Morant Cays and Bank (18736)
Jamaica, Caribbean
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2009
National site name: Morant Cays and Bank
Central coordinates: Latitude: 17.4000, Longitude: -75.9833
System: marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 5
Area of KBA (km2): 152.23632
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: This is an offshore island group 51km SSE of Morant Point, Jamaica. The group consists of four small islets grouped closely together on the summit of a comparatively extensive crescent-shaped bank of coral, over 7km long, rising from 1000m, The cays are low-lying, and fronted by highly exposed reefs over which the sea constantly breaks. They have sparse vegetation and are a seabird rookery and turtle nesting area. Northeast Cay is sometimes divided into three parts, the sea washing over connecting sand spits. There is a lighthouse at Breezy Point, the easternmost point of the cay and of Jamaica.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: Seabird nesting site: Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus, Brown Noddy Anous stolidus, Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus, Bridled Tern Onychoprion anaethetus, Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens, Laughing Gull Larus atricilla, and Brown Pelican Pelcanus occidentalis. Also used as a stopover site by migratory species. Non-bird biodiversity: Marine turtle nesting site. Plant species include: Sesuvium portulacastrum, Opuntia tuna, Sporobolus virginicus, Suriana maritime, among others.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: Rocky and sandy with sparse land vegetation of shrubs and grasses.
Land use: fisheries/aquaculture | hunting | nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Marine Intertidal | 25 | |
| Marine Coastal/Supratidal | 25 | |
| Marine Neritic | 50 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The Morant and Pedro Cays Act (1975) makes provision for licensing of all fishing and the taking of turtles, turtle eggs, birds and bird eggs from the Morant and Pedro Cays. There is a fishermen's camp, with several huts and a water tank on the south side of Northeast Cay. Due to a serious decline in recruitment, one cay (Middle Cay) has been selected for monitoring of egg removal, a base camp is established there for about four weeks starting at the end of April. The protected cay is about 5 km from the inhabited cay and within sight of it.