Nassau, The Bahamas – Ocean pollution is threatening to deplete the commercial fisheries stock in the coral reefs of The Bahamas and other Small Island Developing States (SIDS) around the world. The Living Oceans Foundation chose The Bahamas to launch their research project that examines the coral reef systems of 25 island countries worldwide.
“We are extremely pleased and we feel privileged that the Living Oceans Foundation has selected The Bahamas as the country to start this five-year incredible exploration to determine the state of the world’s coral reefs,” said Eric Carey, executive director of the Bahamas National Trust.
“The Bahamas National Trust is working with other agencies like the Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Environment, the Andros Conservancy are really pleased to be partnering with the Foundation and organisations like the Ministry of the Environment, the department of Marine Resources to make this happen.”
On April 7, The Bahamas National Trust and The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation held a press conference for the “Science Without Borders” exercise on board the Motor Yacht Golden Shadow at the Prince George Dock in historic downtown Nassau.
“This is an incredible opportunity to be a part of. The world’s coral reefs are extremely important globally, but nationally whether you’re talking from the perspective of people diving and having an experience of contributing millions of dollars to our economy, or a fisherman who benefits from the ecological benefits that coral reefs provide, or people who benefit from the buffer from storms that fringing reefs provide to our coast, Coral reefs are extremely important to The Bahamas”, said Mr. Carey.
The scientific research group announced its plans for the next five years to travel around the world to study the damage of ocean pollution. The results are expected to reveal global solutions that encourage responsibility to keep the oceans clean because it is the source of the world’s food supply.
“It is extremely important obviously to know what the conditions of our reefs are, to access what the real vulnerability is to threats like climate change, and also to think about adaptation measures The Bahamas might be able to participate in either nationally, internationally, or globally, so that all needs to be underpinned with sound science,” said Mr. Carey.
“So, we are pleased the Living Oceans Foundation whose executive director, Capt. Phil Renaud is with us, has decided to launch this global expedition and to start it right here in The Bahamas.”
The contamination of coral reefs are killing the living coral and endangering the various species of marine animals that live and are protected there.
By Gena Gibbs
BAHAMAS INFORMATION SERVICES
