LOCAL NEWS...

Loggerheads break nest record

Cayman Compass
13 September 2021

Loggerhead hatchlings make a break for it on Little Cayman after emerging from their nest. – Photo: Joe Roche, DoE

While Cayman’s loggerhead turtle nesting season ended with a record-breaking 343 nests registered across all three islands, green sea turtles have not fared as well, with the Department of Environment noting a drop in the numbers for that species this year.

Out of a total of 474 nests for all types of turtles across all three islands, only 131 green sea turtle nests have been recorded for 2021 thus far, down from a record high of 353 for greens last year.

However, DoE Research Officer and Sea Turtle Programme Manager Jane Hardwick, in a recent interview with the Cayman Compass, said that dip in numbers is not a cause for concern.

High hopes for turtles“The loggerhead nesting season is about to finish and the green nesting season is still continuing. So far we are similar to our 2018 numbers, which was a low year, but we did expect that, because last year was such a big, big year for them and it’s not the same females that come back every year. So we’re not really worried that it’s a low year,” she said.

The bump in loggerhead nests, she said, marks a “really good season” for the species as this year’s high number of nests has surpassed the 2017 record of 332. Read the whole story here.

Island-wide clean-up planned for World Cleanup Day

Cayman News Service
30 August 2021

Plastic Free Cayman is coordinating an island-wide clean-up next month to mark World Cleanup Day and to address the build-up of plastic around our shoreline after the two recent tropical storms. The event will take place on Saturday 18 September at eight different locations and the organisation is encouraging people to join in the event.

“It has become increasingly clear just how important our beaches are to Cayman’s economy, our tourism industry and our cultural heritage,” said Claire Huges of PFC, as she urged people to join other volunteers and help restore our shores to their natural beauty.

Several community groups have already signed up to take part across all three islands to create Cayman’s largest beach clean effort to date. They include CayOcean, Protect Our Future, The Mangrove Rangers, Stoak’d Cayman, Lucky Slice, ALT, and Island Supply. 

Volunteers can register on the World Cleanup Day website or simply sign in upon their arrival to the clean-up.

Climate Change Effect On Overseas Territories

BerNews
15 August 2021

Photo courtesy of Cayman Compass

The Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership [MCCIP] released a ‘Report Card,’ which discusses the “key climate change effects on the coastal and marine environment around the Caribbean and Mid-Atlantic UK Overseas Territories.”

The report on the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership website said, “There are six UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean and Mid-Atlantic.

“They are diverse in size, economic and social development, and systems of governance and are small territories with populations ranging from approximately 5,000 people in Montserrat to 65,000 in both Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. The total population is estimated at 220,000 spread across the islands of Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos.

“The marine and coastal environment is an important natural resource to these UKOTs, with economies and people heavily dependent on the services they provide [e.g., fisheries and tourism]. Climate change is already affecting these islands, through loss of habitat and degradation of biodiversity, and the social and economic impacts caused by extreme weather events.”

“Sea-level rise and changes in the frequency and/or intensity of extreme weather events (heatwaves, extreme temperature and heavy precipitation, tropical cyclones, storm surges, and coastal, river and rain-induced flooding) constitute the biggest climate change risks to the islands. The economic and social impacts of extreme weather events on Caribbean and Mid-Atlantic UKOTs are of national significance. For example, Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 were some of the most intense storms recorded in the region and caused widespread devastation across the UKOTs of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

“In the marine environment, sea temperature rise is a major threat to habitats and species, most notably when marine heatwaves hit coral reefs causing bleaching and impacting on the ecosystem condition and function of the area. Some marine species have shifted their geographic ranges, seasonal activities, migration patterns, abundances and interactions, with important consequences for fisheries and the provision of other ecosystem services. As temperatures continue to rise, further major impacts on marine ecosystems are to be expected in the future. Read the whole story here.

5 key warnings for Cayman from the UN’s climate change report

Cayman Compass
13 August 2021

Recent erosion on Seven Mile Beach could be a sign of things to come. - Photo: James Whittaker

Described as a ‘code red’ for humanity, the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change spells out a stark warning over the future of the planet.

The United Nations report demonstrates unequivocally that climate change is man-made and that some of the impacts, including sea-level rise, are unavoidable. There are a number of ‘possible futures’ and the world’s developed nations have a rapidly closing window of opportunity to radically reduce fossil-fuel emissions and prevent the most severe consequences.

Here we look at five key areas with the most direct influence on Cayman.

1. Rising seas a certainty

Continued sea-level rise is an irreversible consequence of climate change that is “locked-in” for centuries, the report concludes.
While there is scope to slow the pace at which that happens, the window of opportunity to alter that trajectory has passed. 

Read the whole story here.

Watch: Cayman coast guard & civilians rescue endangered turtle

Loop Cayman
12 August 2021

On August 10, two members of the public who happened to be in the vicinity of Booby Quay, a sheltered mangrove island in North Side Cayman, spotted a distressed Hawksbill turtle entangled in a turtle net that was attached to two buoys.

The individuals notified the Cayman Islands Coast Guard  (CICG) of the sighting, providing details on the location of the distressed turtle and CICG officers were able to locate and respond, disentangling the terrified creature from the net, which appeared to have been designed and set specifically to entrap turtles.

The turtle was subsequently released and no visible injuries were observed, and the net and buoys were retrieved from the water. 

The would-be poachers who set up the trap were not caught, but had they been, they would have been liable on conviction to a fine of CI$500,000 (US$600,371) or four years in prison or both, coupled with the forfeiture of their vessel and equipment.

Booby Quay, where the Hawksbill turtle was spotted, is a designated Environmental Zone which strictly prohibits the taking of any marine life, and according to the National Conservation Act, the taking of any turtle from Cayman waters, the taking of any specimen from protected areas and the importing of unsanctioned specimens into the Cayman Islands is strictly prohibited. Watch the video and read the whole story here.

UN sounds ‘deafening’ warning on climate change

Cayman Compass
9 August 2021

Smoke and steam billows from Belchatow Power Station, Europe's largest coal-fired power plant operated by PGE Group, near Belchatow, Poland November 28, 2018. - REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo

The United Nations panel on climate change told the world on Monday that global warming was dangerously close to being out of control – and that humans were “unequivocally” to blame.

Already, greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere are high enough to guarantee climate disruption for decades if not centuries, the report from the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned...

...Drawing on more than 14,000 scientific studies, the IPCC report gives the most comprehensive and detailed picture yet of how climate change is altering the natural world – and what could still be ahead.

Unless immediate, rapid and large-scale action is taken to reduce emissions, the report says, the average global temperature is likely to reach or cross the 1.5-degree Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) warming threshold within 20 years.

The pledges to cut emissions made so far are nowhere near enough to start reducing level of greenhouse gases – mostly carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels – accumulated in the atmosphere..Read the whole story here.

First comprehensive assessment of climate change impacts on coasts and seas across the UK Overseas Territories

Phys.org
2 August 2021

Reef structural complexity provides habitat for other species such as fish and invertebrates on healthy reefs Credit: Prof John Turner

Professor John Turner and Dr. Gareth Williams of the School of Ocean Sciences were co-authors of the Indian Ocean Region Assessment which highlighted four priorities, which are the changes in coral species; changes to coral reef habitats; changes to reef islands and sandy beaches and the impacts on the provision of natural coastal protection and island resilience to sea-level rise.

Over 60 scientists and managers working with all 14 UK Overseas Territories undertook similar regional reviews, which include the Polar Territories (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (and the British Antarctic Territory); Territories in the South Atlantic (Ascension Island, Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha and St Helena Island); Caribbean & Mid Atlantic (Anguilla, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos); Mediterranean (Gibraltar and Akrotiri and Dhekelia in Cyprus) and the Pitcairn Islands in the Pacific.

Although most territory islands are small, the UK has the fifth largest total area of ocean, and the territories contain 94% of the UK's biodiversity. The UK Government has committed to establishing a "Blue Belt' of over 4 million square kilometers of marine protected areas. Read the whole story here.

Fears about 7MB rise as more beach erodes

Cayman News Service
2 August 2021

Ken Dart's house on Seven Mile Beach (from social media)

The worsening erosion of the southern end of Seven Mile Beach is fuelling further public concern about the future of Cayman’s world famous beach and this critical tourism attraction. Earlier worries about the erosion caused by years of coastal development too close to the water, especially when sea levels are rising due to climate change, are turning to fear as the lost beach has left the sea lapping at the foundations of some properties.

The Marriott resort, several condo complexes and a number of private homes, including developer Ken Dart’s house, have now lost their beach as the once seasonal erosion appears to be permanent and the structures on their property are now also facing inundation.

Efforts by condo complex Regal Beach to try to recover its beach and protect the development has added to the public fears, which are now dominating Cayman’s local social media pages, that these efforts will make things worse and that the Cayman Islands authorities have waited too long to put a stop to the development that has caused the problem.

Over this weekend a number of local people posted footage of the situation on the stretch of what was once luxurious soft white sandy beach between Dart’s private home and the former Treasure Island resort.

Local businessman Robert Baraud posted seven minutes of footage that he recorded as he rode along the stretch on a Jet Ski documenting the extent of the beach loss and the depth of the water on what was sandy beach just a few years ago. The footage shows the alarming level of erosion and how serious the situation now is along a mile-long stretch of the coastline that until about three years ago was a full beach.

