The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE and Marine Resources Minister Michael Pintard says the government would be willing to partner with the conservation group Coral Vita in establishing a school in Andros, in association with BAMSI.

Mr Pintard said the potential partnership would spark additional onshore mariculture and aquaculture enterprises in The Bahamas.

His remarks came during Coral Vita’s official groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday for construction of an on land commercial coral farm in Freeport – the first of its kind in the world.

Grand Bahama Port Authority and Grand Bahama DEVCO are in partnership with Coral Vita, which will be growing coral to help restore the country’s dying coral reefs. The group also plan to create a network of coral farms around the world.

Mr Pintard said the government was pleased that Coral Vita had chosen to bring such a project to The Bahamas. “No doubt you are adding to what is already a powerful brand in the Bahamas as a country that is on the cutting edge of conservation in the marine and life sciences,” he said.

The minister said the government is also willing to enter in partnership with such groups as Coral Vita that will benefit the marine environment.

“There is very little that prevents us from giving birth to additional onshore mariculture and aquaculture enterprises. In that regard, we like to invite Coral Vita to give consideration for setting up a school in Andros, in association with BAMSI, that has shifted its focus too to narrowly training and education in Agriculture, Aquaculture and Life Sciences,” said Mr Pintard.

Aquaculture (less commonly spelled aquiculture), also known as aquafarming, is the farming of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms.

“We would be willing to partner much like the GBPA and DEVCO to make land available to do something quite transformational in the global economy. The government is absolutely committed to protecting our marine environment, to creating an environment where business such as yours will thrive,” he said.

Additionally, Minister Pintard said the government would be willing to partner with Grand Bahama Port Authority in developing Grand Bahama as a film destination.

“We appreciate the importance of linkages. From the outset, tourism and marine contribute significantly to the country’s GDP, and we believe there is a natural link between the green economy and the orange economy.

“When you look at the Bahamas 100,000 square miles of water, what prevents the GBPA in conjunction with the Government of the Bahamas and one of our partners, University of the Bahamas, to giving birth to GB being a film destination to be envied around the world.

“What prevents us from doing something that has been attempted once in the Western Hemisphere, and that is to put in place a marine studio where we are the go-to country in the western hemisphere when persons are contemplating shooting marine and marine-related movies. Hallmark will find us attractive. Also, coral is an integral part of enhancing that particular environment. So, I wish to enlist the support to GBPA and all partners in looking at positioning the Bahamas in general, Grand Bahama in particular as a destination for film.”

Minister Pintard said The Bahamas supports marine conservation and has signed onto the 2020 Challenge to ensure that 20 percent of the marine environment is protected. To date, he reported that two Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have already covered at least 10 percent of the country’s marine environment.

“It places us in a rare category of countries, who despite economic challenges that we are seeking to address through development, that we believe it is absolutely important to protect our environment because at the end of the day, development depends on to what extent we, in a responsible way, benefit the present generation while not compromising the future of future generations,” Mr Pintard said.

Mr Pintard said Coral Vita is indeed a part of an initiative by the government to ensure that it behaves responsibly and that the government is a role model to countries in the region.”

The minister also boasted that the Bahamas just recently received the Marine Stewardship Council Consultation which is extremely important for the marine sector.

“We are one of the most significant exporters of lobster, whether live or lobster tail, and our goal is not to lose this designation,” he said.