National

Coral Gene Bank Formed to Fight Coral COVID

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – This morning members from various foundations gathered to sign the agreement for The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank at Paradise Island.

Published

3 years ago

May 18, 2023

Marlena Leonard

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – This morning members of the Ministry of Agriculture, Atlantis Resort, the Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, the Perry Institute for Marine Science and the University of The Bahamas gathered to sign the agreement for The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank at Paradise Island.

Senior scientist at the Perry Institute for Marine Science or “PIMS”, Krista D. Sherman, explains the need for what will be the first Coral Gene Bank in The Bahamas.

She also outlined the fight to protect and preserve coral against stony coral tissue loss disease.

To date, the Perry Institute for Marine Science has surveyed reefs for the disease over 1,000 sq. kilometers over ten islands in The Bahamas.

And, PIMS is putting their money where their mouth is, investing over $100,000 in the design and planning of The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank as well as hiring a team of Bahamian aquarists.