CAPTION: Jean-Michel Cousteau [Island Sun photo]

COUSTEAU CALLS FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT OF BVI ENVIRONMENT

By Angela Burns-Piper

World-renowned underwater explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau has called on the BVI government to develop a sustainable master plan in order to better manage the environment.

He issued the appeal during the March 27th Public Lecture Series hosted by the H. L. Stoutt Community College. Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of ocean explorer the late Jacques Cousteau, was in the BVI for a Board of Governors meeting of the Friends of the BVI National Parks Trust USA Inc.
In addition to his well-known underwater explorations that began with his father, Jean-Michel works to build awareness of the world’s oceans. His influence is international, through his award-winning films and through the Ocean Futures Society, which he founded in 1999. This society works to develop marine education programmes, conduct research and foster a conservation ethic worldwide.

Mr. Cousteau lamented the destruction of the environment that has taken place over the years. “We were agonizing seeing what was happening as we continue to use the ocean as a garbage can, as a universal sewer…when in fact it’s coming back at us with lack of food which we don’t allow to reproduce by destroying vital habitats, which are the coastal zones, shaping and re-shaping the coastlines, destroying sea grasses and mangroves which are the nurseries of the ocean…”

He said educators have a formidable duty as early as possible to “dip our children in the ocean”. He said every part of nature forms part of a giant puzzle and we need to understand how nature works and how we fit in and benefit from all of this. “So as we understand how precious these commodities are, the ones that allow life to take place…and how everything depends upon it, then we can better manage those resources, better manage ourselves, look at this giant system in a more efficient way and perhaps we can become economists.”

As an example, Mr. Cousteau spoke of his dive at the Wreck of the Rhone the day before. He said there were no changes with the wreck since he last dived there 12 years ago, but was disappointed that inside, the large schools of fish were no longer there.

However, he said he then swam out of the ship and was disgusted to see the amount of toilet paper deposited by the ships in the area. “What one has to do is to go out…in the open ocean to empty your bilges. It is absolutely disgusting!”

The ocean explorer/environmentalist said if we stop to realize what we’re doing to the marine environment, we would recognize that it starts on land with ourselves. He said he believes the opportunities are there “and places like this one is where it starts”.

Mr. Cousteau said we have to look at the planet as a trust fund and do a better job of managing. He said government, the HLSCC, NPT, Fisheries etc. should come together to create a sustainable master plan for the BVI to find out what “the golden goose can provide” before it is choked to death.
He said tourists are the worse customers to have, as for a few dollars they take everything away and when they don’t like the destination any more, they go somewhere else. “The choice is very simple - what it is that we can afford having on these beautiful islands in terms of management in a sustainable way when it comes to what we can give away.”
According to him, the efforts of the National Parks Trust are to be commended. He said the placing of moorings is a major step in the right direction and more should be added so that anchors are not dropped and destroy the reefs.

Mr. Cousteau also said having pumping stations to remove sewerage from ships and boats is a must, we must stop cutting the mangroves and instead implement a reforestation programme, protect the sea grasses, avoid erosion by leaving nature alone and building off the ground and re-examine our fishing techniques.

In terms of the education system, the underwater explorer insisted that environmental issues should be mandatory for children from an early age. He said he would also campaign for every dive operation in the BVI to become environmentally responsible in educating their divers.

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