Letter To The Editor

The Anguillian
Anguilla, BWI

Dear Editor,

On Sunday May 13, 2007 several people participating in the Anguilla Regatta witnessed a helicopter land on Prickly Pear Island - a designated Marine Protected Area - which is at this time the summer breeding and nesting season for several bird colonies that live there.

Prickly Pear is an internationally acclaimed Bird Area recognized by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - an organization that promotes conservation of birds and other wildlife through the protection of their habitats and EPIC (Environmental Protection in the Caribbean). EPIC reported in a census conducted in 2004 that Anguilla’s offshore islands harbor some of the most diverse and abundant seabird colonies in the Lesser Antilles. The report noted “the presence of at least 13 seabird species, out of the 21 species which nest throughout the West Indies, on the islands of Dog, the Prickly Pears and Scrub was remarkable”.

Since this is a Marine Protected Area, I would like to know who was responsible for granting permission for this helicopter to land and take off from this area? Why was the Anguilla National Trust not contacted to determine if there were any environmental concerns related to this action? Was the Department of Fisheries notified? Who was responsible for the decision to include this outing as a sales tactic? Was it necessary – was it worth the success of selling a villa to a possibly undecided buyer to indiscrimately disturb and possibly damage the nesting habitat of these birds? Did the participants enjoy seeing the panicking birds fleeing in fright - was the helicopter trip really worth it? I don’t think so.

Another Concern Anguillian