I have had contact with Laura and told her that I have friends on the Island and will look into the matter. It is very sad.

On a lighter note: my boyfriend and I landed on Bonaire in a KLM 747 - what a thrill!!!

We are returning this December and I just can't wait. We stay next to the BelMar in a private apartment. The view is spectacular. Last December I saw a pink flamingo fly past, what a beautiful scene, clear blue sea, clear blue sky and a pink flamingo just flying by.

I would recommend Richards Restaurant. Fantastic food and great service. Then again, I couldn't live without the Cultimara Supermarket. It's better than Sainsbury's !!!!!

Goodbye from merry old London, England..

We contacted the Marine park to ask about this.

Here is the response back on March 30th:
The MP rangers have been and photographed the cetacean and I'm not sure what it is but looks more like a small whale in shape but it is decayed. ID needs the lower jaw I believe and cause of death maybe an autopsy.

Thanks for your input Linda. The report is rather unclear. It would be helpful if they had marine biologists there on the island.

There are many different reasons why the dolphin was washed up. I hope to have some clear answers soon from my source on Bonaire. Will tell all as soon as I hear something.

Thanks Linda and Sarah for finding out more about this. It's interesting they felt it was a small whale. The face certainly looked like a dolphin.

I don't mean to be gruesome, but I can post a picture of the animal (although it's only from the back, not the front) if anyone is interested.

On the lighter note of flamingos, I forgot to mention that we saw a lone flamingo swimming in front of the BelMar one night! I've seen them stand in water and fly in the sky, but I'd never seen one swim! It was kinda cute.

A swimming flamingo is in trouble. I'll venture a guess that it was immature (whitish color) Flamingos cannot take off easly from deep water. It probably was exhauseted. I have (years ago) helped rescue one such baby and brought it to Marlis for it to rest and regain its strength.

Yikes! That's not so cute. Its body was on the smaller end, but it did have some pink to it.

I'm curious, do they look like they're in distress other than the fact they're swimming? This one did not look visibly distressed.

I wish we would have known this at the time; we'd have gotten help. Thanks for sharing this information with everyone.

If it can reach shore, it will and then rest a bit before takeoff. I snorkel and swim quite often at the house before Belmar and have seen the birds swimming by. Just to the North a small place for them to make landfall. There is also some small patches South as well.

Well, I know you're onto flamingos at the moment. But I've heard some Dolphin news I could have lived my life without.Heard the lady in question interviewed on Canadian Broadcasting, I suppose for Earth Day. Appreciate it if any New Englanders know of her or can fill out what I mostly missed. Dr. Rachel (last name garbled-Smoke or something like it) from the University of Vermont. It's not an exact quote, but you'll get the gist:...most research dollars,for even the basic psycho-social,behavioural,etc.(like I did, or I suppose, the Delphis-type projects)are being diverted to the challenge of helping Dolphins simply survive.Extinction is a very real possibility.One group of River Dolphins is down to less than 100 animals. The bio-organic concentration of tocsins is destroying them. Immune function is reduced...If a Dolphin finally speaks to us in a way we understand, it will likely be to ask why we didn't save them. Too dramatic for you? Too bad! One dead dolphin? We should be that lucky!

Thanks for that Kerri, I am so concerned about what's happening to dolphins, sharks and other marine life in the world's oceans.. that's why I have commenced study in Marine Biology. It is so important that people are aware of what's going on.. In Japan, for example, they are killing dolphins and selling the meat to the local people who think that it's whale meat!!!!! i have also heard that many Japanese think that a Whale/Dolphin is a fish!!! they seem to have very little understanding of the devastating affects hunting can and does have on marine life and more importantly their environment.. I just hope that someday the Japanese and the Norwegians that hunt will be educated on the subject and STOP HUNTING!!!! Bye from Kew ..

One of the scariest things I've heard recently is the introduction of whaling (and dolphins too) to local fisherman in the Caribbean specifically St. Lucia. They are being taught and funded by the Japanese. There is another island that was also mentioned but I can't remember it's name so I won't tarnish anyone by guessing.

A whale watching tour apparantly encountered fisherman killing and butchering whales instead of the expected graceful swimmers alive and well.

