The Government of Bermuda has “committed to protect at least 20% of their total Exclusive Economic Zone [EEZ] in marine protected areas [MPAs] while vowing to sustainably develop their Blue Economy,” the Government announced today.

Today [June 5] the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Waitt Institute, and Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS], signed a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] to form the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme.

“Through this partnership, Bermuda will create a binding ocean plan to sustainably manage and improve ocean industries like fishing and tourism while at the same time preserving 90,000 square kilometers [50,000 square miles] of Bermuda’s waters, which total 465,000 sq. kilometers [ sq. miles], in fully protected areas [no fishing, extraction, or destruction of any kind is allowed],” a spokesperson said.

“This process will be based on scientific, legal, and socio-economic assessments of the island and will be designated and implemented by 2022. Utilizing marine spatial planning [MSP], new inshore and offshore zones will aim to preserve commercially important fish stocks, migratory routes for marine mammals, and deep-sea ecosystems like seamounts and corals while allowing for responsible development of marine industries.

Read more here: http://bernews.com/2019/06/bermuda-ocean-prosperity-programme-formed/