Baraud told us that he had filmed the strip of beach at the weekend for his own records. But given what he saw, he decided to post the footage on social media and he has had an overwhelming response, with hundreds of people sharing and re-posting the seven minute video.

“This is really bad for the tourist sector but everyone is impacted by this,” Baraud told CNS, as he asked what the community and the government can do about it. “We need to find a way to replenish the beach somehow,” he said, noting the memories people have of Seven Mile Beach and its fundamental importance to the local heritage. Read the whole story here.

Plans for climate change resilience emerge in SPS

Cayman News Service
28 July 2021

Premier Wayne Panton addresses Parliament

With Premier Wayne Panton at the helm of the PACT Government, Cayman’s environmental and conservation activists will be hoping to see concrete policies being rolled out as soon as possible to begin reversing the trend of over-development and building resilience to the impending impacts of climate change. In his closing remarks after presenting the Strategic Policy Statement earlier this month, Panton set out a number of proposals that could begin to make a fundamental difference regarding what he said were the historic failures of previous governments that “have been poor guardians of the natural wonders” in Cayman.

Panton’s commitment to building climate change resilience comes against a backdrop of fires and floods around the world and as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is working on a comprehensive assessment on the state of global heating. Over the next two weeks the panel will produce a report that experts said should be a “wake-up call” to world governments. The summary is expected to play an important role in guiding global leaders as the UK hosts COP26 in Glasgow in November to deal with critical climate questions.

While Cayman’s contribution to global emissions is negligible, the impact on these islands will be significant, especially with regards to rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

The premier said the PACT government will establish a sustainability and climate change task force, update and adopt the 2011 climate change policy, ensure that climate change policies are included in development laws, create a climate change trust to fund climate change policy, change the planning fee structure, review and revise the national development plan and amend existing laws to regulate construction in the dynamic beach zone.

“We turned a blind eye to over-development, over-fishing, over-population and kept aiming for more, more, more. More people. More buildings. More cars,” he said as he promised to guide the Cayman Islands through a sea change on environmental and climate issues.

The government is committing to raising duty on items that are not environmentally friendly, enacting stiffer fines and penalties for environmental violations and limit the sale of crown lands.

“We will also re-plant buffer zones that have been damaged and ensure the protection of existing mangroves, which act as natural carbon sinks,” the premier said. “To protect against future environmental destruction, we will continue the purchase of land, especially beach lands, for public usage and the benefit of generations of Caymanians to come.”

During his address Panton signalled a very different approach to development and called out the opposition leader for his comments during the SPS response. He accused Roy McTaggart of lecturing him on the idea that there is not a binary choice between development and protection of the environment.

“I have always maintained that we support sustainable development, and that must at its core mean that you find the right balance in how you develop and even where you develop… The perception of his government is that their approach was supporting development at any cost; the cruise port being one such example,” he added.

Controlling development is not the only area that the government plans to address. Panton also outlined policies to tackle pollution and roll out more renewable energy solutions with additional funding.

“This includes funding for solar and other renewable energies, incorporating the provision of micro loans to assist with conversion to renewable energy,” he said, adding that the change to planning fees would also pave the way for smaller, more energy efficient homes. He said the new government would increase the number of solar farms through public-private partnership and upgrade government facilities to use renewable energy. Read the whole story here.

Premier: Development plan needs to be national

Cayman News Service
12 July 2021

The FIN development project (file photo)

The previous government’s piecemeal approach to the national development plan could produce inconsistencies in the development of Cayman going forward, according to Premier Wayne Panton. He told CNS that he wants to take a closer look at how PlanCayman has been rolled out with a view to taking a national approach to the development plan rather than area by area. Panton said he was aware of concerns that PlanCayman consultation had been weighted towards developers, and given his government’s focus on sustainability and climate resilience, he said he wanted to see a more balanced approach.

Having created the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency (MSCR), Panton said his portfolio includes the responsibility for revising the national development plan. Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Lunch last week, Panton told the audience that the plan was long overdue and that it will be one of the key areas of focus for the PACT administration.

“If we are to make progress in achieving long-term development goals, we must address sustainable development. Climate change is not a standalone issue and its inherent risks must be integrated into all aspects of development planning,” he said, adding that tackling sustainable development is the only real pathway to increased long-term prosperity. “We need to Grow Green.”

After his speech, Panton told CNS that the development plan needs to be a nationwide project to ensure consistency in the more resilient and sustainable development he wants to see in future. “We can re-imagine how we do things and bring a more balanced approach,” he said. Read the whole story here.

Ex McAlpine boss to chair CPA

Cayman News Service
1 July 2021

Ian Pairaudeau

Ian Pairaudeau, the former managing director of McAlpine and currently a construction consultant, has been appointed as the new chairman of the Central Planning Authority. The board’s new members were published on the government gazette Wednesday, revealing an entirely new line-up. The one board that the whole community was expecting to be replaced since the PACT Government came into office includes four women but almost no one overtly from the conservation community. The new members have development, building, insurance, business, planning, real estate and architectural experience but there is no direct appointment from the National Trust or any of Cayman’s green organisations.

The new deputy chairman is Handel Whittaker, the former owner of the much loved Calico Jack’s beach bar, who stirred up controversy in West Bay in 2018 when he sought permission to dredge the seabed in Barkers.

The new members will take their seats from 2 July and they are scheduled to hold their first meeting on 7 July. There is a packed agenda with a diverse set of applications, including the Cayman Islands Football Association’s new spotlights that face objection from neighbours and a controversial application to turn an area of mangrove in South Sound into a construction storage site, which the Department of Environment is urging the CPA not to approve.

Cayman’s runaway development, especially the impact of coastal development, was a key issue on the election campaign trail, and Premier Wayne Panton has placed climate resiliency at the centre of his policy agenda. While the planning law itself and the regulations will need to be changed to really address the country’s excess development, the CPA plays in significant role in whether or not damaging projects get the green light, especially when it comes to the waiving of regulations.

It is not yet clear who on the CPA will reflect Panton’s promised agenda in this line-up of people who have made or still make their living largely in areas directly or indirectly related to the process of development, although less directly conflicted than the last board. It also remains to be seen how much the new planning minister, Jay Ebanks, who was also linked directly to the development and construction sector in his pre-political life, will support Panton’s efforts to green the economy and put climate resilience at the centre of future policy. Read the whole story here.

Carbon offset plan to protect local mangroves

Cayman News Service
30 June 2021

Photo by Protect Our Future (CNS)

The National Trust for the Cayman Islands (NTCI) has partnered with Island Offsets, a newly formed non-profit organisation, to enable companies to offset their carbon footprint locally through the Trust’s Land Reserve Fund as part of a project to tackle climate change globally while protecting local mangroves. Local companies, offshore entities domiciled here and even international businesses are being offered a genuine way of greening their unavoidable emissions by contributing to the purchase of wetlands under threat from development. It also solidifies the concept that land can have economic value in the absence of development.

Catherine Childs, the Trust’s environmental programmes manager, is the founder of Island Offsets, which is a locally registered NPO that will co-ordinate the initiative. She told CNS that although this is a locally focused project to help conserve mangroves and wetlands in the Cayman Islands, it is open to anyone, from small businesses here in Cayman whose emissions are relatively small but who want to play their part in protecting the local environment, to offshore companies with a much larger carbon footprint across the world who can help meet global emission reduction targets.

“Attending international climate meetings opened my eyes to the value that our mangroves hold to the world and it seemed clear that carbon offsets could help us preserve our local natural areas for the benefit of the Cayman Islands, as well as the planet,” Childs said.

Mangroves are one of the best ecosystems in the world at carbon storage as they absorb carbon from the atmosphere and store it away for generations, so protecting them anywhere in the world has a positive global impact on slowing climate change. Mangrove ecosystems also provide critical natural habitats that are vital for the preservation of biodiversity, our islands’ natural beauty, and services for local communities, such as storm protection, rainfall creation and fish nurseries. Read the whole story here.

Speeding cars impact rock iguana population

Cayman Compass
24 June 2021

The already dwindling population of the critically endangered Sister Islands rock iguana has taken a serious hit with the recent deaths of two adult reptiles, one of which was full of eggs.

The iguanas were run over on South Side, Cayman Brac, on Sunday, 20 June, and follow two other such deaths earlier this month.

Members of a group dedicated to saving the Sister Islands rock iguana say they are worried for the embattled indigenous species, especially now that more people are visiting the Brac and Little Cayman with Cayman’s borders closed.

“I think the increase in visitors could be contributing to the issue as many people from Grand Cayman are used to only seeing green iguanas on the roads and thinking they should be run over,” group member Cassandra MacDowell told the Cayman Compass.

However, she added, “in Cayman Brac you will very rarely see a green iguana, and any iguana you see in the road is most likely a Sister Islands rock iguana”.

She said the group was extremely concerned about the native rock iguana population which, according to a Department of Environment survey in 2019, stood at 1,786 on Little Cayman, and fewer than 200 on Cayman Brac. This species of iguana is found nowhere else in the world, apart from on these two islands.

So far this year, seven rock iguanas have been killed on the Brac, and MacDowell said the group is trying to spread the word on their importance and “why we need to do more as residents to protect the species”.

The situation is equally challenging on Little Cayman for the indigenous animals.

Last year, 32 rock iguanas were killed on the island’s roads, where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Read the whole story here.

