CARIB-FATE: with data to sustainable coasts
The coral reefs around Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius (the BES islands) are important for people and nature but are under pressure from pollution and climate change. Within the CARIB-FATE project, Deltares is working with local parties to develop a digital service that maps pollution sources and dispersion in order to restore biodiversity and strengthen the blue economy.
Insight into pollution and dispersion
To address these challenges, the Nature and Environment Policy Plan for the Caribbean Netherlands 2020–2030 includes the development of a model schematisation and a monitoring plan for water quality around the BES islands. The CARIB-FATE project builds on these monitoring and modelling efforts.
Within this project, a digital service is being developed that provides insight into the dominant sources and dispersion routes of pollution in coastal waters. The aim is to support the restoration of coastal biodiversity -particularly coral reefs- and to strengthen the blue economy, especially sectors that directly depend on healthy coral ecosystems, such as tourism.
CARIB-FATE is part of the Copernicus Marine National Collaboration Programme, which facilitates the use of Copernicus Marine data in combination with national models. These data and models support policymakers in EU Member States in making informed decisions about coastal management and environmental policy.
“This project gives us the freedom to make an impact,” says Deltares expert Lorinc Meszaros. "Although some directions had already been laid down in the proposal, we wanted to take a fresh look and only do things that are really relevant. We looked at the implementation agenda of the Nature and Environment Policy Plan for the Caribbean Netherlands 2020-2030 and started designing model scenarios based on the policy measures that local stakeholders also found interesting."
Digital decision support
The project is developing a tool to support decision-making using knowledge and models from Deltares, such as Delft3D FM and OpenEarth Tools. Policy makers will then be able to explore scenarios, for example pollution or the effects of specific measures, and interactively use the data from the coastal model via a web application.
Challenges
Lorinc explains more about the challenges encountered so far: "During the first stakeholder meeting, we discovered that our current method of modelling nutrient input from land to coastal waters is inadequate. An important component is missing, namely groundwater flow. This meant that we had to change our original plan to simulate policy measures for nutrient reduction."
A follow-up study was therefore already clear, he says: "Insight into the groundwater dynamics of the BES islands. Either through measurement campaigns or groundwater modelling. It has become clear that this is a very important component.”
Cooperation with local parties
A wide range of stakeholders are involved in the project: from national and local authorities to universities, local institutes and Dutch knowledge organisations. The decision support service is being designed in close collaboration with the local authorities of the BES islands to ensure that the results are well aligned with the local context and needs.
One of the best things about this project was talking to local stakeholders from Bonaire (Openbaar Lichaam Bonaire) and understanding their perspective on what is and isn't useful in the local context.
Lorinc Meszaros, researcher at Deltares
Strategic basis
The modelling framework was originally developed within a Strategic Research Programme, funded by SITO institute funding from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The further development of the model and the digital service is made possible by the Copernicus Marine Service.
