One
of the largest supporters of marine conservation in The Bahamas today
lauded government for its decision to declare a fixed closed
fishing season and BREEF for
its campaign that helped lead to that decision allowing the critically endangered Nassau Grouper a chance to spawn.
Kudos came from The Moore Bahamas Foundation, an affiliate of Louis
Bacon’s Moore Charitable Foundation,
following the announcement that legislation was being introduced to
ensure a three-month safe season for the prized fish to reproduce. In
the past, whether or not to close the season to commercial or
recreational fishermen was made by the sitting Minister
of Agriculture & Fisheries and there was no guarantee that there
would be any protection period to enable the species that has shown a
60% decline over the past three decades to regenerate.
This
week, as those who have campaigned hard for a closed season worried
that none had been announced, the Department of Marine Resources
announced it was not only declaring the next 90 days closed, but that
it would amend existing legislation so the decision would prevail
annually. It was a move BREEF and The Moore Bahamas Foundation hailed as
a victory for fishermen as well as for the species.
“This is one of the greatest victories in the battle to preserve and
conserve nature’s marine resources, and The Moore Bahamas Foundation
(MBF) is pleased to offer congratulations to the Government of The
Bahamas, in particular the Department of Marine Resources, for taking
the bold step of creating a permanent three-month closed season to allow
the Nassau Grouper natural time to spawn,” said Ann
Colley,
MBF Executive Director. “We also wish to congratulate our long-time
partner in marine conservation and education, the Bahamas Reef
Environment Education Foundation (BREEF) for its tireless,
20-year campaign that helped lead to this important decision.”
“Many people think that the closed
season on Nassau Grouper was legislated in The Bahamas since the country
has been closing the fishery each winter since the late 1990s," stated
BREEF's executive
Director Casuarina McKinney-Lambert, "but this new commitment to amend
the legislation for the closed season with fixed dates is a very
important management action. In the past, the lack of advance notice of
closure failed to give the public, including seafood
vendors, fishermen, restaurants and law enforcement time to prepare.
Because it was decided annually, it also gave rise to confusion and
conflict."
“This is not just about a fish. People’s livelihoods will be significantly impacted if this fishery collapses,” she said.
The
decision was also applauded by senior research scientist at the Perry
Institute of Marine Science Dr. Craig Dahlgren who has done extensive
marine research in The Bahamas.
"The
research that we have been doing over the past 20 years indicates that a
closed season during spawning months is essential to sustainable Nassau
grouper fisheries," said Dr. Dahlgren.
A Long Island fisherman who also thanked government went a step
further, calling on authorities to prosecute those who fail to obey
the closure.
Colton
Cartwright, a fisherman taking part in the Nassau grouper
spawning aggregation research, said he "supports the closed season and
would like to see enforcement focused on fish houses that are buying
illegally
caught fish and on foreign poachers."
Concern
with collapse of the species is not unwarranted. Nassau Grouper
populations have dwindled dramatically or been totally eradicated in
Florida, Bermuda, numerous Caribbean countries and even in one
well-known
Bimini aggregation site, according to BREEF’s research, supported in
part by The Moore Bahamas Foundation. The two organizations have worked
closely in several other marine preservation projects. In 2013, The
Moore Bahamas Foundation awarded BREEF a commitment
of $150,000 over three years to fund the position of research and field
conservation officer to boost the number of students experiencing
firsthand the waters, coral reefs and marine resources of Goulding Cay
and the Western Bays off Clifton.
In
2013, The Moore Bahamas Foundation sponsored The Bahamas National
Trust’s Nassau Grouper Conservation Strategy Meeting bringing together
local experts, scientists and conservationists from as far away as
Cayman
and New York to Nassau for intensive workshop sessions aimed at
creating a plan to save the declining grouper population. Participants
included renowned artist and marine scientist, Guy Harvey, and Dr. Craig
Dahlgren – the goal, a 5-year strategy to ensure
right steps are taken to preserve Nassau grouper.
“The
Nassau grouper with its distinctive appearance, its role in the
ecological chain of coral reefs and its place in the Bahamian diet is
integral to the Bahamian menu and culture and is a backbone of the
fishing
industry,” said Ms. Colley. “But in recent years, the numbers have
declined significantly and fewer Nassau groupers are surviving to the
sizes they once were. Prudent management including an enforced closed
fishing season during spawning months will go a long
way toward preserving this important species. Our hats are off to BREEF
for its dedicated work fighting for this moment as well as the
Government of The Bahamas for recognizing the need before it was too
late. The Bahamas has been a leader in shark protection
and will now make another impressive mark on the marine environment
with the enabling of the spawning of Nassau grouper.”
(Nassau Grouper – Credit Stuart Cove Fin Photo )
About The Moore Charitable Foundation
The Moore Charitable Foundation, founded by lifelong conservationist Louis
Bacon in 1992, is a family foundation working to preserve and protect natural resources for future generations.
About The Moore Bahamas Foundation
In
The Bahamas, affiliate The Moore Bahamas Foundation (MBF) strives to
protect the fragile marine environment that constitutes 90% of the
island nation treasured
for the beauty of its seas. MBF funds shark and marine species
research, education & summer youth programs and lends support,
including legal expertise, to partners including The Bahamas National
Trust, BREEF, The Nature Conservancy and Save The Bays.