World Sea Turtle Day: Huge turtle rescued on Little Cayman

Cayman Compass
16 June 2021

A 400 pound turtle was rescued at Pirates Point this morning; it had been stuck in bushes after trying to dig a nest. – Photos: Norma Connolly

Staff and guests at Pirates Point and the Department of Environment this morning rescued a huge green sea turtle that had become trapped in bushes on the grounds of the resort on Little Cayman.

It comes as observers around the world mark World Sea Turtle Day.

Guest Liz Wyatt spotted the turtle as it made its way across the grounds, heading in the opposite direction from the sea. The turtle became trapped in bushes and could not extricate itself, so Wyatt called staff, who alerted DoE officer Mike Guderian.

The group managed to free the turtle and direct her back towards the ocean and the animal slowly made her way back to the sea.

Wyatt told the Compass she had seen turtle tracks on the beach earlier and had just figured a turtle had nested and gone back into the sea. But a few minutes later, she said, she heard a noise near the resort’s laundry building. Read the whole story here.

Dart: Air quality data at waste facility will be public

Cayman Compass
10 June 2021

Dart’s Richard McAree outlines the nine elements that will make up the waste-management plant during his presentation at the Harquail Theatre on Wednesday evening, 9 June. – Photo: Alvaro Serey

During the construction and operation of a proposed 10-storey waste-to-energy plant which is being considered as a replacement for the George Town landfill, air quality will be continuously monitored and the findings will be made public, according to Dart representatives.

Dart environmental social governance programme manager Richard McAree, in response to an audience member’s question at a public meeting Wednesday night, 9 June, said, “From an air-quality perspective, there will be real-time monitoring and the public will have access to that data on a daily basis.”

McAree was speaking at the second of three public meetings as part of the consultations on the ReGen project’s environment impact assessment terms of reference.

He said he also anticipated that data for other monitoring requirements, such as for water quality, would also be published.

McAree, along with other Dart staff, the directors of the Department of Environment and Department of Environmental Health, and consultants from technical professional services firm GHD, delivered presentations on the draft EIA terms of reference and the plans for the facility, to an audience at the Harquail Theatre. 

One attendee wanted to know if this arrangement will lead to lower electricity bills for residents of Cayman.

Dart’s Andrew Small said the energy supplied from the plant would replace some of the electricity currently generated through diesel. While a final agreement has not been reached on how much CUC would pay Dart for the power from the proposed facility, he said he did not anticipate that the arrangement would lead to higher bills for customers.

Another audience member said the facility was much larger than she had been expecting, and asked if the waste-to-energy plant would indeed be a 10-storey building, as shown on renderings of the project.

McAree responded that the EIA would help inform the design. “It’s meant to be taken as a rendering, as opposed to a final design,” but added, “It’s reasonable to assume it will be a reasonable size of infrastructure, about 10 storeys high; it will have a stack.” Read the whole story here.

Dart: WTE won’t hurt incentive to reduce or reuse

Cayman News Service
10 June 2021

Artist’s rendition of the waste-to-energy facilities and GT landfill (from ReGen.ky)

Dart executives have stated that the plan to incinerate and convert the bulk of Cayman’s future garbage into energy will not undermine efforts to reduce and reuse the 100,000 tons of rubbish that the Cayman Islands produce on average each year. The projections for the anticipated increase in waste have emerged from government’s predictions about the growth in population and the expectation that waste will grow in tandem.

Dart representatives said the incentives to encourage a reduction in the amount of rubbish residents create or reusing and repurposing it is not in contradiction with the need to fuel the waste-to-energy facility to generate power.

At a public meeting on Tuesday about plans for the dump and the required environmental impact assessment, Andrew Small, the operations director for DECCO, Dart’s general contractor, said CUC was very close to confirming an agreement with them regarding the purchase of the power.

Small told CNS that while the final terms and conditions of the agreement between Dart and CUC had to be ironed out, given that the WTE is part of government’s national energy policy, there was no question that the company would not take the power.

Although fuelling the burner to generate the maximum amount of power will be one of the main revenue streams for Dart when it takes over the management of waste at the new facilities, Small said this does not mean that reducing, reusing and recycling will not play a continued and increased part. He said the profit motive will not act as a disincentive to encouraging a wider approach regarding cutting down the amount of waste generated and the reuse of the waste in future, as government expects the population to grow. Read the whole story here.

Work on climate ‘now urgent’ says Panton

Cayman News Service
5 June 2021

Premier Wayne Panton said he wanted to reassure the country that he takes his duty and responsibility as premier and minister for sustainability and climate resiliency seriously because the work “is now urgent, especially in relation to our response to climate change”. By creating this new ministry, Panton’s government has signalled a clear intention to focus on developing programmes and policies that will protect the environment.

“We must all take actions to heal the damage humans have put on the environment,” he said in a message ahead of World Environment Day on Saturday, which has the theme “Ecosystem Restoration”.

Panton’s reassurances that his government will be creating solid policies to address the environmental challenges come against the backdrop of numerous setbacks for the local environment over the last few weeks, including the approval for the developers behind the Aster MedCity project to remove of 22 acres of mangrove with no plan to replace them.

Caymanians continue to raise the alarm about serious environmental challenges, as people struggle to access the beach and watch as developers attempt to turn the coastline around West Bay into Seven Mile beach, breaching numerous planning approvals as they do.

However, many people are hoping that PACT will deliver on campaign promises to put the brakes on the excessive amount of coastal development.

In his World Environment Day address, Panton embraced the increase in activism in Cayman and awareness about the issues. He said that this country had been slow to respond to the threats to our environment and the impending threat from climate change.

“Our young people have begun to demand we do better, including the many young people in our community who are involved in environmental activism through Protect Our Future, the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, and the Mangrove Rangers, to name but a few avenues for action,” he said. “Our young people recognise that humanity is facing an existential crisis arising from climate change and that it is they who will inherit this fragile earth. I encourage our youth to keep raising their own voices – we hear you.” Read the whole story here.

Divers could be spreading fatal coral disease

Cayman News Service
2 June 2021

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the Cayman Islands (Photo courtesy of the DoE)

The deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease has until very recently been advancing in a uniform path, but with reports of it appearing in random unconnected sites, the Department of Environment is now worried that divers and boat operators may unwittingly be spreading the disease. This latest fatal coral disease was first spotted in Cayman waters last June at Penny’s Arch in Rum Point. It has since steadily advanced west round the North West Point and east along the north shore, despite efforts by the DoE to arrest the spread. Even more worrying are the recent random outbreaks around the south coast.

Because these outbreaks have appeared at random dive sites as far apart as the northeast and southeast coastline, DoE officials believe it might be being spread by scuba divers and boats. With an outbreak at the isolated Anchor Reef dive site in the southwest, intervention to stop the spread of the highly infectious disease has become even more challenging.

Speaking at a special meeting recently hosted by the DoE and tourism stakeholders at last week’s CITA meeting, DoE Deputy Director Tim Austin said that finding disease at dive sites unconnected to the original line of infection has led the department to the “real horrible inkling” that it is likely “related to diving practices”.

Even with the marked reduction in diving since the borders closed, local divers’ equipment and boats appear to be getting contaminated and are shifting the disease, Austin warned. When the disease was first recorded near Rum Point, some 10% of the hard coral had died, with 35% of it appearing unhealthy. By April this year, 57% of the site’s coral had died, and the disease was still progressing.

Some hard corals, such as elkhorn and staghorn, appear to be immune to SCTLD, but it is directly impacting around two dozen species. Austin urged operators to disinfect their kits and boats to help control the spread, which he said the DoE was fighting through a variety of measures, such as applying an antibiotic formula directly to the coral and using fire-breakers. Given the numerous threats to coral, including climate change and many other diseases, Austin stressed the concern that this rapidly spreading and debilitating threat was now causing. Read the whole story here.

West Bayers fear loss of Barkers Beach

Cayman News Service
31 May 2021

Local non-profit groups, conservation advocates and activists in West Bay and beyond are joining forces to mount a focused campaign to save Barkers Beach and secure the location as a formally protected national park before the area is developed. Fears are mounting as development around the much loved natural beauty spot gathers pace and private landowners are looking to profit from the last remaining stretch of beach on the western side of Grand Cayman.

With no national park laws and a mix of landowners in Barkers, activists have their work cut out. Nevertheless, plans emerged at a public meeting last week to begin an earnest campaign to protect the entire area.

More than 150 people attended a public meeting in the district on Wednesday night, including representatives of Save Barkers, the West Bay Action Committee, Concerned Citizens, Amplify Cayman and Sustainable Cayman, to address a number of issues relating to West Bay.

The main aim of the meeting was to create a community-wide West Bay District Council to coordinate communication between residents and their representatives until the law is enacted to create formal district councils. However, the evening was dominated by fears about runaway development and the need for residents to get involved in controlling what is happening in their community. Read the wholes story here.

Activists propose conservation plan for mangroves

Cayman News Service
25 May 2021

Sustainable Cayman has come up with a comprehensive, logical and workable solution to preserve some of the threatened wetland in South Sound. With hundreds of acres of critical mangrove habitat under threat from a significant amount of proposed development in the area, the local activist group has suggested a wildlife corridor scheme for the South Sound basin, creating a Mangrove Nature Park and Tarpon Alley Trail. The proposed plan even fits with previous government’s PlanCayman to create attractive, accessible natural spaces for the public alongside future development.

