Abstract
The people and environments of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) currently face significant threats to a critical resource: their fisheries. SIDS often rely on small-scale fisheries for their subsistence or economic needs. These small-scale fisheries are facing risks due to climate change. Additionally, the people living on SIDS are now subjected to extreme temperatures and storms, exacerbated by climate change. South Caicos, in the Turks and Caicos Islands, although not technically a “state,” meets many of the requirements to be considered SID with a historical reliance on a small-scale fishery. This small-scale fishery primarily targets queen conch (A. gigas), Caribbean spiny lobster (P. argus), and Nassau grouper (E. straitus), within the shallow bank and reefs of South Caicos. Due to South Caicos’ historical reliance on this small-scale fishery, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) - the Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park (ACLSNP) – was established decades ago. Coral reef health within the MPA boundaries can be an indicator of the efficacy of this MPA, as this ecosystem is responsible for sustaining the fishery stocks. The health of stocks within the MPA, however, is also impacted by the larval dispersal network. These two scientific factors can represent the efficacy of the Admiral Cockburn Land and Sea National Park in South Caicos. Nevertheless, it is important to consider fisherfolk’s social contexts when discussing marine conservation. This thesis analyses the current ecosystem health of the area within the MPA, important dispersal traits of the three most commercially important species of the fishery, and social needs of those living on the island, to understand the current efficacy of this MPA. This thesis then uses this assessment to suggest potential steps to ensure the long-term sustainability and social justice of marine conservation in South Caicos.