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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Hon. Kenred Dorsett Minister of the Environment and Housing
Announcement of New Marine Protected Areas 'Bahamas Exceeds 10% Target With Marine Protected
Areas Expansion' (August 31st , 2015):
The Bahamas became a signatory to the Convention on
Biological Diversity in December of 1993. Upon the signing
of the convention The Bahamas recognized that
biodiversity is about more than plants, animals and
microorganisms and their ecosystems. We recognized that
biodiversity is about people and our need for food
security, medicines, fresh air and water, shelter and a clean
and healthy environment in which to live.
Protected areas constitute an important stock of natural,
cultural and social capital, yielding flows of economically
valuable goods and services that benefit society, secure livelihoods, and contribute to the achievement of the
Millennium Development Goals. Moreover, protected areas
are key to buffering unpredictable impacts of impending
climate change. As a low-lying archipelagic ocean-nation,
The Bahamas is mindful of the effect that sea level rise and
climate change will impact our way of life and survival if
immediate and significant global action is not taken.
The Bahamas is doing its part and has continued to be a
leader in the arena of protected area designation.
Beginning in 1958 with the creation of the first land and
sea park in the world – the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park,
the doubling of the protected area system in 2002 as well
as the identification by the Department of Marine
Resources of 39 areas for a marine reserve network, our
country has continued to recognize the value of protecting
natural resources for the benefit of Bahamians today and
in the future.
The Bahamas in 2008 announced its acceptance of the
Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) and reaffirmed the
country’s commitment to protect 20% of its near shore and
marine environment. The Bahamas is part of a group of 10
Caribbean nations that have joined the CCI committing to
protecting at least 20% of their marine environments by
2020. Today, as the current Co-Chair of the CCI Council and
Minister responsible for the Environment, I am here to
announce with great pride and a sense of accomplishment
that we are progressing steadily towards this target.
In recent years, the government of The Bahamas, through
my Ministry, the Bahamas Environment Science &
Technology Commission and a dedicated team of
conservation professionals from the Bahamas National
Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Bahamas
Department of Marine Resources, supported by funding from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
and the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) have been
implementing a full sized project that includes as its final
goal, the expansion of the marine protected area system of
The Bahamas. The project sets as its target the protection
of 2.5 million hectares. These new areas have undergone
scientific assessment and extensive community outreach.
The new additions to our protected areas system are:
In Abaco:
The Marls of Abaco National Park
East Abaco Creeks National Park
Cross Harbour National Park
South Abaco Blue Holes National Park
In Crooked Island / Acklins:
Southeast Bahamas Marine Managed Area
Bight of Acklins National Park
In Andros:
Andros Green Cay National Park
The Joulter Cays National Park
The Cay Sal Marine Managed Area
In Grand Bahama:
The North Shore - The Gap National Park
East Grand Bahama National Park
Lucayan National Park Expansion
Peterson Cay National Park expansion (further
consultations are being held with the key Grand Bahama
Stakeholders)
(All Grand Bahama Parks exclude Grand Bahama
Development Company holdings)
Hogsty Reef Protected Area
In Mayaguana:
Booby Cay National Park
In New Providence:
Southwest New Providence Marine Managed Area
Perpall Tract National Park
In Great Exuma:
Expansion of Moriah Harbour Cay National Park.
These new areas will conserve and protect habitat for
Grouper and Bonefish spawning aggregations, coral reefs,
sea grass meadows, mangrove nurseries, and important
bird areas.
As well as the creation of these new protected areas, the
government of The Bahamas realizing the cost of
managing protected areas increased its subvention to the Bahamas National Trust in the 2015 budget. Additionally as
part of the Global Environmental Facility Full – Sized
Project “Building a sustainable network of marine
protected areas for The Bahamas “ a mechanism for
sustainable financing, the Bahamas Protected Area Fund,
has been legislated and implemented. I am advised that
The Bahamas is the first country to enact legislation
establishing a legal trust fund dedicated specifically to
financing protected areas management.
In our Charter for Governance, the current administration
committed to safeguarding and protecting our nation for
future generations, including the preservation of our
environment. Today, we have set the foundation for the
protection of approximately of 7.5 million acres (3 million
hectares) of land, nearshore and marine environment. This
includes the new San Salvador National Parks announced
in April of this year and in total exceeds the target of 2.5 million hectares set for our GEF Full-sized MPA project,
thus achieving the protection of 10% of our nearshore and
marine environment. This major achievement and
commitment moves us closer to our national goal of
protecting 20% of our near shore and marine environment
by 2020.
To allay any concern regarding land rights associated with
the Marine Protected Areas network, it should be noted
that all private land will be excluded from the boundaries
of the protected areas and the rights of landowners will
not been infringed upon. With respect to public land, they
will remain under the control of the Minister responsible
for Lands.
The Ministry will now work with and consult our partners,
stakeholders and local communities to develop the
management plans associated with these declared areas.
Some areas may be "managed conservation areas" and
others may be "no take zones". There is much work to be
done in this regard and simultaneously we will set in
motion, efforts to achieve our 20% commitment. All of
these efforts are a part of our goal of developing the green
and blue economies of The Bahamas.
We will spare no effort to ensure that we achieve this lofty
but attainable goal for the benefit of both current, but
especially future generations of Bahamians.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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