Another beauty from WWF, is the Japanese position that the whales eat food that could be better eaten by humans. Therefore by culling the herd all fishstocks would be replenished and there would be plenty of fish for everybody. Anybody for some krill or giant octopus?

Good foryou, Sarah. It's where I might have stayed. I came back to apologize that my note seemed rude. I'm just bummed. I really thought somehow, we might get our act together for the Dolphins, even if just for the curiousity of working with something perhaps like ourselves. Anyway, here's another piece of Dolphin observation from the same source. Dolphin cooperation. Males have been observed in synchronous displays for the purpose of convincing a female dolphin to er..engage in a little slap and tickle. The males display, then will cooperate to force a relationship with the female, circling her, separating her etc. If she has no objection, the mating goes on. Additionally,they have been observed cooperating to chase off intruders. Hmm, I think we call them 'frat parties'. Study, Study, Study, Sarah. Bye from the overcast Commonwealth city of Toronto.

OOps, just saw your letter, Linda. Heard that tale before. I have the distinction of coming from the country that fished the Grand Banks cod out of existence. Of course the seals were responsible. The foreign fleets. Not the guys who couldn't see that the Grand Banks which had fed Europe and the Americas and damn near everywhere else for years, were running on empty. If the catch is smaller, stay longer..right? I know, the cod are all with the whales in a Star Trek movie somewhere. WEST WING touched on another piece of this last night. The 'flags of convenience' system that lets the rich guys pay off the poor guys so they can run any tub that still floats and put any captain that's vertical onto an oil ship, so what if she decimates the Galapagos, or she's another Exxon Val-duh-uh. What is so hard about the concept of sustainability?! Ok, besides spelling it. Apologies for the rant. (Bet she's one a them tree-huggin' liberal types. And what kind of a Communistic name is Kerri,anyway.)

I guess the Japanese are just 'culling the herd' of
bluefin tuna worldwide, and all the fish they longline
and the whale species they kill for 'science'.

Let's see, the theory must be that if they cull each herd
(spelled 'species') thoroughly enough everywhere then
all will produce better and we will all have more fish
than before. Right??? Just like the Grand Banks,
Georges Bank and the whole North Sea before WWI.

Hi Kerri, I will study hard, I assure you. My annual trips to Bonaire will be a huge help too..

Linda, I am really shocked to hear about the whaling in St Lucia. I will never step a foot on that Island again and I'll also spread the word to others. This is absoloutely disgraceful, and terribly sad. I hope something can be done about it and fast. I am a member of the WDCS, I will check with them and find out what they know too..

I feel like going to WAR!!!! Goodnight all from Kew..

Sarah,
Just to let you know we know where you are coming from. In my experience encountering any type of marine-life is a pleasure but diving/snorkelling with Dolphins is the tops. Especially here on Bonaire where we try very hard to leave them in their natural environment.
The intersting thing is that this year, despite all the doom and gloom I have more reports of sightings than previous years.
Maybe they have discovered that, like most intelligent beings, Bonaire is the place to be!

By the way I hope you are both happy in Kew, there was a great pub I used to go to with my brother on the green by the river. We'll have to meet up there when we come in August!

Hi Steve, thanks for your input. I'm so pleased to hear that there are more sightings of dolphins on Bonaire. Yes, it is certainly the perfect environment for them, they should be protected and left in peace.

Nice to hear from you, hope to see you in August. Take Care, Sarah

Sarah and others, here's the link to the St. Lucia story: http://www.usagainstwhaling.org/caribbean.htm

and

http://www.ens-news.com/ens/apr2001/2001L-04-10-02.html

Pretty sad stuff.

Jake

These fishing stories - OVERfishing, I should
say - puts our current obsession (in the U.S.,
anyway) with sushi into another light.

Maybe a project for a future Marine Biologist,
or a current Conservationist, would be to
engage in a mass education project in places
like Japan and St. Lucia, to counteract what
the Japanese are teaching fisherman and
consumers! Infiltrate! Infiltrate! (I ain't no
communist, I just care)

http://www.sharks.org/
Shark Research Institute
Doing Whale shark stuff now in India; NEW fishery for whale shark meat and oil. They are trying to get the India gov. to see that people like us will pay to see the whale sharks.

