On Tuesday, September 22, 2020 the Bermuda Cabinet approved the appointment of three International Experts to the Sargasso Sea Commission.

The Sargasso Sea Commission was established by the Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea, signed in Bermuda on March 11, 2014. The Commission celebrated its five year anniversary last year with a workshop held at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences in March 2019.

The three incoming Commissioners are Dr. Tammy Warren, Senior Marine Resources Officer for the Bermuda Department of Environment and Natural Resources (serving a third term); The Honourable Wilfred P. Moore, former Canadian Senator (serving a second term); and Mr. Frederico Cardigos of the Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs for the Government of the Azores (serving a second term). They will each serve in their personal capacity.

The Declaration requires that the Commissioners be “distinguished scientists and other persons of international repute committed to the conservation of high seas ecosystems that would serve in their personal capacity.” The new Commissioners will work alongside current Commissioners Professor Howard Roe, Professor Stephen de Mora, Mr. Mark J. Spalding, and Mrs. Rochelle Newbold for three years.

The Honourable Walter Roban, JP, MP, Deputy Premier and Minister of Home Affairs commented “My Ministry is pleased to continue to lead the work of the Government of Bermuda to support the Sargasso Sea Commission’s vital stewardship of the Sargasso Sea.”

David Freestone, Executive Secretary of the Sargasso Sea Commission, warmly welcomed the appointments. He said “We are delighted to continue working with these three esteemed colleagues as we move into the next decade of the project. We are also grateful for the ongoing support of the Government of Bermuda for the Commission’s work.”

The Sargasso Sea Commission is a unique institution. It is appointed by the Government of Bermuda with the support of the ten Government Signatories of the Hamilton Declaration. Its formal role is to act as the Steward of this iconic high seas ecosystem and to keep its health, productivity, and resilience under review, as well as to develop safeguard measures for its conservation.

As of September 2020, the ten Signatory Governments to the Hamilton Declaration are the Azores, The Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, the Principality of Monaco, the United Kingdom and the United States.

• Press release from the Bermuda Government