A spokes person for Sustainable Cayman told CNS that this has been presented to the PACT Government, which has already expressed an interest and the proposal is being looked at by technical experts. The conservationists are confident that they have ticked all of the boxes with this proposal, providing a way to allow some development in the area while at the same time conserving much of the wetland area currently under threat.

Sustainable Cayman also believes that this will be a popular plan with the public, given the research work they have conducted and the results of a month-long public opinion survey in March conducted by Amplify Cayman, another local NGO concerned about the impact of over-development on the lives of residents. The survey asked questions about local and global environmental issues impacting Cayman and decisions made by the government on development. 

“Encouragingly, respondents felt that environmental planning and community engagement could be improved, with over 95% of respondents supporting national and neighbourhood plans, with effective consultation processes,” Sustainable Cayman said. “The national planning framework was drafted to ensure fit-for-purpose infrastructure and spaces for people, commerce and nature are created in future. Area plans… are intended to implement key objectives and offer area-specific variations to meet the needs of a particular district. Public engagement is a key part of the process and with the completion of the 7-Mile Corridor Plan, the next area plan being considered is George Town.” Read the whole story here.

Dart to hold public meetings on ReGen EIA terms

Cayman Compass
25 May 2021

Artist's rendering of landfill after capping and remediating

The Dart-led consortium behind Cayman’s multi-million dollar waste management ReGen project at the George Town landfill will hold three public meetings next month to discuss plans for the site’s environmental impact assessment.

The draft terms of reference for the EIA will be published before 31 May, when the 21-day public consultation period begins.

Martin Edelenbos, Dart engineering coordinator, told the Cayman Compass in an interview that the terms of reference is “a roadmap to all of the investigations that have to be performed as part of the environmental impact assessment”.

He explained that the assessment reviews a variety of environmental and socioeconomic aspects that could be affected by the project.
“We’re looking at things like air quality, surface water, ground water quality, social issues,” he said. 

Public meetings schedule:

8 June, 7-9pm – John Gray Memorial Hall
9 June, 7-9pm – Harquail Theatre
10 June, 7-9pm – Breakers Civic Centre

Read the whole story here.

Cayman sea turtle populations have been making a remarkable recovery

Loop Cayman 
19 May 2021

A Hawksbill turtle

Results of combined research done by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the University of Exeter have indicated that some species of sea turtles in the Cayman Islands are pulling back from the brink of extinction.

This is revealed in a paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, entitled: 'Cayman Islands sea turtle nesting population increases over 22 years of monitoring'.

Research that monitored the animals from 1998-2019 show the number of loggerhead and green turtle nests increased dramatically during the period. In the first counts between 1998 and 1999, just 39 sea turtle nests were found in total on the three islands. By 2019, the figure was 675.

Captive breeding of green turtles and inactivity of a traditional turtle fisheries due to tightening of restrictions in 2008 contributed to the increase, but populations remain far below historical levels and still face threats including illegal hunting. Read the whole story here.

Iconic blues get their own international day

Cayman News Service
18 May 2021

Blue iguana

The endangered blue iguanas now have their own annual international day, even though they exist in the wild only in the Cayman Islands. The bid to put this iconic reptile on the world stage follows international efforts over the years that have contributed toward bringing this species back from the brink of extinction. The 8th May is now the official world day for the blues and the first one, International Blue Iguana Day 2021, was celebrated at their home at the Queen Elizabeth II Bontanic Park. Operations Manager Luke Harding, who spearheaded the initiative, said the project reach is truly global.

“The remarkable efforts of our partner institutions, past and present staff and volunteers have all been key in the success we have seen up to this point,” he said. “Making it an international day was to recognise and celebrate that the efforts have not solely been on-island, and it is also a chance for Grand Cayman to show off to the world the natural treasure that is the blue iguana.”

During the celebrations to mark the day a plaque was unveiled to honour Fred Burton, the founder of Blue Iguana Recovery Programme (BIRP), now known as Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC).

“I was happy to see the blue iguanas getting their day in the sun in more ways than one, and turned up to show my support,” said Burton, who is now the terrestrial resources director at the Department of Environment. “The last thing I expected was to be given such a fine tribute for my part that started so many years ago. That was very kind. Nowadays I am glad to continue to help in whatever way I can, and I deeply appreciate the dedication of the BIC team who are leading the way forward from recovery to long term conservation success.” Read the whole story here.

Aster won’t make full pay back for mangrove loss

Cayman News Service
13 May 2021

Location of proposed Aster Cayman Medcity

Gene Thompson, who is leading the development team seeking approval for a planned area development for another medical tourism project, told the Central Planning Authority on Wednesday that there will not be a like-for-like replacement for more than 22 acres of mangrove wetland that will be lost if the project goes ahead.

Thompson said that the owners cannot give up such a large amount of land from the near 40-acre site where they plan to build a hospital, medical college, assisted living facility and related retail, commercial, office and residential units. Instead, they will mitigate through energy saving measures, he said.

Appearing at the CPA meeting on behalf of Aster Caribbean Holdings Ltd, Thompson outlined the project and addressed some of the issues raised in the Department of Environment’s submissions on behalf of the National Conservation Council regarding the PAD application. Several objectors also presented their concerns to the board for consideration.

During the course of addressing the DoE’s submissions, in particular the loss of mangrove habitat and the lack of any plan to address this significant loss, Thompson said there would be no direct replacement. Instead, as outlined in a later submission sent to planning and added as an appendix to the agenda, they intend to use native landscaping and green technologies.

Thompson said this would include open public spaces, minimising asphalt, recycling waste-water, energy efficiency measures and solar technology that would cut power use, and introducing drones to deliver goods to the hospital instead of trucks.

While this will lower the carbon footprint the hospital will have, it will not compensate for the mangrove habitat’s ability to store carbon and protect against flooding, as pointed out by the objectors.

The hearing was to consider the PAD itself in broad terms and not any of the specific buildings associated with the wider project. However, the CPA can grant permission for land clearing, which places these mangroves under imminent threat, as they could be removed in matter of weeks, long before any development begins. Read the whole story here.

Forest fire kills off 26% of endemic ‘Old George’

Cayman News Service
11 May 2021

More than a quarter of the endemic and critically endangered ‘Old George’ (Wittmackia caymanensis), a type of bromeliad plant, was destroyed in the March brush fire at the Ironwood Forest in George Town, the Department of Environment has revealed. Writing in the latest edition of the department’s bi-monthly magazine, Flicker, Jane Haakonsson, the editor and research officer in the Terrestrial Resources Unit, said this last piece of old growth ancient forest was badly damaged by the blaze and many protected and endangered species, including Old George and the ghost orchid (Dendrophylax fawcetti) were impacted...

...The fire started sometime in the afternoon on 12 March. It appears to have originated from a property bordering the forest area and was fuelled by the wetland fern and sedges, but the dry forest areas downwind of the wetlands were also severely impacted by the flames.

The rhizomes of the wetland sedges and ferns were protected from the fire by the water table and have already begun sprouting new shoots. These wetland species are expected to recover quickly, the DoE experts believe, which sadly cannot be said for the dry forest species that were lost, as the researchers do not know how long it will take to recolonise the cleared areas. Read the whole story here. 

2 new stony coral disease sites found in East End

Cayman Compass
5 May 2021

This updated map, issued by the Department of Environment on 5 May shows that stony coral tissue loss disease has spread outward from Rum Point to North West Point in West Bay and Old Man Bay in East End, and has also been found at two new separate areas of East End, at Spotter Bay and Colliers.

The deadly stony coral tissue loss disease have been found at two new sites in East End, the Department of Environment has reported.

The disease, which manifests initially as pale lesions on stony corals and eventually kills the corals, has been found at sites off Spotter Bay and Colliers, apparently unconnected to the original outbreak.

Stony coral tissue loss disease was first found on Grand Cayman, at Penny’s Arch near Rum Point, in June last year. Since then, the DoE has tracked it as it spread along the north side of the island, where it stretches from Lighthouse Point in North West Point in West Bay to the Babylon, McCurley’s Wall and Julie’s Wall dive sites off Old Man Bay in East End.

According to the latest DoE-issued map showing the progression of the disease, there are now three distinct sites which are being tracked.

New dive sites affected include Dragon’s Lair and Snapper Hole off Colliers, and Fishtank and Valley of the Dolls off Spotter Bay. Read the whole story here.

Cayman Islands sea turtles back from the brink

Science Daily
4 May 2021

Sea turtles in the Cayman Islands are recovering from the brink of local extinction, new research shows.

Monitoring from 1998-2019 shows loggerhead and green turtle nest numbers increased dramatically, though hawksbill turtle nest numbers remain low.

In the first counts in 1998-99, just 39 sea turtle nests were found in total on the three islands. By 2019, the figure was 675.

Captive breeding of green turtles and inactivity of a traditional turtle fishery due to tightening of restrictions in 2008 contributed to this -- but populations remain far below historical levels and still face threats including illegal hunting.

The study was carried out by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the University of Exeter.

"Our findings demonstrate a remarkable recovery for sea turtle populations that were once thought to be locally extinct," said Dr Janice Blumenthal, of the Cayman Islands Department of Environment.

"A combination of factors is thought to have led to this conservation success story.

"It is likely that a captive breeding operation by the Cayman Turtle Farm (now the Cayman Turtle Centre) drove the increase in Grand Cayman's green turtle population in the early years of monitoring.

"For loggerhead turtles, the most important factor was the restrictions placed on the legal turtle fishery in 2008." Read the whole story here.

