Bermuda BREAM

The Environmental Charter of Bermuda is a commitment between the United Kingdom and the Government of Bermuda to recognize the critical importance of a healthy environment to the welfare and future survival of Bermudians. The United Kingdom Overseas Territories Conservation Forum posts the Environmental Charter for all overseas territories on it's website: http://www.ukotcf.org/pdf/charters/bermuda.pdf The text of the Bermuda Environmental Charter is below: ENVIRONMENT CHARTER FOR BERMUDA Guiding principles For the UK government, for the government of Bermuda∗ and for the people of Bermuda. 1.) To recognise that all people need a healthy environment for their well-being and livelihoods and that all can help to conserve and sustain it. 2.) To use out natural resources wisely, being fair to present and future generations. 3.) To identify environmental opportunities, costs and risks in all policies and strategies. 4.) To seek expert advice and consult openly with int

Points indicate reef and seagrass locations surveyed for benthic biota and fish populations by BREAM since 2004 After we mapped the coral reefs and other benthic habitats to a Geographic Information System (GIS) we went out and surveyed the coral reefs, seagrass beds etc to determine their condition, the abundance of the various animals and plants that lived there, whether there were disturbances such as disease and other general measures of ecological health. For a full list of parameters surveyed see the post below. The map shows the location of each survey site we have assessed. Each site usually took 2-4 hrs to survey, with a team of 3 to 6 divers. All of the data collected was brought back to our office at BAMZ and processed and put into what is now a massive database. We use this information to develop spatial models of the distribution of important animals such as groupers and brain corals. Also many of the areas we surveyed had never been surveyed before, so the data we c

Coral Species assessed Agaricia fragilis Diploria strigosa Diploria labyrinthiformis Favia fragum Porites astreoides Porites porites Montastraea frankesi Montastraea faveolata Montastraea cavernosa Isophyllia sinuosa Stephanocoenia intercepta Dichocoenia stokesi Millepora alcicornis Madracis auretenra Madracis decactis Scolymia cubensis Siderastrea radians Oculina varicosa Meandrina meandrites Fishes assessed Angelfish / French Angelfish / Gray Angelfish / Queen Angelfish / Rock Beauty Bermuda Species / Barred Hamlet Bermuda Species / Beaugregory/Cocoa Damselfish Bermuda Species / Blue Angelfish Bermuda Species / Bluehead Wrasse Bermuda Species / Chub Bermuda Species / Clown Wrasse Bermuda Species / Diadema Bermuda Species / Gray Triggerfish Bermuda Species / Lionfish Bermuda Species / Puddingwife Bermuda Species / Saucereye Porgy Bermuda Species / Scrawled Filefish Bermuda Species / Seargent Major Bermuda Species / Sharpnose Puffer Bermuda Species / Slippery Dick Bermuda Species /