Hello all -
Just wanted to toot my horn a little here - I was lucky enough to have an image of mine selected as the winner in the SeaWeb/Marine Photobank's "Ocean in Focus" conservation photography contest. I won with a shot from Bimini, Bahamas, where development has been destroying mangrove stands for the last few years. We recently had an area in the North of the island declared an MPA by the Bahamian government, which will effectively end some of the destructive development. Just after this victory, I noticed development occurring on the south island with mangrove and seagrass habitats being dredged - without sediment traps or apparently without any permits. While the Bahamian govt should be praised for protecting important habitat in Bimini, the activities on the south island show that constant vigilance is needed. If you have a few minutes, please check out my image and the corresponding interview...
Ocean Voices interview - Matthew Potenski
cheers!
- MDP
