The Tribune

THE Bahamas Postal Service has released a set of colourful marine-themed commemorative postage stamps to mark the 20th anniversary of the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation.

Founded by the late Sir Nicholas Nuttall in 1993, BREEF is a non-profit foundation that addresses ongoing concerns on the changing conditions of the Bahamian marine environment.

The underwater images on the stamps were taken by BREEF, Stuart Cove Dive Bahamas, Sandy Voegeli, Grant Johnson, and Katie Grudecki.

Casuarina Lambert-McKinney, executive director of BREEF said: “Our vision for the Bahamas is one in which people appreciate the value of our seas and where all take responsibility and action to ensure a healthy marine environment for the future.

“BREEF recognises that a healthy sea supports our culture and economy, and makes the Bahamas a truly special place in the world.

“There is a tremendous diversity of life to be found on Bahamian coral reefs, seagrass beds, sand flats, mangrove creeks and in the open ocean. It is therefore essential for BREEF to advocate daily for the sustainable use of the marine environment through education, research and environmental policy.”

BREEF was involved last year in creating the now popular, definitive marine life stamp issue and it is hoped that this new commemorative issue of 15, 50, 65 and 70 cent stamps will help create the need for further public awareness of the marine environment both in the Bahamas and abroad.

Two of the new stamps feature the Nassau Grouper, a now endangered species that has experienced severe population decline throughout the region.

The oceans of the Bahamas constitute over 95 per cent of Bahamian territory. BREEF recognises that as a nation of islands the people of the Bahamas depend heavily on a healthy marine environment to support the life spans and breeding grounds, particularly of crawfish and conch and the many varieties of fish, such as grouper, that underpin our fishing industry. In order to sustain livelihoods, BREEF advocates that we all learn to use the environment productively, without using it up.