A TEAM of scientists was on the island this week in the lead-in to a prestigious conference discussing coral reefs around the world. Hosted by the Bermuda Zoological Society, the group spent much of its time diving on various reef sites. Their visit here was organised under the auspices of the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS), a major scientific conference held every four years. In preparation for that event, scientists travelled on field trips to several coral reef locations including Bermuda. They discovered the island's reefs to be healthier than most in the world, a direct consequence of the careful management of Bermuda's waters.

The state of Bermuda's reefs was the topic of a public lecture at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI) this week. Two of the world's foremost coral reef experts, John Ogden and William Precht, spoke with residents in advance of an international symposium in Florida, the ICRS. The event, at which scientists convene to share the latest knowledge on coral reefs around the world, presents an opportunity to highlight Bermuda's success in managing such resources. As explained by Thad Murdoch, chief scientist of the Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Assessment & Mapping (BREAM) project, the island is to be commended for its efforts - the details of which he intends to share at the ICRS next week.

"It's a chance to showcase Bermuda to the international coral reef community," said Dr. Murdoch who has spent the past several years conducting the first extensive mapping of Bermuda marine parks and reef areas.

"The big story is that Bermuda has managed its reefs better than practically any other country on the planet so 99 per cent of its reefs are amazingly healthy."

The island's fishpot ban and the classification of reefs within a 200-mile zone as 'marine protected areas' are among the reasons why Bermuda's reefs are near pristine, unlike those in the Caribbean, which "have been ravaged by human contact and disease over the past decade", he added.

His insistence that we need to "continue those efforts for the future health of our reefs", was supported by Dr. Ogden, director of the Florida Institute of Oceanography and an expert on the ecology and management of coral reefs and associated ecosystems.

"My aim is to place Bermuda in the global context," he told the Mid-Ocean News in advance of his talk at the BUEI.

"Not only is climate changing the world, the world is changing. It's up to us, and our governments, to anticipate and manage (such change)."

A member of the Florida Oceans and Coastal Council and professor of biology at the University of South Florida, Dr. Ogden was president of the International Society for Reef Studies and is a founding board member of the Florida Ocean Alliance. He currently sits on the Technical Advisory Committee for the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, the Ocean Conservancy board and the Federal Advisory Committee on Marine Protected Areas. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

As one might imagine, that broad experience has given him great insight into the challenges facing marine populations. According to Dr. Ogden, there are three major problems.

"One is fishing and all its different impacts. Not only removal of (fish from the) ocean but the impact of trawls on the bottom. The second problem is land-based pollution - air from power plants, run-off from sewage treatment facilities and solid waste disposal. The third is global climate change."

Although there were those who voiced scepticism over the concept of global warming, Dr. Ogden believes scientific research has proven it is indeed, taking place.

"The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) put to rest most scientific objections to the fact that oceans are warming and that that will have consequences for all of us. The question becomes what to do? Rather than have what amounts to a free for all, managing fish as best as we can, we've limited catch size and the types of gear used. We created marine protected areas prohibiting fishing."

Such efforts have had great results in Bermuda, which stands to be commended for its impressive strides when one recalls past years where there "was a tremendous decline in certain types of fish on the reefs", he added.

"I think we have to be eternally vigilant. It's the reason why (efforts being made here are part of) a long-term project to preserve the coral reef and the reef fishes."

The reef expert highlighted certain areas that could be improved, insisting that such efforts were not the sole responsibility of the island's government.

"The solid waste disposal (that takes place) by the airport is clearly a problem and it will increase. We really don't know the answer to that however governments cannot do it all. It really has to do with individual actions and in recycling materials, which are then processed in an appropriate way and reused."

He described the island as "ideal" for solar power and a place where wind power could also be harnessed as an energy source.

"I think Bermuda had got very good examples but it's a global problem. No single country can tackle it."

A worldwide programme would require legislation by a broader entity such as the United Nations, in order to be successful, Dr. Ogden stated. However he maintained that Bermuda could still serve as an example to other countries.

"I think Bermuda is doing very well. The coral reefs here are stable. Colour is usually a good indication of health and the coral here has remained unchanged for at least 25 years, indicating that unlike other areas such as the Caribbean, Bermuda has stayed stable."

The island's location and ocean currents have contributed to that positive state, he added.

"The water doesn't get as warm here as it does in the Caribbean, (a condition that is) bad for coral for long periods of time. Bermuda also has an isolated location and its ocean currents are great.

"But it's up to people as well. It requires individual citizens' initiatives. I hope (residents) see the results and realise how important it is to the future health of Bermuda. Bermudians have to (resist) relentless pressure to develop.

"I think it behoves every Bermudian to think about the kind of environment they want to live in and their children to inherit."