Bahamas News
A year later, stranded tug and barge still scars reef in Fowl Cays National Park – residents demand accountability
March 27, 2025—ABACO | A full year has passed since fierce winds and churning waves threw a tugboat and barge onto the delicate corals of Fowl Cays National Park. Despite multiple attempts to free the vessels, they remain a rusting eyesore—and a threat to the reef’s future. Locals, dive operators, and a coalition of nonprofits, led by the Perry Institute for Marine Science (PIMS), want to know: why hasn’t it moved?
David Knowles, Chief Park Warden at the Bahamas National Trust (BNT) overseeing all national parks in Abaco, vividly recalls the day the
tug and barge slammed onto the reef. “It’s the same story we’ve seen again and again,” he says. “Weather shifts, a channel is miscalculated, and suddenly a boat is on the reef. But what’s unique here is how long it’s stayed.” BNT, which manages Fowl Cays National Park along with more than 30 other protected areas, quickly issued a public statement after the grounding, urging the vessel’s immediate removal to prevent further damage.
The barge, reportedly loaded with construction supplies bound for a development on Abaco, poses ongoing hazards to divers and boaters, with twisted beams and stray materials scattered across the seabed.
Over the past year, authorities and salvage teams have attempted to refloat the tug on four separate occasions without success. During these attempts, the tug’s stern repeatedly grounded on an adjacent section of reef, pulverizing corals below into rubble and sand.
Part of the frustration stems from a simple question: who should pay to fix this? Under Bahamian law, the owner is legally responsible for the salvage, environmental remediation, and the safe removal of any cargo. But in practice, these groundings often become a bureaucratic tangle.
“It’s easy to point fingers at those in charge,” says Denise Mizell, Abaco Program Manager for PIMS who has organized major cleanup efforts at the site since its grounding, “but they can only do so much without cooperation and funding from the owner’s insurance. Meanwhile, corals keep getting crushed, and people who treasure these waters feel powerless.”
Denise Mizell
Guided by its vision—“Thriving Seas, Empowered Communities”—PIMS is a global nonprofit that uses science to discover new solutions, create opportunities for people, and inspire action to protect ocean life. Their work spans coral reefs and mangroves, sustainable fisheries research, and education programs in The Bahamas. By collaborating with local communities, PIMS helps create sustainable job opportunities in ocean conservation, encouraging environmental stewardship and supporting family livelihoods. Working side by side with Friends of the Environment (FRIENDS), Bahamas National Trust (BNT), Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation (BMMRO), local dive shops, and volunteers, PIMS has led efforts to remove debris from the barge still harming the reef. According to divers on these missions, the cargo of pea rock and sand from the barge spilled overboard, covering reef-building corals and smothering fragile habitats. Divers have collected rope, planks, twisted metal, and other debris drifting onto the reef, sometimes fire extinguishers, chart books and plastic light covers mixed among shattered elkhorn coral. Elkhorn coral, categorized as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is one of the Caribbean’s most important reef-building species.
For many Bahamians, that image cuts to the heart of the issue. The country’s famed coral reefs, especially the branching elkhorn coral that shelters fish nurseries, have already been hammered by disease, hurricanes, and pollution. Tourists come from around the globe to snorkel and dive here, pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy. Meanwhile, a single grounding can devastate decades of coral growth and disrupt the ecosystem that supports tourism and contributes to nearby fisheries. When storms roll in, the tug and barge shift, scraping the reef anew. Ropes snag, anchor chains drag, and once-vibrant coral heads splinter under the weight of shifting metal.
“It’s gut-wrenching to see such negligence,” says Troy Albury of Dive Guana. As President of Save Guana Cay Reef and Fire Chief for Guana Fire and Rescue, he wears many hats in this close-knit community. Albury regularly leads underwater tours and has watched debris from the stranded barge creep into neighboring dive sites. “It’s a threat to everything people love about Abaco—the fish, even the tourism jobs. Every week, visitors ask, ‘Why is there a barge on the reef?’ and I don’t have a good answer.”
