The Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE) is campaigning for more marine parks in the Cayman Islands and Cayman’s Tourist Association has backed them. This seems to fly in the face of Cayman Islands premier, Hon. McKeeva Bush, who is also Director of Tourism, who has been lukewarm to downright chilly when the subject of protecting the environment has come up. This has included the deputy premier and, even stranger, the Minister for Environment!

The DoE issued a Marine Parks Booklet (MP)* recently that says “after 25 years of Marine Parks …….. it’s time to plan for the next 25”.

The DoE warns that things are getting worse and says:

Cayman’s population has more than doubled in the life-time of its marine parks

More people, more fishing, fewer fish and serious changes to our ecosystem

Invasive species like the lionfish that are eating lots of the Islands little fish

Coastal development and tourism is increasing rapidly with detrimental environmental impacts

Climate change that has caused coral bleaching, diseases, ocean acidification, sea level rise and more big storms

In the 1970’s there was 80% of coral cover that was healthy and providing important shelter and homes for fish and other animals; there was a large and healthy fish population including bigger sized fish; and less seaweed.

Since then, in the 1980’s a disease broke out that killed many of our sea urchins that eat algae off the reef and in 1998 and 2009 there was coral bleaching events that caused corals to die or become diseased and weakened.

We now have ongoing and increasing overfishing and the coral cover is only at 10-12% with a big increase of fleshy seaweed that does not allow enough space for new corals to settle.

The MP Booklet makes the huge point that unhealthy reefs do not produce fish or coral and this makes it less attractive for the Cayman Islands as a tourist destination.

Healthy coral reefs and mangroves provide critical coastal protection to our small, low-lying islands of Grand Cayman, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac.

Marine parks, however can help. These parks are areas of the seas and coasts where wildlife, particularly fish, are protected from damage and disturbance caused by human activities. They are designed to promote the recovery and conservation of nature, ecosystem services (such as coastal protection) and cultural values (such as fishing traditions).

The DoE executed a number of Open Exhibitions and verbal presentations in October and November where the public was given an opportunity to ask questions and put forward suggestions.

Now the Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) has publicly embraced the DoE’s MP initiative.

“A healthy environment and coral reef systems are Cayman’s biggest asset and why hundreds of thousands of tourists, residents and businesses live in or visit our islands each year. Protecting the environment is not only good for the environment, but very good for all business and tourism in the Cayman Islands,” CITA said in a statement released Monday.

“CITA believes that most Caymanians are in favour of protecting their future and heritage, but not as many are prepared to take the actions needed today to ensure that there is a tomorrow. It is critical the marine parks do not stay the same as this will be a step backwards.  The concept that the marine parks is ‘taking away’ is incorrect; the marine parks are giving back and the expansions proposed will do just that — give back more healthy reefs, more fishing stock and more opportunities to make a livelihood from the seas.

Concerned what the reefs will look like in 2037 they said, “We all know that time will come, but won’t know until then if we protected enough, too much or too little — 2 of these outcomes we will be thanked for, the other held to blame. More marine park reserves means more fish for divers, for snorkelers, for fishermen, for the health of the reefs. This has been proven by the Department of Environment studies over the last 25 years.”

The Association has called for more resources to enforce and protect what is at risk under any new expansion of the marine parks to safeguard the environment from poachers and violators.

The Marine Parks Booklet (MP) can be downloaded at  http://issuu.com/inewscayman/docs/mp-review-booklet-for-online-viewing-or-download?mode=window&backgroundColor=%23222222