Recent News

You can help with reef survey
Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Budding environmentalists are again being urged to volunteer to help monitor the health of Bermuda’s reef systems.


Citizen scientists invited to participate in Reef Watch
Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Islanders are being invited to become citizen scientists while helping to protect Bermuda’s reef system at the second annual Reef Watch event.


Plans Gear Up As Reef Watch 2014 Approaches
Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Reef Watch 2014 is scheduled for Saturday, June 28th and members of the community are invited to become Citizen Scientists and participate in an island-wide effort to help monitor the health of Bermuda’s reef systems.


Staff and volunteers praised for their work
Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The volunteers, staff and organisations that helped to make Bermuda’s celebration of World Oceans Day a success are being praised for their “amazing work”.


Charities benefit from $303,640 raised by Catlin End-to-End
Wednesday, June 11, 2014

The Catlin End-to-End Walk raised more than $300,000 for a host of local charities.



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All the latest updates and news from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, one of Bermuda's leading visitor attractions!

Sargasso Sea: BASS Aims To Raise Awareness
Bernews
Thursday, June 07, 2012

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Ten local non-governmental and environmental groups are teaming up to raise awareness on the Island about the importance of protecting the Sargasso Sea.

Through scientific research, education and community outreach, the Bermuda Alliance for Sargasso Sea (BASS) aims to support efforts by the Sargasso Sea Alliance led by the Bermuda government to establish the Sargasso Sea as a high-seas marine protected area (MPA).

BASS members include Atlantic Conservation Partnership, Bermuda Institute for Ocean Science (BIOS), Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI), Bermuda National Trust, Bermuda Audubon Society, Greenrock, Bermuda Sloop Foundation, the National Museum of Bermuda, Look-Bermuda Education Foundation, and the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS).

“As a group, we support the Sargasso Sea Alliance’s mission to make this international high seas area one of the first protected marine areas of its kind in the world, and we would like to see Bermuda residents get on board this campaign and voice their support,” says BASS spokesperson Dr. Judith Landsberg.

“Our goal is to do all we can—through public education, scientific research and community awareness—to help make saving the Sargasso Sea a reality. We want to tell people as much as we can about this precious natural resource—and why they should care.”

Described by oceanographer Dr. Sylvia Earle as the “golden floating rainforest of the Atlantic Ocean,” the Sargasso Sea covers nearly five-million square kilometres of ocean, bounded by the Gulf Stream and other currents that constantly shift its position.

The Sargasso Sea is one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems; it feeds, protects the young, and forms a migratory corridor for many endangered and commercially harvested species.

Today this critical habitat is threatened by many human uses—including overfishing and pollution from plastics, oil and bilge.

“Its beauty, richness and value need protecting if we are to continue to benefit from this unique ecosystem,” says Dr Landsberg. “Bermuda is the lone landmass in the Sargasso Sea and has a long record of marine conservation leadership.

“As island residents, we need to work together to help protect the Sargasso Sea for the health of our fisheries and marine environment. By doing so, Bermuda will be showing the world how we can protect and restore our marine resources.”

Currently, less than one-half of 1 percent of the world’s ocean is fully protected, whereas more than 15 times more land has some form of protection.