BAHAMAS LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
BLPS NEWSLETTER JAN 2013 FINAL
LIONFISH
The debate about the seemingly unstoppable spread of the invasive lionfish species is well known. There are some who argue strongly that lionfish have their uses, and not merely as a food source. To see ongoing lionfish research by the organisation REEF click HERE To supplement the static projection graphic for lionfish spread (below), here is an active graphic that vividly shows how the species (love them or hate them) has expanded exponentially in numbers and range over a very short period
PROPOSED MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FOR ABACO
Proposed East Abaco Creek MPA site (National Geographic)
National Geographic
LOBSTERS – WE GOTTEM! OVERFISH THEM – WE AIN’T!
Video courtesy the fabulous CONCH SALAD TV; heads-up from ABACO SCIENTIST; campaign by SIZE MATTERS
BAHAMAS LIGHTHOUSE PRESERVATION SOCIETY
Read the Society’s 4-page January 2013 Newsletter HERE BLPS NEWSLETTER JAN 2013
The Society was founded in 1995, and it has already achieved much to preserve and protect the lighthouses of the Bahamas. Of particular interest to Abaconians will be the news about the Hope Town lighthouse, and about the work done at Hole-in-the-Wall. If you’d like to support this hard-working not-for-profit organisation and help to preserve a part of Abaco’s maritime history, the email address is blps.bah@gmail.com 
A new environmental organisation has been announced: to find out more CLICK===>>> BPFA
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THE EFFECT OF RISING SEA LEVELS IN THE CARIBBEAN
This map has been posted by the SCSCB, with the very interesting and definitely worrying text “The map shows projected impacts of a 2 meter sea level rise in the Caribbean. The orange is the impact of 2 meters, while the yellow is the 25 meter line. The last time the ice caps melted the sea rose between 18 and 25 meters. The most conservative estimates indicate a 1-meter rise by the end of the century (concurrent with a 2 degree C rise in temperature). From the position of planning, I am curious about the estimates being used by Caribbean resource managers in their long-range planning. For example, what percentage of Caribbean seabirds nest below 2 meters…”
EAST ABACO CREEKS NATIONAL PARK PROPOSAL
Click on the title above to see the BNT’s proposal for this major conservation proposal for the east Abaco creeks. It’s in .pdf form and you can (probably) copy / save it if you wish. The map below shows the 3 areas concerned. You can check out more details – and photos – on Facebook at EACNP
A VISUAL TO PONDER FROM ‘SCIENCE IS AWESOME’
CONSERVATION ON ABACO AND IN THE BAHAMAS
This new page (June 2012) is intended to showcase the achievements of the various organisations and individuals involved with the protection and conservation of the fragile ecology and wildlife in a small and rapidly developing area. A number of posts and articles from other pages will gradually migrate to this page.
I have posted on Facebook a statement by the new Environment Minister which praises the environmental work carried out in the Bahamas and pledges Government support MINISTER’S STATEMENT Let’s hope it’s forthcoming…
CONCH CONSERVATION
The supply of conchs is not infinite. Overfish them, take them before maturity or pollute their habitat and this valuable marine resource depletes – and conchs, as with so many marine species, will become threatened. Fortunately there is a Bahamas-wide conservation organisation with a website packed with interest.
COMMUNITY CONCH is “a nonprofit organization that aims to protect queen conchs in the Bahamas, a species of mollusk threatened by aggressive over-fishing. We promote sustainable harvest of queen conch through research, education and community-based conservation”
“Helping to sustain a way of life in the Bahamas”
Much of the research has been carried out in Berry Is, Andros and Exuma Cays. However the team has recently been based at Sandy point, Abaco CLICK===>>> ABACO EXPEDITION
The full Conch Conservation post can be found at CONCH QUEST
BAHAMAS MARINE MAMMAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION (BMMRO)
The BMMRO is featured many times in this blog, in particular in the pages WHALES & DOLPHINS and MANATEES. They now have a Facebook page with all the latest news, photos, newsletters links and cetacean / sirenian goss in one easily-digested timelined place. To reach it CLICK ===>>> BMMRO FACEBOOK PAGE
For the latest quarterly newsletter, just published, CLICK ===>>> BMMRO NEWSLETTER JULY 2012
A RECENT FLYER FOR THE ‘SIZE MATTERS’ CRAWFISH CAMPAIGN
BAHAMAS NATIONAL TRUST PRESS RELEASE JUNE 2012
ABACO PARROT POPULATION ON THE RISE
The Bahamas National Trust in conjunction with Dr. Frank Riviera and Caroline Stahala recently conducted an intensive survey of the Bahama Parrot on Abaco
Population surveys conducted in 2002 resulted in estimates of the Abaco parrot population of about 2,500 parrots with similar values in the following years. This year Dr. Frank Rivera and Caroline Stahala, who took part in the initial surveys, helped by BNT wardens and volunteers, conducted a 10 year follow up survey to determine the change in the Abaco parrot population since management began. The results indicate that the Abaco parrot population has increased since the BNT’s management efforts were implemented with a new estimate of just over 4,000 parrots on Abaco.
The BNT has been concerned about the Bahama Parrot Population since the 1980’s. Studies indicated that the major threat to the parrots were feral cats who cause serious problems to the parrots during the nesting season by entering the underground nesting cavities and killing the breeding adults and chicks. The BNT implemented an intensive predator control effort in 2009 throughout the parrot nesting area culminating in the hiring of Marcus Davis as Deputy Park whose primary responsibility is to oversee the predator control program. During the breeding seasons the BNT has seen a decrease in the number of breeding parrots killed and nest success increase. The question, though, remained whether this effort would translate into an increase in the Abaco parrot population size.
Survey results indicated that predator control has led to an increase in nest success. In addition, the Abaco parrots have weathered several hurricanes (Frances, Jean and Irene) over the last 10 years and still appear to show a population increase. Hopefully with continued management efforts a healthy and viable endemic parrot population on Abaco will continue to thrive. According to David Knowles, BNT Director of Parks “This gives us hope that with continued management efforts we can continue to have a healthy and viable endemic parrot population on Abaco.”
The FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT June 2012 Newsletter contains two related items of interest.
1. PARROTFISH The first concerns Parrotfish, their beneficial effect on reef ecology, and their extremely complicated lives – specifically their gender realignment abilities, their sleeping arrangements (many will empathise with that ‘morning’ problem), and their energetic work in turning the… egress of their ingress into sand for you to swim in.
See PARROTFISH for images of a predatory PF feeding on small fish.
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2. LIONFISH The 2012 Lionfish Derby produced interesting results. I have previously written about the conflicting opinions about these fish – there is an argument – and evidence – that they have a positive effect on the ecology. I won’t rehearse the debate here – see LIONFISH Anyway, whatever the rights and wrongs, the Derby results show that those who support the battle against this introduced species may be gaining ground…
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Counting the winning boat’s catch 