But we don't have to look so far away - look at the problems with Beluga whales in the St. Lawrence River. Habitat problems (chemicals from mining and pulp mills) are killing Belugas close to home. These whales don't reproduce like they should. A book - Beluga: a farewell to whales; by Pierre Beland (Lyons & Burford Publication, 1996) will explain it better. Not just that, but until WWII - meat and oil from belugas were used; belugas will killed because they were after cod and salmon.
Same thing I see all around the world -
If a buck is to be made; nature be Dam#%# !

Now the crazy thing about St. Lucia is that it is also a success story with creating 'no fish zones' which over several years results in more fish available in the surrounding fisheries. Local fisherman have seen the benefit and now fully support the concept on St. Lucia.

See article below:

Published Monday, February 19, 2001, in the Miami Herald

Scientists back network of marinesanctuaries

Sport, commercial activities harming ocean life, report says

BY PAUL RECER
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO -- A worldwide network of no-fishing zones might be the last, best hope of
replenishing the Earth's depleted stocks of fish and other marine species, an international team of
scientists reports.

Fish, lobster and other species recover in only a few years given sanctuaries free of the hooks
and nets of commercial and sports fishermen, the researchers say.

In a report released during the weekend at the national meeting of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science, the researchers urged the creation of a network of marine parks
where all sea animals and plants would be protected.

Just as national parks provide a haven for threatened animals on land, marine parks could be the
salvation for vanishing ocean life, the study said.

``The oceans are more vulnerable than we realized,'' said Jane Lubchenco, an Oregon State
University marine scientist. ``We know now that the present methods are inadequate to protect
the oceans.''

Overfishing, pushed by a hungry world's demand for seafood, has moved species of fish toward
extinction, the scientists said, and permanent marine parks could be the only answer to save
them.

``The seas are increasingly in serious trouble,'' said Stephen Palumbi of Harvard University.

He said that dying coral reefs, toxic algal blooms, massive fish kills and the collapse of fisheries
are symptoms of fundamental changes in ocean life that are caused, in part, by overfishing.

In heavily exploited waters, the fish simply cannot repopulate fast enough to keep up with the
harvest. Marine parks would give them a chance, the scientists said.

Today, fewer than 1 percent of the world's waters are protected in marine reserves. However, the
study showed that even these limited areas have had a dramatic effect on the recovery of sea
life.

The study was produced by the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis and was
endorsed by 150 of the world's leading marine scientists.

Former President Bill Clinton in May signed an executive order calling for a national system of
marine-protected areas, but the proposal met with criticism from lawmakers and the fishing
industry. Critics contended that there was little scientific evidence showing the value of marine
sanctuaries, Lubchenco said. The new study, she said, now provides that evidence.

The study of 89 marine reserves around the world showed that, given the chance, fish and other
marine life quickly restore themselves where they are protected. The marine species then fan out,
reseeding adjacent waters.

``We now have strong evidence that reserves work,'' said Robert Warner, a professor at the
University of California at Santa Barbara.

Within and around marine parks, he said, fish population doubles, fish size grows by 30 percent
and reproduction triples.

``It all happens within two to four years, and it lasts for decades,'' he said.

In places where marine reserves have been tried, said Callum Roberts of the University of York in
England, fish populations have exploded within the reserves and quickly have enriched the
surrounding ocean.

The result has been a revival of commercial fishing in some areas where fish once were scarce.
When snapper and lobster populations in coastal waters of New Zealand crashed, the fishing
industry there went into a depression.

Roberts said that after a series of marine reserves was created in the 1970s, the snapper
population in a few years was 40 times higher inside the reserves and lobsters were increasing at
the rate of 5 percent to 11 percent a year. Outside the reserves, the fishing industry now thrives.


``Fishers in New Zealand now ring the reserves with their traps,'' Roberts said.

In reserves around the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, fish populations tripled in three years and
doubled in the surrounding waters.

When the scallop population crashed in the Georges Bank, a fishing area in the North Atlantic, a
6,500-square-mile area was closed to fishing.

