We are concerned that the Clifton Cay Project will result in yet another example of the chipping away at critical sea turtle habitat by harming the world famous reef system and sea grass beds just offshore of the project. The biodiversity of this marine environment rivals that found anywhere else in the Bahamas or the Caribbean. While sea turtles may have once nested on the beaches in the area, there currently is no record of nesting activity. However, green, hawksbill, and giant loggerhead turtles are seen in abundance throughout the near shore reefs and sea grass beds.
Green turtles are vegetarian and rely on sea grass beds as a food source.
Hawksbills and loggerheads forage on the rich diversity of sea life found among the reefs. The hawksbills are now listed as critically endangered throughout the Caribbean and their chances for long term survival are bleak. Here in the U.S., especially in Florida, government agencies and private organizations are spending millions to protect sea turtles and their nesting habitats. Research using satellite telemetry to track the migratory patterns of sea turtles reveals that Florida's nesting populations of both loggerheads and green turtles regularly travel to the Bahamas after nesting on our beaches. Therefore, what happens in the Bahamas directly affects U.S. sea turtle populations.