Cayman SharKYfest
On Saturday, families, fishermen, divers, and children came out to join a fun-filled afternoon. Shark-themed stalls by the DoE and MCI, Cayman Islands Tourism Association, National Trust and Guy Harvey Research Institute provided information on sharks and healthy reefs. The children’s shark-themed activities included a poster competition and live music by Trio Vivo
For more information about sharks in Cayman, visit www.doe.ky and www.marineconservationinternational.org. For updates on the Top Marine Predator Project and the Citizen Science Programme visit and like the Facebook page “Shark & Cetaceans: The Cayman Islands” and follow @MCI_Cayman on Twitter. And remember to
#SpotThatCayFish for your photos of sharks and other fish. Fishermen, snorkelers and divers can report sightings, with pictures, of sharks and large snappers (especially if they are tagged) by uploading them to Facebook or Twitter and tagging them with their name, where and when they saw the fish, and #SpotThatCayFish.
NOTES
Darwin Plus: www.gov.uk/government/groups/the-darwin-initiative
The Darwin Initiative is a UK government grants scheme that helps to protect biodiversity and the natural environment in developing countries and UK Overseas Territories (OTs). Darwin-funded projects usually aim to help preserve biodiversity and the local community that lives alongside it. The Darwin Plus is awarded for work in the Overseas Territories.
The Cayman Islands Department of Environment: www.doe.ky
DoE is responsible for the management and conservation of the natural environment and resources of the Cayman Islands, including the management of the Marine Parks system. In carrying out its remit, the department liaises with government, private-sector and civic stakeholders. The DoE works collaboratively with several academic and research institutions around the world and has been the beneficiary of five Darwin Awards, including this one.
Marine Conservation International: www.marineconservationinternational.org
MCI is a partnership formed by marine scientists to focus on high-priority marine conservation objectives. Its offices are Edinburgh. Co-directors Dr Mauvis Gore and Professor Rupert Ormond are former senior UK university staff (York and London Universities), and both currently hold honorary professorships and senior lectureships at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. Between the two of them, MCI has completed more than 100 projects in some 50 different countries (mostly in the Middle-East Indian Ocean and Caribbean) with funding from governments, NGOs, grant-giving bodies and commercial organisations.