Roberts said that in five years, the scallop population inside the reserve was 14 times greater
than in unprotected waters. Fishing boats now concentrate on the borders of the reserve, he
said.

``There are still some people who believe we can continue with business as usual,'' Roberts said.
But, he said, some fisheries are now at a ``crisis'' stage, and some species might not recover
without marine reserves.

In spite of all the efforts being made by worldwide organisations such as the WDCS here in the UK and the IWC (International Whaling Commission),local people in countries where whaling etc is allowed definitely need to be educated more. Linda's point is a very good one, and, I'm pleased to say, that there are some countries in the world, who are in fact doing just that. I guess the key point to put across is that any reduction in a specific species, can upset an ecosystem. This is just an example of what hunting can do to an ecosystem. Sea Otters were once nearly hunted to extinction for their furs. Sea Otters are predators, one of their favourite foods is the Sea Urchin, which feeds favourably on kelp (seaweed) as the number of otters decreased, the urchins increased, and they overgrazed on the kelp forests. The kelp was almost decimated. Since many fish rely on the kelp for cover (including some baby turtles), there was a reduction in the fish populations, which in turn depressed local populations of eagles. I'm sure you all know this, but perhaps it's helpful for those that don't and want to understand our concerns, that are not only the cruelty aspect but the environmental aspects too.

Sarah - leaving now for a long earned rest.. Have a great weekend all...

Bravo, Sarah, for showing the sad and too
frequent domino-effect that happens in nature
from living a consumption model rather than a
model based on balance! I'm part of the
problem more than the solution, I'm afraid, but
I am trying to change some habits - firstly, to
slow down and pay more attention to this
exquisite world we live in - daily!

I've been wondering, since our trip to Bonaire:
What is the recycling situation on the island?
Also, why won't the government get real about
engaging in sustainable energy use models
-- like harnessing the ever-present
trade-winds for wind genrated power?? Oh
yeah, I guess the money tied to petroleum is
just soooo powerful...sad....

In Bonaire,years ago there were LOTS of black sea urchins. Then came the urchin 'plague' and most were killed.
Then came the algae and covered lots of coral.
Coral died because it was smothered by algae.
Urchins are making a come back but NOT near the numbers before.
Will say that shore entries are alot easier without the millions of sea urchins BUT the imbalance in the ocean without them was not nice either. Don't mess with nature!

Hi Nancy, in response to your question regarding the recycling situation, I'm not too certain on the answer to that... I think perhaps we need a response from someone living on Bonaire.. hello, does anyone have the answer????

I think they need a preview option on this site, this is not what I intended to post.. but this is... the above picture is a small piece of my creation for my web site, in case you're wondering!!

This is the image folks .... sorry to put you through this.... my computer crashed and the above was posted anyway, oh, well... I think I need a long holiday.. let's see, Bonaire would be nice right now!!!

Yes, it's small... I know!

Nancy, the recycling situation is presently non-existant, but there were some demonstrations of recycling at last September's Tene Boneiru Limpi (Keep Bonaire Clean) event - maybe Michael has more details, I believe he was on the board at the time or shortly before that. One issue, as I've understood it is that it is more expensive to recycle recyclable materials for a population as small as Bonaire's (figure 12,000 during any given week at present), than would be earned from the sale and shipment of such goods to a location where the recycling could occur.

In terms of alternate energy sources, the present Bonaire government has stated that it supports this, but I've not seen any progress in this area. In the past, wind turbines have been installed, but because of a lack of maintenance have fallen into disrepair. There are also some power monopoly statutes which affect switching or supplementing with non-petrol based power generation.

On our end personally, we're saving our pennies to try and buy and install a solar power system, but that would have to occur after we get around to paying for reconstruction on our house. Our electric bill, personal and company combined (since we're in the same house) runs about $500-600/month. Nasty.

Jake

There is not too much to say about recycling other than FTBL, foundation Tene Bonaeiru Limpi, has been trying for 11 years to jump start programs, but as Jake has said, there is a financial issue not to mention politics. The recycle fair last year was wonderful, but its chance of being repeated is in questoion. One though to keep in mind...each year, over 6 million beverage containers come on the island. Only a fraction (amstel in bottles) is reused. The others are here to stay...forever...