Disney Cruise Lines has received permission from the Government of the Bahamas to push ahead with plans for a massive cruise ship port at the heritage site in South Eleuthera called Lighthouse Point. Conservation groups are calling the plan disastrous, causing irreparable harm to the pristine environment. Last Chance for Lighthouse Point hopes to spare the local treasure from Disney’s multi-billion dollar influence. Sharks are caught in the middle.
A Shark’s Paradise
When it comes to shark research and conservation, there are few places in the world that come to mind as quickly as the Bahamas. Elasmobranch science (the study of sharks, skates, and rays) has grown up on this chain of tropical islands, beginning arguably as early as the 1950’s, fostering numerous university and privately sponsored research organizations, vital field studies, and even influential marine science careers.
Since 2011, when the Bahamian national government publicized a ban on all commercial shark fishing in the roughly 630,000 square kilometers (243,244 square miles) of the country’s waters, the Bahamas has become a critical hub for conservation and ecotourism. Luring tourists, television crews, and adventurers to their crystal clear waters, the Bahamian government loves to promote their greatest resource – nature.
It’s easy to market beautiful vacation adventures to tourists when there are so many options. From SCUBA diving to sport fishing, sandy beaches to blue holes, and swimming pigs to massive bull sharks, the Bahamas is know for “wonders that stimulate the senses and invigorate the imagination”. Tourism is big business in The Bahamas, accounting for almost 51% of the country’s GDP. In 1992, the Bahamian government adopted a market-friendly economic policy aggressively focused on fostering the growth of privatized tourism. This means the vast majority of large vacation destinations in The Bahamas, such as Atlantis Resort & Casino, Paradise Island Resort, and Resorts World Bimini, belong to foreign investors.
So, it would stand to reason that tourism and conservation should go hand-in-hand, right? If tourists are coming to The Bahamas to experience the incredible natural environment, then the government and private vacation resorts should work to preserve those finite resources, right? You would think so, but you would be wrong.
A Recent-History Example
Historically speaking, The Bahamian government has a long history of selling their natural resources for the benefit of big resorts and private investors. In 2013, when asked to produce an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report on the Resorts World Bimini project, the Bahamas Environment, Science and Technology (BEST) Commission stated
“Tourism can be both a source of international amity, peace and understanding and a destroyer and corrupter of indigenous cultures, a source of ecological destruction, an assault of people’s privacy, dignity and authenticity.”
Then, in 2014, Resorts World Bimini proposed a 1,000 foot pier terminal for ferry ships to be made from 220,000 cubic yards of ocean bottom, retrieved from areas adjacent to 14 known “prime dive” and endangered reef locations. Despite educated warnings, the pier was built and the results were as anticipated – disastrous – and underscored by the impact of a major hurricane.
“Since the ocean floor was dredged to build the pier, the west side of North Bimini has experienced massive land erosion. In just one hurricane season the entire beach disappeared. A little way down the road in the Bailey Town graveyard, I had watched contractors trying to build up the land to prevent tombstones from tumbling into the ocean.” Stated Philippa Ehrlcih in 2017, environmental journalist from Save Our Seas (on the environmental damage done by the construction of a pier and terminal)
Is History Repeating Itself?
Now, take the smaller Bimini Resorts World recent-history example and scale it up to the proportion of a major Disney Cruise Line port and terminal, and you can start to imagine the impact such a major construction project would have on a small natural area. Take into consideration, also, that the proposed location for this project was previously proposed as a Marine Protected Area due to it’s important geological features and rich biodiversity, including endangered coral, aggregations of sharks, fish and other marine life – and you have the potential for irreversible mistakes to be made.
Lighthouse Point, located on the island of Eleuthera in The Bahamas, has the potential to be Disney’s very real “big mistake”.
“In the case of Lighthouse Point, it is beyond insane. It is a giveaway of our children’s heritage. It sets the stage for no limit in selling their birthright.” Said Joe Darville, chairman of Save the Bays, in a January of 2019 article
Disney Cruise Line claims to foster a specific focus on wildlife conservation, even highlighting a specific “Conservation and Wildlife” section in their environmental overview press release published in May of 2019.
“On board our ships and off, Disney Cruise Line strives to promote wildlife conservation and the protection of native animal species in our ports of call and around the world.” States their document, which goes on to Disney’s conservation fund and other various programs, while also promoting environmental programs and community outreach.
“On Disney Cruise Line ships, efforts to share our environmental programs and educate others have become an integral part of the company’s goal to inspire both children and adults to take environmental action in their everyday lives.”
But it seems that actions speak louder than words, and a suspicious lack of independent review is cause to pause.
“Given the size and scope of the proposed project (including a vast physical infrastructure and a potential human impact of up to 20,000 visitors per week), there are mounting concerns that Disney Cruise Lines has released no public information regarding the scope of the project’s EIA.” Questioned involved environmental groups
In July of 2019, Disney Cruise Lines (DCL) released a statement reiterating its promise that
“We will move forward…only if we can do so in an environmentally responsible manner.”
In a tale too often told in The Bahamas, Disney Cruise Lines still has not committed that an EIA will include: 1) analysis of the economic benefits so they can be measured against the costs of major environmental impacts associated with the construction and operation of the port, and 2) full consideration of alternative sites for the proposed port.
What Does This Mean for Sharks?
