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sea floor and the meteorological conditions.
Sea surface roughness in some of the 1951 photography prevented the
delineation of the fringing reefs north of Holetown. Nevertheless, much
information was extrapolated by indirect methods. Breaking waves indicated
areas of shallow reefs and banks. Shallow reefs also appear to be a source of
circular waves.
The sea floor conditions and coastal morphology interpreted from the 1964
aerial photography are shown in Map 3. The main marine resources of Barbados
lie mainly along the western coast from Harrison Point in the north to the
Port of Bridgetown in the south. No areas of prolific growth are identified
along the other coast. Rubble banks are identified along the southern coast,
these are believed to support only widely scattered coral patches (Lewis,1960
and Macintyre, 1968). The reefs along the eastern and northern coast are
composed of dead coral rock which supports only secondary growth.
From Harrison Point the coast, which extends about 11.5 miles southwards to
the Port of Bridgetown, is indented by excellent beaches, separated at points
by fringing reefs. Three main zones were identified; the fringing reefs which
are found along the coast at varying depths between 2 to 5 metres; sand which
is found between 5 to 8 metres, and coral rubble between 7 to 10 metres. Areas
of coral growth are identified in some places to the west of the sand and
rubble zone. However, no distinct boundary of its extent is discernible.
The zone mapped as fringing reef includes the Reef Flat Zone, Diploria-
Palythora and the Reef Crest Zone (Lewis, 1960). Most of the reefs are
composed of the Reef Flat Zone, described by Macintyre (1968) as an horizontal
reef rock surface partly covered by coral debris, sand, sediment-trapping
filamentous green algae and encrustations of coralline algae. The seaward
margin of the reefs is marked by the Reef Crest Zone. This is the region of
prolific coral growth and is characterized by a series of spurs and grooves
which lie almost perpendicular to the coastline.
The sand belt extends along almost the entire west coast. It occurs directly
in front of and behind the fringing reefs. North of Fryers Bay the sand belt
trends away from the coastline and is replaced by a rock surface. The coral-
rubble zone lies to the west of the sand zone and is composed of fragments of
coral debris.
The interpretation and analysis of the oblique colour aerial photography
(Plate 1) indicates that the reefs in the nearshore zone are being subjected
to ecological stress and environmental degradation. A piece of fringing reef
about 20 by 30 metres was bulldozed in an attempt to improve beach facilities
for tourists. The consequent change in wave action, not only eroded the
existing beach, but also succeeded in eroding part of an adjoining sea wall.
In an attempt to control the erosive power of the waves, rock deflectors were
placed in the sea to do the work formerly done by the inshore reef. This
incident highlights the conflict between the short term interests of profit
and the long term interest of ecology, and underlines the importance of
recruiting an environmental scientist and of developing techniques to monitor
the environment.
Photographic remote sensing is of great value in delineating cultural, natural
and socioeconomic features of the landscape. It is also of significant value
in giving insights into the present and past utilization of land . Mapping of
these inter-related features provides the basis for explaining the cause and
effect relationships of human activities.
641
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