Posted 18th May 2026. Last updated 18th May 2026.

The Royal Gazette Opinion Article by BEST Board Member, Adam Farrell – May 19, 2026

Bermuda’s waters represent a valuable natural resource that belongs to all of us. Preserving our ocean environment and governing its sustainable use is critical to maintaining a healthy fishery and protecting our invaluable reef system.

Our waters are not “ring-fenced” and immune from what is happening globally. They are exposed to all the same stress factors that are impacting the world’s oceans, such as climate change and pollution.

The Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme has been seven years in the making. The extensive research and consultation done over this time have led to the development of the Marine Spatial Plan, the first of its kind for Bermuda.

The aim of this is to provide the legal and policy framework, funding access and governance structure for the long-term management of the waters within Bermuda’s EEZ. It also ensures that 20 per cent of Bermuda’s marine waters are fully protected marine-protected areas, which would serve to protect commercial species and help to preserve our entire marine ecosystem, which support a wide range of stakeholders.

One of the principal tenets of BOPP has been wide consultation with the local community, including significant public outreach over several years, which has all helped to formulate a plan that fits for Bermuda.

This has included the “Ocean Village” stakeholder groups with about 150 members representing the island’s various marine interests. Ocean-use surveys have been conducted involving 1,494 participants, and more than 180 formal public comments have been reviewed and incorporated into the plan.

Read more here: https://www.royalgazette.com/opinion-writer/opinion/article/20260518/adam-farrell-our-duty-to-protect-the-ocean/