Recent studies indicate that habitat loss is a major contributing factor to population changes in species of shark that frequent Bahamian water. The importance of creating, maintaining, and respecting protected areas for current and future shark populations cannot be overstated. While the Bahamas has taken exemplary steps to protect sharks from commercial fishing in their territorial waters, the same cannot be said for protecting them from the effects of development and tourism.
Initially proposed as a Marine Protected Area, Lighthouse Point is a particularly eco-rich area known for it’s contributions to key research and conservation areas of study: abundant shark populations, vibrant underwater habitat, healthy coral reef, and important geological features. Lighthouse Point is, also, part of a critical habitat for populations of lemon sharks and bonefish suffering from habitat alteration as a result of fisheries exploitation and shoreline development (Murchie et al.,10; Murchie et al., 2013). The Cape Eleuthera Institute is currently conducting research in the area comparing historic shark migration and habitat data with more current data in the submerged bridge between Lighthouse Point and Little San Salvador Island.
In addition to the near-threatened lemon sharks known to inhabit the area, the waters by the point are also known to be frequented by white tip sharks, bull sharks, black tip reef sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, due to it’s proximity to Exuma Sound. There is, also, a reasonable theory that the area may be a pupping ground for both Nurse Sharks and Lemon Sharks, and studies are ongoing. It is one important link in a chain of geological features which provide an important habitat for local and transient shark populations.
The loss of Lighthouse Point as an untouched natural resource has the potential to be a major disruption for the local and pelagic shark populations which rely on the natural resources and habitats currently found there. Marine Protected Areas provide sanctuaries for sharks and other stressed species, helping their populations to recover and thrive. The waters surrounding Lighthouse Point, if protected, could serve this function for sharks and other threatened marine species. However, if Disney’s project proceeds, it will disrupt the movement of sharks and other key species and irreparably damage the marine ecosystem in the area. This would put Disney’s actions in direct conflict with their very public “eco-friendly” policies, as well as the research and conservation efforts they claim to so adamantly support.
Alternatives for the Cruise Ship Industry
The cruise ship industry is not typically recognized as the most eco-friendly way to travel. Despite growing pressure from travelers, tourists, and governments, the cruise industry has been slow and resistant to adopting many of the environmentally conscious policies and practices proposed to them. A recent article on Forbes.com highlighted this assertion in April of 2019, noting that
“without homogenized standards and strictly enforced international rules, the cruise and shipping industry is likely to continue side-stepping many of the possible solutions [to the dumping of sewage and other such pollutants into the ocean].”
The battle between eco-friendly cruising, the generated income by tourism, and ongoing conservation efforts is ever-evolving. While Disney Cruise Lines may be considered among the best options for eco-conscious travel, development of Lighthouse Point would be an irrevocable blemish on their perfectly marketed environmentally-friendly message.
So, what’s a cruise line to do when their passengers demand an entire island to themselves? A new concept in the world of tourism development is to revitalize an already degraded site. Rather than disrupting or destroying a preserved site for profit, it can be both beneficial and financially possible to restore a site previously degraded by industrial or development distress. Ocean Cay is a fine example of this new approach by Disney’s competitor, MSC Cruises. Also located in the Bahamas, Ocean Cay is an artificial island which was built in the late 1960s to early 1970s, and was used as an industrial sand extraction site. The island has been redeveloped as a host site for MSC Cruises, but is also a fully-functional marine reserve.
Given the fact that Lighthouse Point is already a main attraction for tourists on Eleuthera, Lighthouse Point still could be used as a model of sustainable ecotourism. For Lighthouse Point, there is great potential for true ecotourism to flourish, benefitting both the local Bahamian islanders and their natural environment, if not disrupted by the influence of a multi-billion dollar organizations like Disney. Lighthouse Point is one of the main attractions on the island of Eleuthera. Visitors already travel to this area to experience its natural beauty. It is already a prime location for fishing lodges and tour operations. In fact, a a fully funded, sustainable development plan for South Eleuthera that was previously constructed by local groups included a larger sustainable ecotourism operation , which protect the environment and facilitate more small business growth for local South Eleutherans. This was ignored by the local government, as the lure of Disney’s dollars is difficult to ignore for the benefit of others.
Saving Lighthouse Point and the Sharks
As the Lighthouse Point story unfolds, and the Last Chance for Lighthouse Point movement continues to grow, it seems the fate of this natural area rests firmly within the grasp of Disney Cruise Lines. Positioned with money and influence on their side, there is little to dissuade them from flexing their influence over an otherwise untouched site in the Bahamas. In an all-to-familiar, colonial-toned strategy to further dominate the tourism industry, Disney seems un-phased by the more than 75,000 signatures opposing their development of the heritage site captured by the “Last Chance for Lighthouse Point” campaign.
In the end, it may be that Disney is willing to deflect responsibility in lieu of profit, but the growing awareness of environmental impact caused by the tourism industry may still save this unique location. As Millennial travels take over the tourism industry, the importance of eco-friendly tourism will continue to grow, and Disney’s attention to it’s eco-friendly reputation may prove persuasive. Grace Farraj, SVP of Public Development and Sustainability from Nielsen, is quoted as saying
“Brands that establish a reputation for environmental stewardship among today’s youngest consumers have an opportunity to not only grow market share but build loyalty among the power-spending Millennials of tomorrow, too.”