Contact: Eleanor Phillips The Nature Conservancy PH: 242/326.0024 ephillips@tnc.

org

Globally Recognized Marine Advocate Dr. Sylvia Earle Commends Bahamas Support of Marine Protection, Calls for Action in Sargasso Sea

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Nassau, The Bahamas On May 28th 2012, Sylvia Earle Alliance (SEA) and The Nature Conservancy completed a joint Bahamian Expedition to explore the off-shore waters of the Exuma Cays and Conception Island. On May 21st before joining expedition which launched from Staniel Cay, co-leader, Eleanor Phillips, Director of the Northern Caribbean Program of The Nature Conservancy and SEA founder Dr. Sylvia Earle paid a courtesy call to newly appointed Minister of the Environment and Housing, Honorable Kenred Dorsett. At their meeting, Dr. Earle praised the Government of The Bahamas for showing leadership in marine conservation and especially for its commitment to protect 20% of the nearshore marine environment throughout The Bahamas over the next decade. Dr. Earle encouraged The Bahamas to consider further protection of the areas within The Bahamian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), referencing the Sargasso Sea Alliance and opportunities related to this initiative to save and protect the Sargasso Sea. Dr. Earle stated about half the world consists of the high seas; it is the Wild West out there and is controlled by only about eight nations. Countries like The Bahamas and Bermuda have an opportunity to join forces to protect the Sargasso Sea, a place Dr. Earle considers the heart of the Atlantic.

Regarding the ocean, Dr. Earle placed emphasis on the need for global attention to its protection when she said If its in trouble, then were in trouble. If we wait another 50 years to act, its going to be too late. Referencing the current opportunity for action, she continued, This is the sweet spot in time. Never have we known what we know now and never again will we have the chance to act on opportunities that will soon be gone. The time to act is now! Minister Dorsett thanked Dr. Earle for her commitment to the environment and for all she has done to protect the oceans globally. He stated, Here in the Ministry of the Environment we are only as strong as our partners in this network to advance protection of our environment and we realize that education is a critical component of this process.

Contact: Eleanor Phillips The Nature Conservancy PH: 242/326.0024 ephillips@tnc.org

The purpose of SEA is to explore and care for the ocean. It is committed to inspiring a change in public awareness, access and support for marine protected areas worldwide, ranging from the deepest ocean to sunlit reefs, and from the seamounts of the high seas to coastal seagrass meadows. SEA draws inspiration from the vision evoked by founder, Dr. Sylvia Earle, to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, which Dr. Earle refers to as hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet. Under Dr. Earle's leadership, the SEA team has embarked on a series of expeditions to further this vision and shed light on these ocean Hope Spots. SEA also brings the discoveries and stories of a network of ocean experts to the public through documentaries, social and traditional media, and innovative tools like Google Earth's "Explore the Ocean" layer. Additionally, SEA supports the work of many conservation NGOs with whom they share the basic mission of ocean protection and public awareness, most notably our global partner IUCN (the International Union for the Conservation of Nature).

The Nature Conservancy is the leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. The Conservancy has a presence in all 50 United States and more than 30 countries, as well as a membership base of over 1 million people. The Caribbean is one of the organizations top three global marine priorities, and the Conservancy is the only major conservation organization with staff and expertise across the entire Caribbean region. Having worked in the Caribbean since 1975, the Conservancys Caribbean Program currently employs more than 60 full-time staff, across Florida, The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and Washington DC.

The Nature Conservancys first significant activity in The Bahamas began in 2000 when it launched the Parks Partnership Project in partnership with the Bacardi Family Foundation. The projects goal was to improve the management of The Bahamas marine environment by building organizational capacity and strengthening park management on the ground and in the water. The project was instrumental in helping expand the capacity of the Bahamas National Trust into the well-managed entity it is today, while also establishing The Nature Conservancys presence in The Bahamas. Thanks to the development of a park management plan, the collaboration resulted in the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park becoming the best managed Marine Park in The Bahamas, providing a template for improved management of national parks across the country. # # #