70 Marine Protected Areas Assessed in National Conservation Effort

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Bahamas Project for Marine Conservation (BPMC) reached a major milestone this year by successfully assessing 70 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) across the country.

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The evaluations were conducted using the internationally standardized Management Effectiveness Tracking Tool (METT), which provides a clearer picture of existing strengths and areas needing improvement. Project partners included the Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the Department of Marine Resources (DMR), the Department of Environmental Planning & Protection (DEPP), the Forestry Unit, and the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (BPAF).

Over five months, conservation experts, park wardens, and technical specialists from these organizations collaborated to gather and compile data on MPAs across The Bahamas.

This milestone is crucial, as the country has substantially expanded its national coverage of management-effectiveness assessments. The framework for this endeavor began in the early 2000s, with the BNT using both PAME and METT assessments to collect data and monitor several marine protected areas across the country.

BPMC Monitoring & Evaluation Consultant Jacklyn Chisholm-Lightbourne explained that filling these data gaps better supports future planning, investment, and management action. “The most important aspect of this is that we’re taking the protected areas that are ‘paper parks’ and transforming them into actually fully and effectively managed protected areas. This allows us to identify what’s going on in each of these parks and helps us identify specific issues and necessary resources, while also supporting fisheries, tourism, and other related industries through conservation,” Chisholm-Lightbourne said.

The assessment framework was developed between April and June 2026. The work included reviewing previous METT and similar evaluations, as well as incorporating the data into a broader structure alongside management plans, gazettes, studies, and monitoring information. To carry out the process, the Project Management Unit established an interagency working group with representatives from partner organizations including the BNT, DMR, DEPP, BPAF, and the Forestry Unit. The group met frequently over five months, grouping the MPAs into geographic and island clusters.

A tiered approach was used to execute the national assessment process efficiently. As part of this process, two in-person workshops were held in Nassau, bringing together project partners from the capital, Abaco, Andros, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, and Inagua. Environmental specialists from non-governmental and private entities also attended select sessions to offer further insight and establish consistent assessment and documentation practices. Additionally, consultants traveled to several family islands to engage with and gather feedback from local community members.

The assessment documented site-specific management strengths, threats, and protected area values in a comprehensive report. Key management gaps and challenges were identified, with recurring notes highlighting the impacts of climate change and pollution from human activity. Priority management actions were also outlined, including the need for capacity building and dedicated funding for monitoring and maintenance.

The primary objective of the assessments was to provide actionable insights into current management conditions and identify opportunities to strengthen management. Facilitator of the 2026 Bahamas METT Assessment, Rich Wilson of Seatone Consulting, explained that with the assessments now completed, trends can be analyzed across the MPA network, including recurring strengths, gaps and priority areas for action. “This assessment gives The Bahamas its most comprehensive picture yet of how its marine protected areas are emerging and being managed. By looking systematically across 70 MPAs, we can see where management is working well, where common challenges exist, and where additional attention and resources could make the greatest difference.” He continued, “The real value of this national baseline is that it gives managers and decision-makers a common point of reference — not simply to measure where things stand today, but to set priorities, guide future investment and track progress in strengthening MPA management over time.”

Looking ahead, the PMU is preparing for a final workshop at the end of October, working once again with Wilson. With the assessments completed, the team is shifting its focus to analysis and implementation. During the upcoming workshop, stakeholders will review the findings, analyze patterns by island/MPA cluster, prioritize management actions, and build capacity for future evaluations. “The third workshop is kind of the bridge that goes back to the first two workshops and builds on everything we’ve learned from doing all these assessments and links to the future in terms of what are the actions we need to put in place to move forward and, ideally, over time, improve management of these marine protected areas based on what we learned during the assessments,” Wilson said.

Completing these 70 assessments has established a robust national evidence base. The BPMC is now leveraging these findings to strengthen MPA management as the project transitions into developing a climate-smart management plan.