Sian bie cesls bactool ica ee ee Se Se a) Se cae ee: Tet, Bptahray fare ear ae SOR mee Ly ee ed eee Oe asd Poe Toga pa - eer Ta Te * BVI Apparel ee ie eke co) hoe _— s Hole art & Marina COC bt ser CEE Et Tr ue SP ee toe ee Teli tal ea) A Full Service Marina, opping, Dining and Fun! yu marina internacional « El Morro Tourist Complex m Puerto La Cruz = Venezuela Lat. 10° 12' 24"N Long. 64° 40! 5''W No hurricanes 270sq. miles of calm seas Full amenities Phone: (58-281) 267-7412 Fax: (58-281) 2677-810 VHF Channel 71 Web page: http: //bahiaredonda.com.ve E-Mail: brmi@cantv.net “== IGY = ARRIVE AMERICAN YACHT HARBOR ST. THOMAS, USVI "World-class sportfishing with access to North Drop = Host of ABMT Boy Scout Tournament & other IGFA events = Fullservice marina with 128 fixed slips ™ Vessels up to 110’ LOA, 10’ draft, 40° beam ™ Dockside electric & water = Inslip fueling & pumpout = Restrooms, showers, laundry, 24-hour security = Mail, phone, fax, internet " Duty-free shopping, fine dining & exciting nightlife T +1 340775 6454 F +1 340776 5970 6100 Red Hook Quarters #2 St. Thomas, USY1 00802 ayh@igymarinas.com igy-americanyachtharbor.com For information or reservations WWW.IGY-AMERICANYACHTHARBOR.COM 1.888.IGY. MARINAS Bahamas Announce New Marine Parks In October, The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham announced “the order- ly expansion of our national parks system to include up to ten percent of the terres- trial areas and 20 percent of the near-shore marine resources of the country.” The new parks encompass some of The Bahamas’ most pristine lands and waters, and include: ¢ the establishment of the Fowl Cays Land and Sea Park in Abaco, located between Scotland and Man O’ War Cay in the barrier islands of Great Abaco ¢ the expansion of the West Side National Park of Andros, including Williams Island and Billy Island, and ¢ the expansion of the Conception Island National Park. In his announcement, Prime Minister Ingraham also noted, “We are mindful of the pressures of development in certain parts of The Bahamas, and equally mindful of our duty to protect the interest of our people and integrity of our resources.” The Bahamas continues to increase conservation momentum within the Caribbean. In addition to these new parks, the government recently extended legal protection to all species of sea turtles found within its waters. They may not be hunted, trapped or otherwise harmed or harassed. Since 2008, The Bahamas has provided key leadership and support for the Caribbean Challenge. The goal of the Challenge — currently endorsed by five sover- eign Caribbean nations — is to not only permanently establish a network of 20 mil- lion acres of marine parks across the territorial waters of at least ten countries, but also to ensure that once established, the protected areas also receive sufficient, per- manent funding through sustainable financing tools. For more information on the Caribbean Challenge visit wiww.nature.org / initiatives / protectedareas. Caribbean Eco-News Caribbean Coral Got a Break This Year Lower-than-feared sea temperatures this summer gave a break to fragile coral reefs across the Caribbean that were damaged in recent years. “We dodged a bullet this year. The good news is that temperatures didn’t get quite warm enough for there to be a large-scale bleach- ing problem,” C. Mark Eakin, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch network, told the Associated Press. He was among scientists gathered in San Juan, Puerto Rico last month for a meeting of the US Coral Reef Task Force. The Coral Reef Watch program’s satellite data provide current reef environmental conditions to quickly identify areas at risk for coral bleaching. The worst coral bleaching in the region’s recorded history occurred in 2005, when hot seas caused bleaching of as much as 90 percent of corals in the Eastern Caribbean, with more than half of that dying. In July, the Coral Reef Watch net- work warned that high temper- atures this year might lead to severe coral problems because sea surface temperatures in parts of the Caribbean were unusually hot. Eakin told the AP that the threat had passed for 2009, since temperatures are now cooling, but the problem could return. “We're seeing little signs of coral recovery in the Caribbean, where the damage has been like a ratchet wrench clicking down and staying there,” Eakin said. “Temperatures could be severe enough next year.” Reef-building coral is a fragile organism, a tiny polyp-like animal that builds a calcium-carbonate shell around itself and survives in a symbiotic relationship with types of algae — each providing sustenance to the other. Even a one-degree Celsius (1.7-degree Fahrenheit) rise in normal maximum sea temperatures can disrupt that relationship. Bleaching can occur when sea temperatures rise just a few degrees above average in the warmest summer months. Bleaching that lasts more than a week can kill the organisms, since they rely on the algae for sustenance. For more information visit coralreefiwatch.noaa.gov. AIC ODICNI/ NOSTIM AY Errol Flynn Marina Gains Third ‘Blue Flag’ Dale Westin reports: For the third time, Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio, Jamaica, has been awarded the coveted “Blue Flag Marina” designation. The Blue Flag Campaign is an international voluntary certification scheme for beaches and marinas. The Blue Flag is an exclusive eco-label that so far has been awarded to 3,450 beaches and marinas in 41 countries across Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and the Caribbean. It has proven to be an effective environmental tool to enhance the health, safety and environmental quality of beaches and marinas. The Blue Flag has become a worldwide symbol for beach and marina environmental qual- ity and is sought for the recognition received from visitors. Errol Flynn’s Blue Flag rogram is monitored by the marina’s Administrative Manager, Christine Downer. For more information on the Blue Flag Program visit www.blueflag.org. Lionfish Response Efforts in USVI Lionfish are a non-native fish capable of devouring native Caribbean species and damaging reefs. They have begun to invade the Caribbean and have no known redators here. Their spines contain venom that can cause intense pain. Nine lion- ish have been collected in St. Croix waters this year. A USVI Lionfish Response Management Plan was drafted by the Lionfish Response Planning Committee, made up of a variety of stakeholders including the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, the University of the Virgin Islands, The Nature Conservancy, the National Park Service, Coral World, the Reef Environmental Education Foundation, the St. Croix Environmental Association and the organizer of the USVI Lionfish Response Program (volunteer divers that search for ionfish). The Plan, located at http:/ /fw.dpnr.gov.vi/Lionfish /OSJ30FinalPlan.pdf, is a working document and can be amended at any time. Your comments are welcome.