Linking oceanographic processes and marine resources in the western Caribbean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem Subarea

The western Caribbean, a subarea of the Caribbean Sea Large Marine Ecosystem, includes the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the Yucatan Basin, the Cayman Basin and the Yucatan Channel. Here we discuss the main oceanographic features of the western Caribbean Sea and present some examples of marine resources distributed throughout the western Caribbean Sea LME subarea along different spatial scales. Particular attention is given to their planktonic stages when physical oceanographic features (such as eddies and gyres, or current systems) can operate either as forces that promote larval dispersal or as barriers enhancing larval retention, as this determines their connectivity. Bluefin tuna, the early life stages (eggs and larvae) of reef fish, the Caribbean Spiny lobster, and the Queen conch are presented as examples. Dispersal distances depend on the oceanographic phenomena, with larger dispersals expected where intense currents occur, such as in the Yucatan Current. Conversely, retention can be expected in the presence of gyres such as the Honduras Gyre and Yucatan Basin eddies. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the need for a multi-scale approach in order to understand the complexity of LMEs. Moreover, the connectivity between regions in the western Caribbean Sea LME subarea, as shown by the exchange of marine resources and physical oceanographic processes, requires an international policy that supports collaborative efforts to monitor the dynamics of coastal and oceanic habitats together with marine resources.