Phasing plan needed for sub-division in wetlands

Cayman News Service
4 May 2021

Mangroves (Photo by Omari Rankine)

A proposed subdivision for more than 430 homes that encroaches into the Central Wetland Mangroves, which is a critical habitat for the future survival of Grand Cayman’s natural resources and ecosystems, has not been refused by the Central Planning Authority, despite the serious environmental threats it poses, but is now subject to a phasing plan. The planning department said the Lookout Ltd application has been adjourned to allow the developer time to submit the plan and make some minor changes to the design.

During last week’s hearing the National Trust, which is a direct neighbour to the proposed project, urged the CPA to place conditions on this application, drawing a clear line in the ‘swamp’ beyond which no future development would go.

Arguing about the desperate need to stop any further encroachment into mangrove habitat or fragmentation of the central wetlands, representatives from the Trust spelled out the importance of this ecosystem to the entire island’s natural marine and terrestrial resources.

Given that the application by Lookout Ltd is of such magnitude that it will require a large amount of land to be set aside for public purposes, the Trust proposed that the developers realigned their project so that all of that public use land would be the mangrove area to the north of the currently gazetted, but as yet not built, extension of the East-West Arterial Road, which currently dissects the site.

They said that this would serve the purpose of protecting the habitat, prevent fragmentation and serve as a signal that this would be where development on mangrove habitat ends.

While the controversial road extension is subject to an environmental impact assessment before it is finalised, the Trust said that previous negations [sic] with government had resulted in the proposed road route being pushed further south to avoid dissecting the wetland area and cutting through Trust land.

But not all of the land in the mangroves belongs to the Trust. Read the whole story here.

Bloomberg: Cayman & others using pandemic to pivot away from cruises

Loop Cayman
28 April 2021

According to an April 26 article in Bloomberg, an increasing number of cruise-centric destinations have been using the coronavirus pandemic as an excuse to pivot away from years of over-reliance on cruise tourism. Among those at the top of Bloomberg's list is the Cayman Islands.

Said the article, penned by writer Fran Golden, residents of Alaska have indicated that by shifting away from cruise tourism, "they can maintain a quality of life, keep the city as an attractive destination for overnight visitors, and maintain some (but not all) cruise tourism opportunities."

Cayman is no different.

The article says that, despite the fact that financial services has a larger role to play in the economy than cruise tourism, Cayman "ranks as the Caribbean’s fourth most-visited cruise destination, and before the pandemic it was expecting 1.9 million cruise visitors in 2020. Now that industry’s fate will lie with the newly elected premier, Wayne Panton, the country’s former environment minister." Read the whole story here.

NCC directs CPA to reject Boggy Sand house plan

Cayman News Service
27 April 2021

Cabana at Boggy Sand Beach

The National Conservation Council has made a rare move to direct the Central Planning Authority to reject an almost unbelievable application for a house along Boggy Sand Beach, which the CPA is due to hear this week, after experts pointed out that there are absolutely no mitigating measures that could be deployed to make the project viable. The owners want to tear down a wall and a gazebo, which is already structurally unsound because it was allowed to be built far too close to the water, then undertake remedial work and replace the old one-storey cabana with a three-storey house on the same footprint.

In the Department of Environment’s technical submissions on behalf of the NCC, the experts outlined a catalogue of issues with this well-known structure that has caused significant concern ever since it was constructed.

It is one of several applications that the CPA will hear this week that highlight what has been perceived as uncoordinated, runaway development that is now having an impact on the environment, especially the erosion of local beaches and public access to them.

There are no formal objections to this particular application from the few neighbours who would qualify to object, as the applicant himself owns the adjacent property. But the CPA has listed the application by Cayman Property Investments Ltd (also cited as Sands) for an in-person hearing to discuss the historic overlay, the high water mark, side and front setbacks, application inaccuracies and the NCC’s directive.

This application began life when the CPA granted permission for a seawall and one-storey concrete cabana in 2009. The DoE believes that since then the structure has caused considerable beach erosion in the area, which is a critical turtle nesting habitat.  Read the whole story here.

Director: Harbour marine park not ‘safe or sensible’

Cayman News Service
27 April 2021

Wreck of the Cali (Photo by Courtney Platt)

Joseph Woods, the director of the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands (PACI), has said that having the George Town Harbour designated as a marine park was not practical or sensible given that it is an anchorage area. Explaining why so much of the harbour, which was previously designated as a marine park under local legislation and a Mission Blue Hope Spot, has now been marked for the port, Woods told CNS that having ships anchor in a marine park where there are stiff penalties if marine life on the seabed is destroyed “is inadvisable”. As campaigners wait for government to take another look at the new port designation, Woods said there were also safety concerns to consider.

CNS asked Woods for documents or guidelines indicating why areas beyond the locations that cruise ships have traditionally anchored have been included in the new port designation, which was unveiled as part of the new revised marine park enhancement. Though no documentation has been supplied, Woods outlined the reasons why PACI sought a formal port designation and the removal of the marine park protections.

While the new marine park regulations significantly increase the areas of marine habitat around Cayman that are now formally protected to almost half of local waters, part of George Town Harbour, including reefs and the Wreck of the Cali, have lost their protections. Local environmental activists and those behind the Cruise Port Referendum campaign are concerned that the real reason for the designation is to remove one of the legal stumbling blocks government would face if or when the cruise berthing idea is resurrected.

While the designation is not necessarily unexpected in the specific anchorage area, activists who oppose any move by government to build a port want to know why the designation has been extended to include reefs as well as the popular dive attraction and underwater cultural heritage site.

In response to CNS inquiries, Woods said, that the designation was to address the inevitability of something going wrong if vessels continue to be allowed to anchor in a marine park. “In short, having a marine park in a designated port anchorage area is just not practical or sensible,” he said. Read the whole story here.

Panton takes on environment and climate crisis

Cayman News Service
26 April 2021

Premier Wayne Panton takes part in the 2021 Earth Day Clean-up on Saturday

Environmentalists in Cayman breathed a sigh of relief Monday evening when Premier Wayne Panton confirmed the areas of responsibility that each of his Cabinet members would be taking on and he revealed that his own ministry will include not just the environment but a revised portfolio of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency. Despite the challenges presented by the budget allocations, Panton has reshuffled the ministries with more modern concepts for his team to deal with. He also said the ministries have been aligned to reflect PACT’s key priorities.

There were few surprises in the ministry assignments. However, all eyes are likely to be on Jay Ebanks, who has been given responsibility for Planning, a critical area to fulfill the campaign promises of most of his colleagues to curb over-development and to help PACT retain public support. He also has Agriculture, Housing, and Infrastructure.
Panton will also be responsible for the Cabinet Office and the police budget, though the Governor’s Office still has control of law enforcement. Deputy Premier Chris Saunders will be taking on a weighty portfolio with Finance, Economic Development and Labour.

Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, the only minister other than Panton with front-bench experience, retains Education but adds District Administration as well as Lands and Survey. Bernie Bush will take on Home Affairs, Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage, while Kenneth Bryan secured his wish to be minister of Tourism and Transport. Read the whole story here.

UK willing to help Cayman address climate issues

Cayman News Service
22 April 2021

Governor Martyn Roper delivers remarks at the swearing-in ceremony

Governor Martyn Roper has said the United Kingdom is open to helping the new government on issues relating to climate change. As he gave his address congratulating the newly sworn members of Parliament on Wednesday, he noted that the environment was a key issue on the campaign trail this year for voters and candidates. Roper said the UK was willing to assist the new government on analysing the risks of climate change and other areas they will find helpful as it faces this existential priority. With the UK-Cayman relationship “in very good shape”, the governor said he looked forward to playing his part to strengthen it further.

“Where UK technical expertise can be helpful, I will continue to do my utmost to secure it,” he said, “One area of major concern is climate change and the environment, an existential priority for our entire planet, highlighted by the public and a majority of candidates during the campaign. The UK is open to assisting the new government on analysing the risks of climate change, renewable energy, biodiversity and any other areas they will find helpful.”

With Wayne Panton now at the helm of the new administration, this offer, whichy [sic] has been made by the governor more or less since his arrival, may well now be taken seriously. Following his own speech yesterday, and given his existing reputation as a genuine environmentalist, Panton has set out a platform that has protecting Cayman’s natural heritage at its heart. Read the whole story here.

Daggaro begins clearing bush for aviation project

Cayman News Service
19 April 2021

The aviation company which secured planning permission for a helicopter operation based in Cayman Brac began clearing the only remaining remnant of tropical dry forest in the island’s far West End this weekend ahead of the construction work set to begin. However, an appeal challenging the planning approval given to the project by the Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Development Control Board is yet to be heard. Officials from Daggaro have disputed local claims that the area includes some of the last remaining habitat for the critically endangered rock iguana and said in a press release that only one nesting female had been found on the site and removed with the help of the Department of Environment.

Daggaro has stated that it is investing upwards of US$12 million on the project, but Brac residents have raised concerns that the company’s claims that it will be focused on regional disaster and relief work from the location using Black Hawk military helicopters makes little sense. Some have said they are worried that the core work might very well be military, security or intelligence related on contract with international governments. They are also furious over the impact on the natural environment.

Activists on the island who have been leading the opposition to the project told CNS this weekend that they were angry that the clearing work began when the entire country’s attention was diverted to the horsetrading regarding the next government. But most of all, the appeal has not yet been heard and even it was successful, it will now be too late to save important species of trees and plants that were mechanically cleared.

