Bahamas Environmental Issues

The Bahamas is known for its picturesque waters and coastlines. They are part of its culture and are critical to its economy, as tourism-related activities employ around half of the work force. The livelihoods of so many people are dependent on the beautiful islands and seas. Yet, the natural resources on which The Bahamas rely so much are under pressure from overfishing and coastal development.

The Nature Conservancy and its partners are working in The Bahamas to create a network of marine managed areas to protect important habitats and replenish fish, conch, and lobster populations—keeping these coastal environments healthy for the tourism industry, fisheries and recreational use. The Conservancy is working closely with the government to improve fisheries and coastal management, and also providing scientific advice to help identify important ecosystems in The Bahamas so that the best protection measures can be established.

Recently, 15 new marine managed areas were formed and 3 marine reserves were expanded, comprising over 11 million acres of protected marine habitat. It is with conservation victories like this that The Bahamas will continue to be a place where both people and nature can thrive.

We're launching a strategic partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory to restore one million corals.

The results are in and the answer is crystal clear: healthy coral reefs are vital to sustaining the Bahamian way of life.