Bermuda BREAM

Banded cleaner shrimp (c) Ian Murdoch http://www.bermudaunderwaterphotography.com/

A snorkeler floats suspended at the bow of the Bermuda Zoological Society's RV Endurance [click photo for larger image] (c) T. Murdoch

BREAM: The Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Assessment and Mapping Programme BREAM represents the marine side of the Bermuda Biodiversity Project (BBP) at the Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS). The Bermuda Biodiveristy Project is the umbrella name for all research at the BAMZ facility, including projects conducted in conjunction with other organisations. The BBP goals are to initiate and coordinate a comprehensive local and international effort to catalogue all of Bermuda's flora and fauna, forming the basis for the sustainable use of the Island's living resources. The BZS was created to enhance the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum & Zoo for the benefit of Bermuda, its residents and visitors. The Bermuda Government provides continuous support of the physical plant and operational needs, while the BZS, a not-for-profit organisation, supports the development, education and research programmes at BAMZ, and organises special exhibits and activities for the community. The aims of BREAM are...

Dr. Ewart Brown was interviewed on Sky news network today - discussing the importance of the worlds larger countries in controlling climate change and the peril facing Bermuda's coral reefs otherwise. See and hear Dr. Brown's inverview on Sky News at this LINK We at BREAM are constantly assessing the condition of coral reefs, fishes and other marine animals, so that Bermuda may better manage both global and local environmental impacts to our splendid marine environment.

Check it out: http://wwww.conservation.bm

The propeller of the ship wreck of the "Cristobal Colon", which is now a Buoyed Marine Protected Area for divers near North Rock, Bermuda. The BREAM team has been busy since mid-October braving high winds and stormy seas to survey all of the Buoyed Dive Site Protected Areas, as part of a project funded by the Department of Conservation Services, the Bermuda Zoological Society, the Atlantic Conservation Partnership, and the Overseas Territories Environmental Programme of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK Govt. We are using the AGRRA protocol to assess the corals, other benthic animals, and fishes, and the REEF fish survey protocol to gain additional information about fishes at each location. Yellow dots in the map above show the locations of the Buoyed Protected Dive Sites we are presently surveying (click image to enlarge) This information will be added to the BREAM database which already holds data from over 160 coral reef and seagrass sites. The information we ...