As trees were bulldozed this weekend during nesting season for birds as well as iguanas, Daggaro continues to claim the work will be limited to search and rescue, disaster relief and medical airlifts. The company has also said it reduced the footprint of the hanger and related administration building to limit the clearing of trees and other natural habitat. Read the whole story here.

What could we expect from a Panton government?

Cayman Compass
18 April 2021

Wayne Panton campaigning with Osbourne and Heather Bodden

Like other political candidates, the ‘Community Creates Country’ manifesto of Wayne Panton and Heather Bodden notes that Caymanians are being left behind, with young people struggling to find a job even if they have the right qualifications.

Labour

The manifesto advocates limiting certain occupations, such as real estate, to Caymanians only.

It proposes to increase the minimum wage from $6 to $9 per hour.

Education

To strengthen the education system, more vocational training and trade schools are required to produce masons, carpenters, electricians and plumbers locally rather than import them.

Teachers should receive more support but also be performance-managed and rewarded depending on the results.

Investment

The Panton manifesto suggests government should establish a sovereign wealth fund that would invest into both financial and real assets.

Development

Panton and Bodden call for a reform of Cayman’s Development Plan and a concessions policy that focusses also on smaller businesses and more value for money.

The manifesto suggests that land ownership should require development within a certain timeframe “or the land is returned to the market”. Read the whole story here.

Species plan can’t protect South Sound mangroves

Cayman News Service
13 April 2021

GoogleMap screenshot showing application site location outline in blue

The protection plan for mangroves that was implemented under the National Conservation Law last year is not enough to prevent the clearing of another significant area of mangroves in the South Sound basin in the coming months. Already under significant pressure from massive development, phase three of a major apartment project in the basin where the first two phases are already under-construction is likely to be approved today (Tuesday 13 April). Warnings by the Department of Environment that the South Sound wetland has become severely fragmented and its capacity to absorb flooding massively reduced have been ignored and the situation now goes far beyond conservation.

The need for a regional storm-water management plan for the South Sound basin has not been addressed, despite the DoE’s repeated advice, and the Central Planning Authority continues to approve projects in the area. And while the species plan provides for mangrove protections, it cannot prevent developers with planning approval from developing their land.

Sixtees Properties Developments Ltd is now seeking approval for phase three of a major project for 97 apartments, one gym, one cabana and one pool on a 6.4 acre plot of land between South Sound and the Linford Peirson Highway. While there are questions regarding the re-zoning application made by the developer to increase it from low density to high density, which has not yet been approved by Cabinet, according to the documents it is still progressing through the planning process as a low density application.

With no neighbouring objectors, the DoE remains the sole agency that is raising the alarm about the threat to the mangroves. In its submissions on behalf of the National Conservation Council, the DoE pointed out that the area where the proposed project lies is among a 620-acre wetland basin where 500 acres have been granted planning permission for various residential developments.

“Over 80% of the mangrove wetland area has been lost to development,” the experts noted. Read the whole story here.

Results of study of Cayman's oceans under lockdown revealed

Loop Cayman
11 April 2021

With Cayman’s borders still closed to regular travel, the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) took the opportunity to measure the impacts of “Quiet Oceans” on resident fish populations in Grand Cayman.

Dr Gretchen Goodbody-Gringley, CCMI’S Director of Research, began the study in July 2020, as the local lockdown rules were lifted. The team studied five dive/snorkel tourism sites on Grand Cayman and two sites on Little Cayman. The team surveyed the sites every two months and they have since analysed and released the data via two public outreach events.

The hypothesis for the Quiet Oceans study was that there would be an increase in fish density (how many fish we see within a specified area), yet what was not expected was how quickly the fish changed their behaviour due to ceased human activity. The project indicated increased fish density, biomass (number of different species), and a bigger range of fish sizes, including very small to much larger pelagic species, particularly at the highly popular tourism sites in George Town.

The research results also showed that the fish responded quickly when, in contrast, increased activity in the George Town harbour during December period began, decreasing density, biomass and the size frequency of the fish populations. Whilst the hypothesis expected the reefs to thrive during these quieter periods of ocean activity, the responsiveness of the marine ecosystem was unexpected. Read the whole story here.

Study: Climate change shrinks marine life richness near equator

Cayman Compass
6 April 2021

A view of a coral colony on the coast of Havana, Cuba, on 28 March. -Photo: Reuters/Sarah Marsh

HAVANA (Reuters) – During some summers, as the Caribbean water temperatures climb, the luminous coral colonies of gold, green and blue that ring the island nation of Cuba give way to patches of skeletal white.

The technicolor streaks of darting tropical fish flash less frequently. The rasping sounds of lobsters go quiet.

While Cuba’s marine life has suffered from overfishing and pollution, there is mounting evidence that the warming of waters due to climate change may be taking a large toll as well — both off the island’s coast and globally.

Research published Monday finds that the total number of open-water species declined by about half in the 40 years up to 2010 in tropical marine zones worldwide. During that time, sea surface temperatures in the tropics rose nearly 0.2 degree Celsius. Read the whole story here.

Native plants of Cayman

Cayman Compass
by Joanne Mercille
6 April 2021

The berries on this ever-blooming bush attract wild birds.

Bourreria; Strongbark / Bourreria venosa BORAGINACEAE

Parrot Berry is an erect, sturdy, large bush with a loosely branching canopy that is often heavily laden with flower clusters and fruits.

Although it is drought-tolerant, it is deciduous at the height of the spring dry season. The summer rainy season will bring on fresh new leaves.

It is not wind-tolerant.

The trunk is also colourfully striated with grey rings and red splashes of fungus. 

The fruits of the Parrot Berry are coveted by many species of birds, especially in the spring, when the increasing drought conditions do not offer much sustenance to the ecosystem. Read the whole story here.

DoE contracting divers to fight coral disease

Cayman Compass
2 April 2021

This map shows the progression the stony coral tissue loss disease, which has now been found at the Macabuca dive site. - Image: DoE

The Department of Environment is coordinating a national effort to combat the deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease impacting over 20 species of reef-building corals on Grand Cayman’s reefs.

As part of the effort, the Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture & Housing has approved the implementation of several short-term, six-month service contracts for diving and disease response support.

Qualified divers able to commit a minimum of three days per week are invited to apply to Rebecca.Jordison@gov.ky by 17 April, 2021.

Applicants must be available to work on Grand Cayman. Salary is $75 per day, paid monthly, with no benefits.

Qualifications and experience must include:

• SCUBA Certification to Divemaster or above and/or evidence of 500+ dives
• Dive and health insurance; Divers Alert Network recommended (DAN)
• Ability to learn to identify coral species and coral diseases; preparation and application of experimental topical antibiotics; removal and care of coral
• Ability to lift dive tanks and similar weights
• Ability to work a 7.5-hour day on the water
• Available a minimum of three days per week (Mon-Fri) to commit to the project

Read the whole story here.

Mangrove Rangers: Unchecked development poses threats to Cayman

Loop Cayman
29 March 2021

Rangers Dinara Perera and Kayla Young talking with representatives of Clan Construction at the recent Builder's Expo

As a rash of roads and luxury building projects push forward in the lead up to the April 14 elections, The Cayman Islands Mangrove Rangers have begun reaching out to the construction sector, including Dart, to invite discussion on environmentally conscious development.

With the Plan Cayman development scheme underway, Grand Cayman faces extensive loss of its already devastated wetlands.

The same roads and building projects that buoy the pandemic-stricken economy come with long-term environmental threats when planning regulations and best practices are not enforced.

Between 1976 and 2018, 72 per cent of the mangrove habitat in western Grand Cayman, spanning from Savannah to West Bay, had already been lost, according to data shared by the Department of Environment. That’s 3,845 acres of natural hurricane protection and native habitat gone, and the number grows by the day. 

As part of government’s development plans, more than $30 million worth of roads projects have been given the green light. Much of the two-mile expansion of the East-West Arterial had already been cleared on 6 March when rangers Dinara Perera and Kayla Young visited the site. Read the whole story here.

Vote to preserve Cayman’s culture and environment

Cayman Compass
26 March 2021
by Mary Lee Rowlandson, Cert. Hon.

Seven Mile (Galleon) Beach, 1977 (Photo credit Lothar Kallweit)

I have lived in Cayman for over 80 years. And I am now saddened by the recent onslaught on our natural environment and cultural identity and feel compelled to speak out.

I believe that today our beautiful islands are at a crossroads beckoning us onto a highway of environmental and cultural loss, and a majority of our Caymanians are crying out for a change in the direction in which we are now heading.

We can hardly recognise our ‘Homeland! Fair Cayman Isle’ so lovingly described in 1930 by the late Mrs. Leila McTaggart Ross-Shier, National Hero, Cert. Hon. In fact, she would hardly recognise our Islands today...

...The choice is clear: we either continue on our present course, or we use our influence at the polls next month to bring about meaningful change. To vote the same way over and over and expect change is sheer madness. If we really want change, this election cannot be about personalities. It must be about the future of our homeland. Read the whole story here.

Port marine life still protected, say officials

Cayman News Service
24 March 2021

The George Town Harbour, which is now an anchorage zone and no longer a marine park after new regulations were implemented, is still protected because it remains a no-take zone, officials from the Port Authority and the Department of Environment have said. The new zoning also means that in future, divers will need to get permission from the port to dive famous sites, such as the Wreck of the Cali. There has been public concern about the re-designation of the harbour, but with the port adopting the regulations and the overall increase in protected areas, the marine life in Cayman waters is still facing a more hopeful future.

