Kerzner Marine Foundation announces first conservation project in the Bahamas

KMF Funding Supports The Nature Conservancy, Bahamas National Trust and the Bahamas Sportfishing Conservation Association’s Efforts to Protect Waters of Andros Island in The Bahamas

Kerzner Marine Foundation (KMF) – a newly established, private nonprofit foundation that fosters the preservation and enhancement of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, education, and community outreach – announced the funding of its first major project today.

“Over the next three years, with support from KMF, The Nature Conservancy in collaboration with Bahamas National Trust (BNT), the Bahamas Sportfishing Conservation Association (BSCA) and other partners, will work with the Government of The Bahamas toward the creation of a new marine protected area, an ocean and coastal area that enjoys similar protections to national parks in the U.S. If established, this new conservation area will likely be on the west side of Andros Island in The Bahamas,” said Debra Erickson, Executive Director, Kerzner Marine Foundation.

Located off the southern tip of Florida, Andros Island is a large island with a small population in The Bahamas archipelago. Big, forested and relatively unspoiled, Andros and its surrounding waters provide a rare opportunity to protect pristine Bahamian wilderness. The island contains some of the most outstanding examples of intact marine and terrestrial habitats left in The Bahamas, including:

• The third longest barrier reef in the world
• One of the largest bonefish populations in the world supported by vast tidal flats
• The highest concentration of blue holes, unique underwater cave-like habitats, in the Western Hemisphere
• The largest reservoir of freshwater in The Bahamas
• Populations of endangered Hawskbill and loggerhead sea turtles

The massive west side estuaries and mangrove forests on Andros Island, where the future marine protected area will be located, are vital nursery and foraging habitats for commercially valuable species such as Nassau grouper, spiny lobster, tarpon, and bone fish.

The shallow waters and coastal mangroves are a critically important part of the lifecycle of marine species. They serve as safe havens for fish to hatch and grow before they leave for the open sea. Without these nursery and nourishing playground areas, ocean life is far less likely to survive to adulthood and the economically important fish populations will decline. It is important to protect the west side of the island before the threats that occur elsewhere on Andros and in The Bahamas cause damage to these significant nursery habitats.

Although Andros Island’s small population (9,000 residents) and vast untouched areas have afforded some the island’s land and marine wildlife some degree of protection, over the last few decades scientists, divers, fishermen and crabbers have observed deterioration in the health and richness of both habitat and key individual ocean species. This decline threatens not only the island’s plants, animals and natural beauty, but also the nation’s economy since commercial and sportfishing account for more than 100 million dollars annually.

The first step to preserving these waters and the life they support is to determine which areas on the west side of the island are the most critical to protect and include in any new marine protected area. After the scientific assessment has been completed, The Nature Conservancy, BNT and BSCA will take this information to the Bahamian national government. The partners will work with the government, local nonprofits and the communities on Andros with the goal of creating a new marine protected area that will ensure the nurseries remain healthy and available to shelter new generations of ocean wildlife for generations to come.

About Kerner Marine Foundation

The Kerzner Marine Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation that fosters the preservation and enhancement of global marine ecosystems through scientific research, education, and community outreach. The Foundation is funded by Kerzner International Limited, a leading international developer and operator of resorts, casinos, and luxury resort properties. The strategic focus of Kerzner Marine Foundation is protecting the integrity of tropical marine ecosystems which are becoming increasingly threatened due to overexploitation and overpopulation. Priority is placed on projects that include the development and management of marine protected areas, coral reef conservation, as well as dolphin and whale conservation and research in the Caribbean, Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

About The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, The Nature Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit us on the Web at nature.org.

About Bahamas National Trust

Established by an Act of Parliament in 1959, the Bahamas National Trust is mandated by the government of The Bahamas with the conservation of the country’s natural and historic resources. The Trust manages the 25 national parks of The Bahamas covering over 700,000 acres of protected land throughout the archipelago. Bahamian Parks are treasure-troves of biodiversity as well as areas of pure aesthetic beauty. To date, the Trust protects the world’s largest breeding colony of West Indian flamingos, one of the world’s longest underwater cave systems, a critically important sea turtle research facility and one of the most successful marine fishery reserves in the Wider Caribbean. Visit us at www.thebahamasnationaltrust.org.