Sustainability First: Coral Reef Damage Being Assessed by D.E.P.P.

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Last week, divers and environmental ngos were outraged after seeing shocking videos, allegedly showing a yacht anchor dragging along reefs in Southern New Providence near the Clifton area.

Director of the Department of Environmental Planning and Protection, Dr. Rhianna Neely-Murphy, tells us multiple dives will take place in the assessment process. 

But what are the consequences of being found to have caused reef damage?

Our News reached out to burgess, the charter company of the yacht in question, who provided this statement, saying the area was “free of anchoring restrictions, mooring buoys or markings” going on to say the captain followed local maritime regulations and that, “the anchorage is not flagged as a dive site nor does it have any restrictions including the presence of a live coral reef”.

Some advocates including the Bahamas Reef Environment Educational Foundation are saying now is the time to implement more anchoring regulations around New Providence.