Environmental campaigners in Bermuda have been given financial backing to carry out a ground-breaking study on marine pollution that will be circulated to other islands.

Keep Bermuda Beautiful's (KBB) chief executive Lennox Boodram has been given cash support by the Centre for Marine Conservation (CMC) to investigate the impact recreational boats have on the ocean and find ways to reduce pollutants and the waste they leave behind.

The study is part of CMC's Caribbean Model Communities programme, which aims to reduce marine pollution and improve waste management practices in Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

The CMC has been able to expand the programme after being awarded $450,000 over three years from Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises' Ocean Fund.

Seba Sheavly, director of the Atlantic region of the CMC, said Bermuda, along with the other three islands, were chosen to head the investigations because they already had excellent programmes in place.

She said the KBB were asked what they wanted to study and chose recreational boats because it felt little attention was given to the issue and the problems they could create.

Solving the problems through improved management practices and education will be a major part of the programme.

Mrs. Sheavly added: "The KBB has worked with us for years on our clean up days, but this is the first time they will have worked with us in this way.

"They already have a lot of information and data collected on pollution and trash from their clean up days, now they will take that a step further.

"The study the KBB will carry out will look at recreational boats and how their activities are related to marine pollution. Hopefully, it will look at how we can expose operators to better management practices, looking at trash and how operators clean boats, for example, which can have a major affect on the environment.

"Educating people is the key. The KBB will be looking at the problems and the causes, as well as how best to raise awareness and prevent it happening. The findings will then be used by other countries as the information will be shared.'' Mr. Boodram was off the Island last night, but is planning to visit the CMC in Miami in June, along with the other islands taking part in the programme, to discuss how they can best work together.