Waterkeeper Alliance, which has organizations and volunteers in 37 countries, announced its first partnership with The Bahamas this week to protect reefs in the Clifton Bay area of New Providence.

The group’s president, Robert F Kennedy Jr, announced the partnership after diving the reefs last weekend.

Waterkeeper Alliance is an environmental group that helps raise awareness of water pollution and initiates sustainable efforts to protect freshwater and marine environments.

The international volunteer organization has initiated projects around the world in such places as India, the US, Australia and Africa.

“Today we are proud to announce our first partnership project with The Bahamas,” said Kennedy.

“The vision of Waterkeeper Alliance is to ensure that water, all our water everywhere, is drinkable, swimmable, fishable.”

In the 13 years since he last dove the area, Kennedy said that some 70-80 per cent of the coral has been threatened in the Clifton Bay area on the southern side of New Providence, in part by algae and contamination from oil seepage and spills.

The ability to rescue, restore and preserve them is always present, he added.

“You have an incredible opportunity here in The Bahamas to protect what belongs to the Bahamian people and is enjoyed by your visitors and we hope that this partnership will be the first in an ongoing relationship.”

“You have a $50 million a year dive industry that exists because of the beauty of these reefs,” he continued.

“People all over the world hear of the reefs of The Bahamas.”

“I believe that when people come together and decide they are going to do something for the public good like saving and restoring these reefs, it can happen. It will happen. And Watermaker Alliance is proud to work with these dedicated people to make sure we do everything we can to make it happen. But this is a local effort and it will take local participation and dedication.”