Maps and reports
This section presents the outputs of recent work on marine mammals distribution, status, threats, and protections. Some of the following documents are freely viewable and downloadable. To consult restricted access files, you must log in below.
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You will find here the outputs (PDF format) that were produced under component 1 of the Lifeweb project for the Wider Caribbean. To access the raw GIS files that were used to make the maps, please log in above.
The two and a half year UNEP-Spain Lifeweb project aims to assist countries develop and apply cross-sectoral ecosystem approaches to management of human threats to marine mammals. The inter-regional initiative was launched by UNEP in June 2010 through financial support from the Government of Spain under the UNEP-Spain Partnership for the LifeWeb Initiative. Initial activities and outputs include mapping of critical marine mammal habitats and regional-scale migration routes together with socio- economic information on human activities to underpin broad-scale spatial planning and management of human impacts on large marine mammals in Caribbean and Southeast and Northeast Pacific waters. The project further aims to assist planners and managers initiate transboundary management and governance of marine resources via capacity building and technical guidance on marine spatial planning.
In the sections below are presented the outputs of component 1 (mapping) for the Wider Caribbean Region. The outputs are organized into five categories :
distribution maps of the 25 marine mammals species encompassed in the project ; maps displaying the species richness in the WCR ; maps representing the major threats and impacts of human activities ; maps that report the main protection measures that have been put in place for marine mammals throughout the region ; and eventually, a series of 3 synthetic maps where species richness is overlaid with datalayers on threats and impacts in order to tentatively identify critical areas for further discussion on management options.All the maps were prepared and produced by GRID-Arendal (Jean-Nicolas POUSSART), with the assistance, for the distribution and species richness maps, of the Whales and Dolphins Conservation Society (Kristin KASCHNER) and of a number of experts led by Dr Randall REEVES.
Please click on the title on each section to access the maps, and the corresponding factsheets (in french, english and spanish) that summarize the methods used to elaborate them
The table below provides a summary of all available outputs. Please note that, in some cases, no method factsheet was established when the method is simple and as such presented directly on the maps.
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You will find here all the distribution maps that were produced during the course of the project, as well as explanatory factsheets summarizing the method used for each species (except manatees where the method is summarized directly on the maps).
Please consult first the note that presents the general method used to generate the maps. Individual factsheets provide then more insight on the options that were taken for each species.
Maps and factsheets are organized in Zip files (one Zip for each species, with the distribution map and explanatory factsheets in english, french and spanish). You can also download all the maps at once using the Zip files at the end of this section, and the same goes for factsheets (grouped by language)
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Below are two synthetic maps that present the species richness within the region based respectively on the 25 marine mammal species included in the project, and on three species that were selected (namely humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins, and sperwhales). Each map displays the species richness using geographic cells and the probability, given the individual occurence maps, of having a given number of species in a given cell.
NB : no factsheet is attached to the maps, as the method is summarized directly on the maps in both cases
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This section presents the maps that were produced to display major human impacts that can adversely affect marine mammals in the Wider Caribbean. All the maps are accompanied by explanatory factsheets except for the one representing coastal development, where a summary of the method is provided directly on the map.
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Here is made available a series of maps that try and represent the protection measures that have been put in place for marine mammals. Two major measures were considered : Marine protected areas for marine mammals, with two maps provided here (one on MPA for marine mammals in general, the second on MPAs that can potentially meet the specific needs of manatees) ; and legislation regarding direct take of marine mammals. Please note that for the latter the information is still incomplete, hence the mention of "legislation found". Factsheets accompany each map with more details on the approach for their elaboration, except for the map on MPAs for manatees where the method is summarized directly on the map.
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Three synthetic maps are proposed here, that all combine species richness with a number of major threats and impacts :
species richness and cumulative human impact. Please note that, for the sake of visibility, it was decided to represent here areas that contain high species richness, and a high level of cumulative human impact. A simple overlaying of the initial map couldn’t lead to a proper output, easy to read and interpret. The map is thus built by extracting the highest value of both maps, and then by overlaying the resulting layers. This map can be used as background information to inform discussions on critical areas where marine mammals populations are important, but face a number of pressures ; species richnes and marine traffic. Here the underlying idea is to complement the first map above with a vision of critical routes, or corridors, where marine mammals are important but where there is also intense shipping ; species richness and MPAs. This map helps identify the existing coverage on the areas with high species richness by spatial protection tools, and the remaining gaps.
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You will find here the raw GIS files that were used to make the Lifeweb project outputs.
In the sections below are presented the raw outputs of component 1 (mapping) for the Wider Caribbean Region. As for the PDF maps, the GIS files are organized into five categories:
- distribution datalayers of the 25 marine mammals species encompassed in the project ;
- datalayers displaying the species richness in the WCR ;
- datalayers representing the major threats and impacts of human activities ;
- datalayers that report the main protection measures that have been put in place for marine mammals throughout the region ;
- and eventually, a series of base map datalayers of the WCR (coastlines, countries boundaries, EEZ & marine ecoregion)
All the datalayers were prepared and produced by GRID-Arendal (Jean-Nicolas POUSSART), with the assistance, for the distribution and species richness maps, of the Whales and Dolphins Conservation Society (Kristin KASCHNER) and of a number of experts led by Dr Randall REEVES.
Please click on the title on each section to access the datalayer. You will find the corresponding factsheets (in french, english and spanish) that summarize the methods used to elaborate them in the previous tab "Outputs of the LifeWeb Project - PDFs".
The table below provides a summary of all available GIS files.
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER : The files below are raw files. Users can freely view and download maps, but are kindly requested not to disseminate them to wider audiences.
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