April is National Coastal Awareness Month in The Bahamas. The health of our marine and coastal environment has direct impacts on the environmental, social and economic well-being of every Bahamian. Each April, we put extra attention on these critical habitats as a reminder of our reliance on them, and the importance of maintaining clean and healthy ecosystems.
The Bahamas has identified five major threats to our coastal environment: Pollution, Climate Change, Overfishing, Invasive Species and Habitat Destruction. To help combat these threats, Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS) is working with local partners to bring these issues to the forefront and educate stakeholders on how they can take individual action.
As fishermen, boaters, and other users of the sea, you have a great potential to help protect our marine environment and keep it sustainable for future generations. Small actions can make a difference, and when everyone participates real change can be seen!
When you are out enjoying coastal areas, remember to take your trash home with you. More than 60% of litter picked up on coastal clean-ups can be attributed to recreational users, so this is an area where we can easily make a difference!
Please follow Bahamian fishing regulations; they are in place to help ensure that we all have a supply of marine resources for the future. For information on current regulations, please visit (www.friendsoftheenvironment.org/Marine.html). Remember, spiny lobster season is now closed! (Reopens on August 1st)
If you see a lionfish, catch it! Lionfish are invasive to The Bahamas, but are here to stay. You can help reduce their impact by removing lionfish from select reef areas. Triple pronged spears or nets are recommended! Lionfish are also tasty to eat, but require some care when cleaning them.
Visit one of our wonderful national parks (Abaco has six, check them out on www.bnt.bs)! The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) manages 27 parks around The Bahamas, working to make sure that we have wild places to enjoy for years to come.
Show your support for proposed protected areas. There are currently two proposed national parks for Abaco; East Abaco Creeks, and South Abaco Blue Holes. (For more information, visit: FRIENDS’ Marine page, www.bahamascaves.com).
Write a letter showing your support for these protected areas, and email or fax to FRIENDS and BNT, and we will forward to the relevant government agencies:
- info@friendsoftheenvironment.org FAX: (242) 367-0722
- bnt@bnt.bs, FAX: (242) 367-6309
For more information, visit www.friendsoftheenvironment.org, email info@friendsoftheenvironment.org, or call (242) 367-2721.