Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park history: who founded it, the 1958 expedition and no-take

The park started with a survey trip, and the Bahamas National Trust came out of the same effort. This page follows the history in order. For today’s rules and fees, go to the park hub.

When was Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park established?

The Bahamas National Trust says the park was established in 1958¹. The Trust calls it the first marine reserve in The Bahamas and the wider Caribbean¹. After the government adopted the survey team’s recommendations, the 176-square-mile park was officially established, and the Trust describes it as the first of its kind in the world¹.

Who founded the park?

Ilya Tolstoy, grandson of the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, assembled a group of concerned, forward-thinking Bahamian and North American conservationists in 1958¹. He did not set out to create the Bahamas National Trust¹.

The Trust says Carleton Ray led the Exuma Cays Expedition, and that Ray and the other members of the initiative were responsible for creating the park⁵. Wikipedia says Ray, an assistant director of the New York Aquarium, and Jack Gabow headed the survey of the Exuma Cays³. The National Park Service survey report was edited by Carleton Ray of the New York Aquarium². The Trust calls him the last living founding member of the Bahamas National Trust⁵. He lived from 15 August 1928 to 14 December 2023⁵.

What happened on the 1958 expedition?

The survey took place in January 1958². Its purpose was to examine the area recently proposed as a Bahamian national park².

The expedition’s report concluded that the area had “outstanding natural values”¹. The government adopted the team’s recommendations, and the park was officially established¹.

How did the Bahamas National Trust begin?

On 13 July 1959 the Bahamas National Trust Act was signed, creating the Bahamas National Trust¹. The Trust oversees the park³. The park dates to 1958, and the Trust to the Act of July 1959.

Year	What happened
1958 (January)	Survey of the Exuma Cays2
1958	Park established1
1959	Bahamas National Trust Act signed on 13 July1
2018	Platinum Global Ocean Refuge Award1

Is the park a no-take zone?

The park is a no-take zone today: no fishing, conching, shelling or lobstering, and nothing living or dead may be removed from within its boundaries⁴. The penalty for poaching is fines and confiscation of vessels⁴. The no-take zone guide covers what the rule means on the water.

Who was Peggy Hall, the early park warden?

The Tribune’s tribute to Peggy Hall says the park came under pressure from development on land and poaching by sea as people discovered the beauty and accessibility of the islands⁶. As the park fell victim to lack of oversight, the Trust called on its lifetime member Peggy Hall⁶.

She took over as park warden and declared the park the first “No Take” preserve in the Bahamas⁶. She lived aboard her boat Moby, with her dog Powerful, during her years in the park⁶. The Tribune adds that the park became the focus for volunteer helpers, including the youth groups of Raleigh International⁶.

What has the park become?

The park is the most visited national park in The Bahamas¹. In 2018 it won the Platinum Global Ocean Refuge Award¹. The Bahamas Defence Force has stationed three officers at Park Headquarters to assist park staff with enforcement matters¹. The park office is on a remote small island, so the Trust warns that contacting it can sometimes be challenging¹.

A small population of Bahama hutia was transplanted to two locations, Little Wax Cay and Warderick Wells⁷. Read about the base in Warderick Wells headquarters.

For the basics of what you are visiting, see what the park is. For where the boundary falls, see the boundaries and map page. To help the Trust that came out of the survey trip, read how to support the park. Read the park rules before you arrive.