despite the 1940 and 1947 management recommendations by 1970 the tern population had declined to about one-tenth of their 1920's levels.

Staff No information

Budget No information

Local Addresses

No information

References

Haynes,A.M. (1987). Human exploitation of seabirds in Jamaica. Biological Conservation 41(2): 99-124.

Date March 1988