United States Scientists Visit Cuba to Discuss Overfishing, Coral Reefs, Ocean Energy and Ocean Issues

United States Scientists Visit Cuba to Discuss Overfishing, Coral Reefs,
Ocean Energy and Ocean Issues
Fri Oct 23, 2009 8:57am EDT

United States Scientists Visit Cuba to Discuss Overfishing, Coral Reefs,
Ocean
Energy and Ocean Issues

RALEIGH, N.C., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Environmental Defense Fund
will send a team of experts to Havana, Cuba, on Sunday to discuss ways to
eliminate overfishing, protect coral reefs, conserve coastal areas, and tap
potential ocean energy - a signal that greater environmental cooperation may
be on the horizon. EDF scientists and policy experts and Cuban
scientists and
environmental officials will have a series of meetings about how the United
States and Cuba can work together to protect ocean waters and marine
resources
shared by the two countries. The meetings come on the heels of a September
visit to the United States by Cuban environmental officials.

"The United States and Cuba share many ecological resources, but the
countries
have different ways of managing them," said Daniel Whittle, a senior
attorney
at EDF and director of its Cuba Program. "Fishing, coastal development, and
offshore oil and gas exploration in Cuba can have impacts in the United
States, and vice-versa. The sooner we work together to manage shared
resources and find solutions common problems, the sooner we'll see benefits
for the people, the environment and the economy in both countries."

EDF has asked the Obama administration to ease policies that limit
scientific
exchanges between U.S. and Cuban scientists and conservation professionals.
Last month the U.S. State Department issued visas for four Cuban
environmental
officials to attend scientific meetings hosted by EDF in Washington, DC, and
Sarasota, Florida--the first such meetings held in the U.S. in several
years.

"These precedent-setting meetings are a hopeful sign that greater
environmental cooperation is on the horizon," said Dr. Doug Rader, chief
ocean
scientist for EDF. "An important first step toward managing our shared
marine
resources is to share good science and good ideas. We have a lot to learn
from each other."

Rader added that expanded scientific and management cooperation can help
address the growing threats to coral reefs, ocean fish populations, habitats
for migratory birds, marine mammals and turtles, and biodiversity.

Just 90 miles from the tip of Florida, Cuba shares a large amount of ocean
territory with the United States. Because of the prevailing currents and
Cuba's proximity, preserving its marine resources is critically important to
the economies of coastal communities in both countries.

About Environmental Defense Fund
A leading national nonprofit organization, Environmental Defense Fund
represents more than 700,000 members. Since 1967, Environmental Defense
Fund
has linked science, economics, law and innovative private-sector
partnerships
to create breakthrough solutions to the most serious environmental
problems.
For more information, visit www.edf.org/cuba.

CONTACT:
Tom Lalley, 202/572-3303, 202/997-0899, tlalley@edf.org
Daniel Whittle, 919/931-9677, 919/881-2914, dwhittle@edf.org

SOURCE Environmental Defense Fund

Tom Lalley, +1-202-572-3303, +1-202-997-0899, tlalley@edf.org, or Daniel
Whittle, +1-919-931-9677, +1-919-881-2914, dwhittle@edf.org, both of
Environmental Defense Fund
United States Scientists Visit Cuba to Discuss Overfishing, Coral Reefs,
Ocean Energy and Ocean Issues | Reuters (23 October 2009)

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS132209+23-Oct-2009+PRN20091023