The Government has powerful tools on paper. Under the Environmental Planning and Protection Act of 2019 and international conventions like the Nairobi International Convention on the Removal of Wrecks, owners must carry wreck removal insurance and face stiff penalties if they fail to remove a grounded vessel. The Port Department can also coordinate with other agencies to order salvage operations, or, in some cases, remove the vessel itself and bill the owner.
Olivia Patterson-Maura, Executive Director of Friends of the Environment —whose environmental education and conservation programs are a renowned staple in the Abaco community—believes that lasting solutions require government and private stakeholders to pull together. “Everyone wants to protect The Bahamas’ reefs—tour operators, local communities, government agencies,” she says. “We really want to collaborate on practical steps that get the wreck out of the park and restore the site, but we need
more than non-profit organizations to step up to the plate. This is a national treasure, and it’s in all our interests to remove it before more damage occurs.”
The tug and barge lie about half a mile from a coral nursery run by the Reef Rescue Network—a collaborative restoration effort led by PIMS and local stakeholders—where fragments of elkhorn and staghorn corals are grown with the hope of replanting them on endangered reefs. Each time storms agitate the stranded vessels, divers see more broken coral littering the seafloor.
“Every time the tug shifts in heavy swells, it scrapes away more of the reef. We’ll dive back down and find broken coral colonies, half-buried gorgonians, and fresh rubble. It’s heartbreaking to watch the corals get pounded over and over,” said Dr. Charlotte Dunn, a volunteer diver and President of The Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation, non-profit dedicated to long-term field studies of marine mammals in The Bahamas.
In the face of shifting winds and unreliable actors, community members are stepping up. Residents who rely on these waters for fishing, diving, and tourism wait anxiously for updates, questioning when visible progress will finally happen. Few doubt the complexity of large-scale salvage jobs. Yet the question remains: in a place where coral reefs generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tourism revenue and shield coastlines from storms, how can a stranded barge be allowed to linger an entire year?
Mizell and her volunteer teams plan to return to the wreck site soon, armed with gloves, mesh bags, and determination to collect whatever new debris has dislodged. Each dive might remove only a fraction of the junk, but for those who love these waters, every fragment is worth saving. When asked why they persist with such incremental work, Mizell’s answer is simple: “We do it because we all care about the state of our ocean. The reef can’t wait.”
Media Contact:
Written by Lily Haines | PIMS | WhatsApp +1 (613) 791-6045 | lhaines@perryinstitute.org
The Bahamas, September 10, 2025 – Rescue swimmers from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Aviation Training Center in
Mobile, Alabama visited Nassau to train Royal Bahamas Defense Force (RBDF) and Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) members in water survival skills as part of Operation Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT) earlier this week.
“Training alongside our USCG partners ensures our personnel are best prepared for the unique challenges of joint operations” said Superintendent Wendy Pearson, Commander Drug Enforcement Unit.
The multi-day exercise, centered on the USCG’s Shallow Water Egress Training (SWET), enhanced the safety and preparedness of Bahamian partners who routinely operate aboard USCG helicopters during OPBAT missions. The exercise provided hands-on instruction for 31 participants and strengthened interoperability between U.S. and Bahamian agencies engaged in counter-drug, search and rescue, and maritime security operations throughout the region.
“We were excited and proud to have the opportunity to share our expertise with our Bahamian partners. Not only did RBDF and RBPF
perform exceptionally well, they exceeded the standards we set for the event,” said Petty Officer Second Class Cole Johnson, USCG.
OPBAT is a cooperative multi-agency international operation supporting The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands to stop illicit drug smuggling through the region. U.S. Embassy Nassau Chargé d’affaires Kimberly Furnish stated, “Since 1982, OPBAT has worked to stop the flow of illicit narcotics through the Caribbean, destined for the United States or other jurisdictions. This is international cooperation at its best.”
