Casuarina McKinney-Lambert

I was born in an archipelagic nation of over two thousand low-lying islands surrounded by the ocean. We are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise and the impact of increasingly strong hurricanes. The Bahamas has some of the last remaining stocks of important species, such as the critically endangered Nassau grouper and the iconic queen conch. My work is to better understand the ocean around us and to use this information to guide how we can live more sustainably, socially, economically, and environmentally.

I have spent thousands of hours underwater while exploring coral reefs, mangrove creeks, and blue holes, and have descended into underwater canyons over 780 meters deep in a submarine. I have the privilege of sharing the wonders of the Bahamian ocean with many people from different walks of life, including students, teachers, fishermen, and enforcement officers in communities throughout the islands. A public that is active and aware supports efforts to sustain the ocean that sustains us all.