De toekomst van natuuronderzoek in Caribisch Nederland: De lessen en kansen na de Staat van de Natuur 2024

Abstract

Since October 10, 2010, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature has been responsible for the welfare and management of nature on the islands of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba. These islands, referred to as the “Caribbean Netherlands,” are distinguished from the European Netherlands due to differences in climate, culture, and nature. These differences present unique challenges to this responsibility, as nature holds immense ecological and societal value for the local population. This responsibility, fastened in national legislation, also requires the minister to establish a policy plan every five years, which serves as a guideline for nature management on the islands. The input for this plan comes from the policy-supporting research program, where research projects focus on, among other things, coral restoration, species protection, and marine mammals. In 2024, a significant portion of these projects will conclude, and the results will be summarized in the new State of Nature report, and the policy plan will be due for evaluation. Therefore, it is essential to analyze the current research structure and consider potential adjustments. In this research, various parties were brought together in conversation, and from the discussion it became clear that technological developments, the islands' context, data accessibility, and monitoring were topics that required more prioritization. For some of these topics, a possible solution seemed to lie in establishing Statutory Research Tasks. These research activities, such as monitoring and reporting, had a legal basis. By converting the current policy-supporting research program into Statutory Research Tasks, the longevity and quality of the research would be secured. This would ensure the reliability and stability of the research, ultimately forming the foundation for future policymaking.