Speaking at a government press briefing on Friday about the implementation of the new marine park enhancements, DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said the important point about the change in the George Town Harbour, which resulted in setting aside the anchorage zone, is that marine life will still be protected.

“The species protections that are in the Marine Reserve Regulations have been mirrored in the Port Authority Regulations, so there will still be no fishing allowed and no taking of marine life within the designated port anchorage area. So, from the perspective of the species protections, we haven’t lost anything,” Ebanks-Petrie stated.

Port Director Joseph Woods explained that the formal designated zone in place now is smaller than the previous area that was treated as such before these new regulations were rolled out. He said the anchorage area used to run from shore to drop-off, between Eden Rock almost to the former Treasure Island Resort. But now the formal Marine Park Zone takes over Eden Rock and the coastline down towards Seven Mile Beach. “What we have is a practical anchorage area that is more into the white sand bottom,” he noted. Read the whole story here.

DoE allocates funds to fight deadly coral disease

Cayman Compass
22 March 20201

Boulder star coral infected with stony coral tissue loss disease.

Just under $100,000 from the Department of Environment’s budget has been diverted to help combat the spread of the deadly stony coral tissue loss disease, which has been wreaking havoc across Grand Cayman’s reefs since June 2020.

Speaking at a government press conference on Friday, 19 March, DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said the department did not receive any additional funding, instead they were reallocating a portion of their budget which had been approved in 2019.

“[W]e are currently working to try to get additional resources to assist the DoE…,” she said, adding that the diverted money was sourced from the Environmental Protection Fund and originally designated for other projects.

The disease was first spotted off Grand Cayman’s northern coast at the Penny’s Arch dive site in June last year and began swiftly spreading west – which forced the DoE to shut down 43 dive sites in October. Since then, the disease has continued to spread and earlier this month it had reached dive sites off West Bay. Read the whole story here.

Environmental Protection Fund grows by $1 million

Cayman Compass
22 March 2021

More than $1.1 million of the Environmental Protection Fund was allocated to the green iguana culling programme. - Photo: Alvaro Serey

Cayman’s Environmental Protection Fund coffers grew by almost a million dollars in 2020, to $57.9 million.

The EPF is funded by departure fees levied on travellers leaving Cayman via the airport or cruise ship terminal. Since no cruise tourists have travelled in or out of Cayman since March last year, the majority of $2.1 million that was paid into it last year came from people departing through the airport.

Financial Secretary Kenneth Jefferson told the Cayman Compass that, as of the end of December 2019, the fund contained $57 million

The fund is counted towards the government’s cash reserves, which stood at $449 million at the end of last year.

Money withdrawn for iguana cull, landfill remediation

In 2020, a total of $1.2 million was withdrawn from the fund. The majority of this was spent “on programmes protecting the environment”, Jefferson said.

This included $1,179,882 allocated for green iguana cull expenses, and $70,000 for the remediation of the George Town landfill. Read the whole story here. 

Port chief: Anchorage zone won’t impact marine environment

Cayman Compass
17 March 2021

The Port Authority operates the cargo port in downtown George Town.

Regulations that rezone an area of marine park into a port anchorage area will not adversely impact the marine environment, Port Authority Director Joey Woods says.

Those regulations, along with others that more than triple the amount of marine park space in Cayman’s coastal waters, were gazetted over the weekend.

The port regulations led to some concerns expressed on social media that removing the marine park designation from this area of George Town harbour would strip the site of environmental protection, and would make it easier to rezone the area if, at some stage, the idea of a cruise ship berthing port is resurrected.

The new port anchorage zone is outlined in blue stripes on the map, which also indicates Cayman’s marine park zones following the issuing of regulations. – CLICK TO ENLARGE

Woods told the Compass, “The decision to build or not build a port in George Town is a political decision, and not one that I make. Neither do I think it has any relation to the defined port anchorage area, as one has to accept that if there is a harbour, there must be an anchorage area as vessels cannot be expected to drift aimlessly in a harbour.”

He added, that situation would be “extremely expensive, generate more pollutants than necessary for the atmosphere, dangerous to other vessels as sailors do need sleep too and a risk for collision and wrecks, which is also bad for the marine environment”...

...Woods said in an email to the Compass that the recent amendments to the Port Regulations and the National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations, “sought to remedy a longstanding conflict that has existed with having a Marine Park in a designated Port Anchorage Area. In fact, the area has been recognized as a Port Anchorage Area longer than it has been a designated Marine Park. The expansion of the recognized marine parks areas provided the Port Authority with the opportunity to seek to correct this conflict.” Read the whole story here.

Landowner ignores warnings to stop ripping out mangroves

Cayman News Service
18 March 2021

A landowner clearing land in Selkirk Drive, Red Bay, has reportedly ignored at least two notices from the Department of Environment to stop removing mangroves. Meanwhile, Alden McLaughlin, the outgoing premier who is fighting to retain the constituency, has said the government cannot deny the wner the right to develop it, despite the fact that his administration passed the law to protect mangroves. The clearing work has been going on for several days under the radar, but a local NGO focused on protecting mangroves learned of the clearance and turned the public spotlight on the latest in a long line of unlawful mangrove removal.

The Mangrove Rangers contacted CNS yesterday with pictures and the information they had gathered at the site. CNS was able to confirm that the DoE has issued warnings to the landowner and the construction company under the National Conservation Law, which now includes a species conservation plan for mangroves. This gives the department the powers to issue stop notices, and if prosecuted and convicted, perpetrators can be fined as much as CI$500,000 or even go to jail for as much as four years.

In the past, landowners who have cleared land mechanically without the requisite planning permission have suffered few consequences, at most a small after-the-fact fine. More often than not, the Central Planning Authority then goes on to grant future development applications on the cleared land. And even though there is now the possibility of a hefty fine, there is little that can be done to save mangroves that have already been ripped up by those who defy any direction to stop.

The power of the DoE to enforce the law in this case was directly undermined when McLaughlin responded to the Mangrove Rangers by stating that most of Red Bay and Prospect was once mangroves, which were cleared to make way for the houses his constituents now live in. “Government can’t simply take away a person’s right to develop their own land in accordance with its zoning without paying compensation,” he told the Rangers in an email. Read the whole story here.

Volunteers remove 1.5 tons of trash from Little Cayman beaches

Cayman Compass
16 March 2021

Volunteers found huge quantities of shoes during the weekend beach cleanup on Little Cayman. - Photo: Submitted

Thirty volunteers removed more than 1.5 tons of trash from the shores around Little Cayman over the weekend, including at one beach that had so much debris on it, the clean-up teams described it as being like a ‘small landfill’.

Members of the Plastic Free Cayman teamed up with the Little Cayman National Trust, Central Caribbean Marine Institute, the Department of Environment, Southern Cross Club, Little C Tours and Protect Our Future, for the two-day clean-up effort.

They visited three sites – Mary’s Bay, where they took 1,700 pounds of rubbish off the beach; Charles Bright, where they removed 830 pounds of debris; and Owen Island, where they cleaned up 600 pounds.

The volunteers found so much garbage at Mary’s Bay, they said it “could easily be mistaken for a small landfill”, according to a press release from Plastic Free Cayman. Read the whole story here.

Mangroves, pond threatened by millionaire’s subdivision

Cayman News Service
16 March 2021

Pond under threat from the Shamrock Road subdivision

The Department of Environment has laid out a catalogue of problems with a subdivision application that is going before the Central Planning Authority this week, including the removal of over 50 acres of mangroves, the destruction of an important freshwater pond and a canal that is very likely to pose serious future water quality problems. In the latest list of developments going before the board, the proposed project by millionaire Ergun Berksoy in Prospect, off Shamrock Road, includes five apartment lots, 74 residential lots, 10 road lots, a commercial lot and a canal.

An earlier version of the project was already approved by the CPA last year. But proposed changes have brought the project back before the board and the DoE, on behalf of the National Conservation Council, is raising the alarm again about the dangers of this proposal.

Berksoy, who owns a chain of hotels in Turkey, moved to the Cayman Islands in 2003 and began investing in property before becoming a partner in the Crystal Caves. He was granted status by the Cabinet in 2017.

His application for the subdivision change includes extending what is already a problematic canal, the removal of partially seasonally flooded mangroves and the destruction of a pond which straddles a neighbouring property, which has become an important habitat for a variety of birds and other species.

The DoE said it does not support the application for a catalogue of reasons. Among them the department said the request for a longer canal will compound the flushing problems that existed with the original shorter application in an area where the canal system was never properly engineered and developed piecemeal. The prevailing winds will push debris to the end of the canal, where it will collect or sink, decreasing water quality.

“A dead-end canal of this length will have little flushing or circulation,” the experts warned, adding that they regularly deal with complaints about poor water quality in poorly-flushed canals, which can be very difficult and costly to retrospectively address, as it advised the CPA not to grant the application. Read the whole story here.

Marine park expansion gazetted 2 years after Cabinet approval

Cayman Compass
15 March 2021

Photo courtesy of The Telegraph

A decade after public consultation on the expansion of Cayman’s marine parks began, and two years after the plan was approved by Cabinet, regulations on the expanded protected zones were gazetted on Friday.

