Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, the Hon. Clay Sweeting, during his first official visit to Grand Bahama on Thursday had a tour of Coral Vita, the coral restoration facility on the island.

Following the tour conducted by co-founder and president Gator Halpern, The Minister congratulated the owners of the facility on their recent award, the prestigious Earthshot Prize 2021 in the Revive Our Oceans category and described what they are doing as “tremendous work.” Coral Vita is a non-profit coral farm, growing more resistant, diverse coral to restore dying reefs in The Bahamas and around the world.

“As Minister for Marine Resources, it is vital that we find ways to increase capacity in our fishing waters, and Coral Vita has found ways to assist us in replenishing our coral system.” Minister Sweeting further described the work as “transformative” and pledged support from his ministry.

Continuing, he said, with climate change and the attendance at the recent COP26 conference, “I think we’re all interconnected to find ways to adapt to climate change in regard to mangrove systems and coral revitalization.”

Minister Sweeting was accompanied on the tour by Minister for Grand Bahama the Hon. Ginger Moxey, and by Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Theo Lightbourne.