Barbados' Ocean Park: The Big Fish Tank In The Sky? On June/6/2007, The Nation newspaper ran an article announcing the $10m expansion plan for the island's lone marine aquarium, Ocean Park Barbados. One of the new additions will be a pool to allow "interactive swimming with dolphins."

That's an ambitious plan, but I'm not so sure that keeping dolphins at Ocean Park is a good idea. Unless of course, the proper support and environmental systems are in place and maintained by trained personnel, like say, a Marine Biologist, or someone similar.

In the interest of full disclosure, the only fish I like are the ones that I've already tasted and eaten at the dinner table. I've never been to Ocean Park and have never owned an aquarium. I have however been fishing. In a tiny boat. In choppy water. I shall not make the same mistake twice.

Thus, I quickly lost interest in the article. Until recently. Ian Bourne over at The Bajan Reporter has published a hard-hitting, in-depth analysis (complete with pics), of the fish deaths at Ocean Park that have occurred over the last year. Ian appears to have first hand knowledge of this foul play (or is it fish play?), since he openly admits to withholding his source's name for legal reasons.

Based upon what I've read concerning the planned expansion and in addition to the information I read at The Bajan Reporter, the Company should consider investing a portion of that expansion money into the hiring of an expert/professional and attempt to fix whatever is wrong at the Park. Alternatively, conduct an internal investigation into the cause of the deaths that have been blogged by Ian & Co. Do this before the dolphins get involved and before any further marine life is lost.

Labels: accident, Barbados, fish, life

8:48 PM