Copperhammer archives

Save the Mangrove at Bimini -
Without the mangroves, the Bahamas lose their fish!

The island of Bimini, portrayed in Hemingway’s Island in the Streams, is a tropical paradise that supports an abundance of life, but the island and its culture are at risk from developers. The developers of the Bimini Bay Resort are cutting down, filling-in and destroying the rich mangrove ecosystem of the island. They are destroying the very habitats on which Bimini's biological richness and true economy depend.
Bimini Bay Resort is a Project of Hilton Hotels Corporation and the Capo Group that is being advertised as an environmentally sensitive Eco-tourist destination. In reality, Bimini bay resort is a scandalous ongoing ecological disaster.

Sign a Petition online:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/885814782?ltl=1157016587#body

more information:

Protect Bimini
http://www6.miami.edu/sharklab/news_protectbimini.html http://www.sharktrust.org/content.asp?did=26543#action

The Save Bimini Association
http://www.savebimini.org/
http://www.restrictbiminibayresort.org/bimini-bay-destroyed.htm

Mangroves: nursery and habitat

Mangrove forests are recognised worldwide as an important habitat and nursery area particularly for juvenile fish, crabs and prawns. It has been suggested that the use of mangrove forests by these animals is based predominantly on two ecosystem functions. Firstly, mangrove detritus is an important food source. Secondly, the structural complexity of pneumatophores and fallen branches and the shading provided by overhead foliage reduces the risk of predation thus favouring juveniles. To date, there is limited understanding of the specific contribution by mangrove forests in terms of food provision and predator protection in accommodating the various taxa found in mangrove forests.

Source: The University of Queensland - Australia