PHILIPSBURG:---A sizable crowd attended the World Environment Day and World Ocean Day event at the Philipsburg Theater on Saturday afternoon.
Presenters for the eco-event were Tadzio Bervoets and Jessica Koelsch.
Bervoets gave the audience a powerful presentation on several topics, He also gave an outline on what the St.Eustatius Marine Park is currently doing, his real life experience with the lion fish and how he plans to tackle this predator fish once it is seen in our surrounding waters. Bervoets also spoke about shark conservation and why it is important to protect sharks.
Koelsch presentation focused on marine trash and debris and her work with volunteers in the St. Petersburg Tampa area with underwater cleanups and ridding the waters of discarded fishing line. She also spoke on the importance of the International Coastal Cleanup and how this worldwide action held every September can play an important role in awareness and bringing forth a detailed account that governments can use to bring about behavior and policy changes.
The event closed off with a showing of the conservation film SHARK WATER.
Organizers of the event, the Sint Maarten PRIDE foundation recognized several groups and one individual in the community for their constant dedication to environmental issues.
Recipients were Mr. Terry Peterson for his valuable and constant support to the International Coastal Cleanup and his rallying efforts to ban plastic bags on the island of St. Maarten. The groups were the Seventh Day Adventist Pathfinders and the Scouting Antiano St. Maarten Mohican group .Both youth groups are very active in the community with beach and community cleanups as well as dedicated annual volunteers of the International Coastal Cleanup.
Pride Foundation