Bimini bay resort

Bimini bay resort: bimini mangrove destruction

Bimini bay resort is a large scale development being built on Bimini island in the Bahamas. Bimini bay resort consists of oceanfront property, hotels (one of which is a Hilton), a casino and a huge golf course. Bimini island has never seen anything on such a scale before, infact historically most larger scale developments on Bimini have flopped. If the full scale Bimini bay resort goes ahead then this will mean the destruction of most of the North Bimini - an island covered by mangroves that will be bulldozed to make way for golfers.

See Saving the sawfish for links to the short film about the destruction of the smalltooth sawfish habitat on Bimini.

The area had been declared a kind of nation park by a previous government and therefore protected but when the new government came into power various backhanders paved the way for the resurrection of Bimini bay resort. Campaigners would like to see a scaled down version of bimini bay resort that will not have such a great impact on the local ecosystem - and stands more chance of being a success!

Bimini island bulldozed for bimini bay resort

Bimini bay resort: bulldozers at work

The Bimini mangroves also protect against storm and wave action - Bimini island is a very flat island that would literally be washed over were it not for the protection of the mangroves. The building of Bimini bay resort means a LOT of this mangrove will be bulldozed. Along the sea where they have already built some properties they have replaced the mangroves with a small sea wall - a sea wall that is already crumbling in places.

Bimini island is just off Florida and is part of the Bahamas. Bimini is a sleepy island surrounded by rich mangrove habitat that serve as a nursery groun, not just for the lemon sharks that so interest me, but also for a plethora of other fish and animals. The mangroves 'seed' the Bahamas with young fish and Conch, helping to sustain the fish populations that so many people there rely on.

Take action visit the Restrict Bimini Bay Resort website.