Bahamas News
Department of Gender Affairs Congratulates Rev. Clare Robinson on Historic Induction as First Female President/Bishop of BTCI Conference of The Methodist Church
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 4 September 2025 — The Department of Gender Affairs, within the Ministry of Home Affairs, Religious Affairs, and Transportation, extends heartfelt congratulations to Reverend Clare Robinson on her historic achievement of becoming the first woman in 213 years to be inducted as President/Bishop of the Bahamas Turks & Caicos Islands Conference (BTCI) of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas (MCCA); a Momentous Occasion in the History of Gender Equality.
The Department of Gender Affairs proudly celebrates this moment of progress and inspiration, recognising Reverend Clare Robinson as a beacon of faith and leadership for generations to come. Reverend Robinson’s induction is a monumental triumph for women in leadership, for the Church, and for society as a whole. Her trailblazing journey affirms the limitless potential of women to lead with wisdom, faith, and courage.
The induction service will be held at Wesley Methodist Church, Malcolm Road, Nassau, The Bahamas, in a landmark ceremony led by Reverend Ron Juan Simson, Connectional President of the MCCA. Joining in this historic occasion will be a high-level delegation from the Turks & Caicos Islands, underscoring the regional significance of this milestone and the unity of our Methodist community across the Caribbean and the Americas.
Born in South Caicos and raised in Grand Turk, Reverend Robinson is no stranger to breaking barriers. She is the first female itinerant
presbyter and the first female superintendent minister of both the North and South Turks & Caicos Islands circuits. Answering God’s call to full-time ministry in 2005, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Theology (First Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies and a Master of Divinity, before serving faithfully within the MCCA. She will now lead 37 Methodist congregations across The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands.
Reverend Robinson has been married to Mr. Irvin Robinson for 34 years, and together they are the proud parents of one daughter, Charnelle Robinson. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Robinson family for their unwavering support and understanding, which has been instrumental in Reverend Robinson’s journey and her ability to serve the Church and the community.
In celebrating this milestone, the Hon. Shaun David Malcolm MP, Minister of Home Affairs remarked:
“Today, we celebrate a truly historic achievement in the life of the Church and in the advancement of gender equality across our region. The induction of Reverend Clare Robinson as the first female President/Bishop of the Bahamas Turks & Caicos Islands Conference of the Methodist Church after 213 years, stands as a powerful testament to faith, perseverance, and the limitless potential of women in leadership. On behalf of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Religious Affairs & Transport and in particular, the Department of Gender Affairs, I extend heartfelt congratulations to Reverend Robinson on this remarkable accomplishment. Her elevation to this sacred office affirms God’s call on her life and inspires every woman and girl to know that their gifts, talents, and service are vital to nation-building and the advancement of God’s Kingdom.”
We are confident that Reverend Robinson’s leadership will strengthen the spiritual and moral fabric of our communities, as Minister responsible for Religious Affairs it is not only our responsibility but our obligation, to pledge and support as she embarks on this historic journey. May God grant her wisdom, courage, and grace as she fulfils this divine calling.
Mrs. Carolyn Dickenson, Director of gender Affairs, stated that “Reverend Robinson stands as living proof that faith knows no gender and leadership knows no bounds. Her induction is not just history, it is prophecy fulfilled. Her journey is a beacon of hope, not only for women of faith but for every woman who has ever been told her place was limited. Today, the glass ceiling within the Church has been shattered, and the sound of its breaking will echo for generations. This induction is more than a ceremony it is a revolution of possibility. To every girl across the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos Islands who wonders if she is enough, Reverend Robinson’s achievement shouts back: You are more than enough. Let this moment ignite dreams, stir courage, and remind us all that when women rise, communities rise, nations rise, and the Kingdom of God is strengthened. This is just the beginning of a brighter future.
Additionally, the officers and members of the Women in Development and Women in Sports, extends heartfelt congratulations to Rev. Clare on this historic milestone. Your achievement is not only a personal triumph but also an inspiration to women everywhere who strive to lead, to serve, and to break new ground.
The Department of Gender Affairs stands proudly with Reverend Robinson, pledging to continue championing equality, empowerment, and leadership for all women and girls.
Congratulations Rev. Clare.
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