Celebrating 25 Years of Action for Biodiversity

Wetlands com- prise 40 per cent of the land area in The Bahamas and range from narrow fringes of trees along the coast, to extensive shallow wetlands, and to large tidal creek systems [ ] 55 Mainstreaming biodiversity Ecosystems and biodiversity are affected by agriculture, fisheries, forestry and tourism. In an effort to minimize the impacts on biodiver- sity, an agriculture sector plan aims to ensure longterm development and conservation of the national agricul- tural resources as well as the protec- tion of the country’s future capacity to produce. Aspects of the plan include con- servation and protection of water resources through the development of an agricultural sector water policy, and training in good agricultural practices; protection of agricultural land through the development of a land evaluation system; and land zone maps and preservation of agri- cultural biodiversity by establishing an ornamental research and devel- opment programme, for instance, to study Invasive Alien Species (IAS). The plan should assist in the sus- tainable expansion of agricultural products in order to provide food locally at a competitive price. It also calls for the construction of a diagnostic laboratory to protect the health, welfare and food and safety of agricultural animals. Threats such as IAS, diseases, land conversion and water pollution should be reduced if the plan is successfully implemented. The marine resources sector plan is based on “the conservation and sustainable use of fisheries resources and the marine environment for the benefit of current and future genera- tions of all Bahamians”. Some of the main aspects of the plan are to devel- op a data collection system to provide necessary biological, economic and social data for assessment and management for all major species/ fisheries; maintain and restore popu- lations of marine species at levels that can produce the optimal sustainable yield by promoting efforts to reduce lionfish in The Bahamas, and by introducing a certification process for crawfish fisherman; and to preserve rare or fragile ecosystems as well as habitats and other ecologically sensi- tive areas by designating and policing protected areas. The Forestry Act, 2010 provides protection to wetlands, water reserves, endemic flora and fauna and protected trees. It establishes a legal framework for the longterm sustainable management of forests, a governmental forestry agency and a permanent forest estate. A tourism sector plan has sought to diversify the product while safe- guarding the health of the ecosystems which underpin the industry. For in- stance, pump out facilities for waste- water and containment facilities for hazardous and solid waste have been installed at marinas participating in the Blue Flag Programme, resulting in the protection of the coastal envi- ronment from pollution. Bahamas Bahamas T he islands of the The Bahamas constitute one of the most extensive archipelagos of the world, comprising a chain of more than 700 islands, cays, and rocks, spread over approximately 260,000 km 2 of the Atlantic Ocean. The Bahamas lies east of Florida and extends south-east about 750 miles to within 50 miles of Cuba and Haiti. e total land area is approximately 14,000 km 2 . The Bahamas is home to many marine and terrestrial species, making it an area significantly rich in biological resources. The islands are surrounded by shallow and sheltered waters, with the largest body of coral reefs and other marine organisms in the Atlantic/Caribbean region, constituting the main focus of the country’s tourism industry. Thomas Hawk on flickr