By Simon Jones
Published Oct 13, 2014 at 8:00 am (Updated Oct 12, 2014 at 11:38 pm)

BAMZ will be renovating their roof and their tanks to the Aquarium. The building, which was orginally constructed in the 1920's, will be getting an update and makeover in the next six months, to improve the facility. Wildlife from the tanks have been moved to holding tanks outside. (Photos by Nicola Muirhead)

Dr. Ian Walker stands on the walkway that looks over the tanks of the aquarium
and discusses the rennovations that will be taking place these next six months.
The building, which was orginally constructed in the 1920's, will geting an update and
makeover to improver the facility. In the meant time, wildlife from the tanks have been
moved to holding tanks outside. (Photo by Nicola Muirhead)

More than 1,000 fish, crustaceans and corals have been temporarily re-homed as work on the Aquarium Hall began this week.

Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo staff used buckets and barrels to carefully relocate the rich array of the hall’s colourful inhabitants.

They have now all been moved to new and secure tanks on the premises while construction work on the hall begins on Monday.

BAMZ Curator, Ian Walker, said the major operation to relocate everything from moral eels to Pompano fish to Slipper lobsters had been a success.

And he said he was ecstatic about the prospect of the aquarium getting a long overdue facelift.

“I can not commend my staff enough for the work they have put in this week,” he said. “We have been working around the clock moving the fish and all the other marine life out of the hall and into tanks in other parts of the property.

“It has taken five full days and it all went according to plan.

“The important thing I want members of the public to know is that all of these marine species will be taken care of just as they were before, it will just be taking place behind the scenes.”

Construction firm, Sunrise Construction, are due to arrive on site on Monday.

And over the coming months a new self supporting roof will be built over the hall and extensive refurbishment will be carried out inside.

During the construction period it is hoped that the Northrock tank will be able to remain open for the majority of the time.

While the aquarium shop will be moved behind the bathroom facilities into an eduction room.

The work is scheduled to be completed by March 2015.

“It is a huge project, but it’s very exciting too,” Dr Walker said. “It is going to look amazing and I am ecstatic that we are now underway.

“This project has been in the planning for more than five years so a lot of thought has gone into it.

“Although the position of tanks and the appearance of the hall will remain pretty much as they are now, the whole area will be given a major facelift.

“During the construction process the tanks will remain full of water and oxygenated so that the algae and other animals that have grown over the last few decades also remain alive.

“I can’t wait to see what it looks like in March when all the work is done.”