In March 2019, Cabinet approved the expansion plan to designate nearly half – 48% – of Cayman’s coastal waters as marine parks, under regulations gazetted on Friday. Prior to this, 14% of coastal waters were zoned as protected areas.

The Department of Environment began its consultation process on expanding Cayman’s marine park areas in 2011. The department presented its plans for the marine parks to government in 2016.

Cabinet approved the marine park expansion plan on 26 March 2019, but only signed off on the regulations last week, on 9 March. On the same date, ministers have also approved the Port Amendment Regulations to convert an area of a marine park in the George Town Harbour to an anchorage area, which was also gazetted on Friday.

Under the National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations 2021, marine parks can include a marine reserve zone; an environmental zone; a wildlife interaction zone, like the Stingray City sandbar; a line fishing zone; a shore line fishing zone; a no-diving overlay zone; or a spawning aggregation overlay zone. Read the whole story here.

Native plants of Cayman

Cayman Compass
14 March 2021

Flowers on the branch of a Red Birch or 'Tourist Tree'.

Red Birch; Gumbo Limbo; Tourist Tree / Bursera simaruba - BURSERACEAE

Tourists are not so visible on the island since COVID-19 border closures took effect, but the Tourist Tree is plentiful.

Red Birch bears the brunt of many jokes over its peeling copper bark, but it is beloved by many. Its elevated status often means that it is saved from the claws of the bulldozer when land is cleared for development.

It is a versatile plant and its large canopy is an excellent way to create shade. Red Birch is also deciduous. It will shed its leaves in the dry season of winter, and then fresh, lime-green leaves will appear in the spring/summer.

The seeds are easily dispersed and quickly germinate during the rainy season. They are coveted by the Cayman parrot. Read the whole story here.

Survey shows overwhelming support for environmental protection

Cayman News Service
12 March 2021

Mangroves cleared by K&B Ltd with heavy equipment

A public survey among 1,400 residents of the Cayman Islands revealed overwhelming support for protecting this country’s natural resources. Over 83% of respondents to Cayman ES21, initiated by Amplify Cayman, said Cayman’s natural environment was in a worse state than when the Environment Charter was signed 20 years ago. A massive 99% of those who took part said that protection of mangrove wetlands is either important or very important, just as government is pressing to cut a road through this critical habitat without even conducting an environmental impact assessment. and over 94% expressed support for effective climate change policies.

In addition to questions about people’s attitude towards the environment, the survey revealed the disconnect between the views of the people and the decisions made by the government relating to development. Over three quarters of those who took part felt their opinions are not considered and they are not listened to.

With an election just around the corner, the candidates are discussing the environment more than in past campaigns but few of them appear to be articulating a real understanding of the climate crisis and the real issues that Cayman now faces, not just in terms of slowing down future development but dealing with the legacy of historic development that is contributing to the erosion of the coastline...

...The month-long survey reached over 1,400 people, the significant majority of whom are Caymanian, across all 19 constituencies. The aim was to gauge public opinion on local and global environmental issues impacting Cayman and was framed around the Guiding Principles of the Cayman Islands’ Environment Charter and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Read the whole story here.

83.5% in Cayman believe the environment is worse off than 20 yrs ago

Loop Cayman
11 March 2021

Survey results published this week reveal that 83.5 per cent of respondents of a local environmental survey, aimed at gauging public opinion on local and global environmental issues impacting the Cayman Islands, believe that the Cayman Islands’ natural environment is in a worse state than when the Environment Charter was signed 20 years ago.

The month-long survey, an initiative of Amplify Cayman, reached over 1,400 people, across all 19 constituencies/districts in the Cayman Islands and was framed around the Guiding Principles of the Cayman Islands’ Environment Charter and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The survey results highlight an apparent disconnect between the views of the people/community and decisions made by the Government with regards to development, as 75.8 per cent of the respondents said that they feel their opinions are not considered.

More than 90 per cent of respondents indicated their support for national and neighborhood plans, with effective consultation processes. This should ensure fit-for-purpose infrastructure and spaces for people, commerce and nature are created in future.

Survey results indicate strong support for the policy propositions set out in the National Conservation Council and the Department of Environment’s document: "Seizing the Moment to Transition to a Greener Economy," dated June 5 2020. Such support is indeed widespread, with no variation by age, district residency or even immigration status. Read the whole story here.

EY aims to be carbon negative in 2021

Cayman Compass
9 March 2021

Photo courtesy of Alan Divine B

Accounting and consulting firm EY will focus on significantly reducing absolute emissions and removing more carbon than it emits, as the company recently announced its objective to become carbon negative in 2021 and net zero in 2025.

Net zero means achieving a balance between the greenhouse gases put into the atmosphere and those taken out.

In a press release, EY said that following reaching carbon neutrality in December 2020, it would reduce business-travel emissions by 35% by 2025 against a 2019 baseline; reduce overall office electricity usage; and require 75% of EY suppliers, by spend, to set science-based targets by no later than 2025.

Dan Scott, EY regional managing partner for the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and Cayman Islands, said, “Addressing climate change is an urgent issue for the health of our people and communities worldwide.

“This initiative is an important representation of the collaborative efforts companies are making across the globe to address the irreversible impacts of climate change.”

EY’s plan includes using nature-based solutions and carbon-reduction technologies to remove from the atmosphere or offset more carbon than the firm emits every year. Read the whole story here.

Activists push FIN clean-up after raising alarm

Cayman News Service
5 March 2021

FIN developer Michael Ryan posted pics of himself on social media getting in the water and retrieving debris ahead of the DoE inspection

The Department of Environment is paying close attention to the situation at the luxury condo development FIN after a catalog of issues surrounding the project. Local activists raised the alarm this past weekend when it appeared that construction materials had been dumped or washed into the ocean from the project site. This comes after recent silt screen failures and a list of other negative impacts on the marine park as work begins on the development’s lagoon feature.

The developers have now hired divers to clean up the construction debris, and one of the partners on the project, Michael Ryan, was spotted this week in the water hauling out the debris that ended up in the sea. But Wendy Johnston from the DoE said the situation regarding the debris was unacceptable.

“The DoE visited the site on Tuesday and noted the presence of construction debris on the seabed,” she told CNS. “We have been in communication with the developer and they have advised that all material will be removed from the seabed by the end of Thursday, 4 March. We will be conducting an inspection at the end of this week to ensure that this is the case.”

Rachel Osbourne, a local diver, was the first to publicise the latest issue with the project when she spotted the debris on a dive at the weekend. She welcomed the action now being taken but raised concerns that this development poses further threats.

“It’s great that the mess is being cleared up, and steps taken to prevent a reoccurrence, but there are serious questions remaining,” she told CNS.

Osbourne said people are very worried about environmental damage and the risks to the “irreplaceable and precious marine park”, especially with the impending hurricane season. She added that the development is “perilously close to the iron shore edge and continues to be at risk from wave action”.

As a result, a petition has been started calling for a public meeting between developers and the community. People want to ask about the silt from the drilling that could smother and kill the coral in the area as well as the creation of an artificial beach, which risks further imperiling marine life but will be lost to the sea during stormy weather. Read the whole story here.

Cayman Eco clean up at the Cayman Islands Humane Society

Cayman Compass
5 March 2021

Founded in 2006, Cayman Eco is run by a small but enthusiastic team of volunteers with a passion for preserving the environment. Cayman Eco initiated a clean up around the playfield opposite The Cayman Islands Humane Society. It was a low-key event with just 7 volunteers but they managed to pick up five bags of garbage and six buckets of recyclables along the Humane Society’s dog walking route in less than one hour which was really rewarding.

Cayman Eco wants to encourage any small group of friends, corporate entities, church groups or youth groups to go out and organize a clean up on any weekend, spend an hour and make a difference. Cleaning up a small area can have a big impact on our island’s environment and it will keep our beautiful island free from unnecessary and unsightly litter. Working together with other non-profit organization, government, corporation and individuals to help grow awareness of environmental issues in the Cayman Islands. Anybody interested or needing some guidance, please visit Cayman Eco’s website www.caymaneco.org.

Killer coral threat very serious

Cayman Compass
3 March 2021

Appearance of SCTLD on susceptible species (Photo by Dr Karen Neely)

The threat posed to local reefs by the still enigmatic Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) is very serious, according to the director of the Department of Environment. Against the backdrop of climate change, other diseases, excessive coastal development and ocean pollution, this extremely contagious and deadly disease is advancing towards Seven Mile Beach, posing a significant challenge to the already stressed marine life.

“This disease present an immediate very high threat to local coral, even while issues like climate change are a bigger threat in general,” DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie told CNS. “Given the high mortality rate for some species, at the moment we are very concerned about this disease.”

While past conservation efforts here have helped local reefs to be more resilient, this lethal disease presents a new threat, and Ebanks-Petrie hopes that local watersports operators and divers will help to contain it.

At a meeting on Friday to appeal to the operators for help, the DoE director explained that while resources at the department remain stretched, if Cabinet gives them permission, they can redirect money allocated to them from the Environmental Protection Fund for other projects and use it for this latest problem. Read the whole story here.

Tracking Cayman’s recyclables

Cayman Compass
25 February 2021

While people’s green efforts may end once they throw their recyclables into the multi-coloured bins at local supermarkets, that is only the beginning of the journey for those plastics and tins.

Generally, “plastic waste, when you throw it in the trash, will ultimately end up in the landfill, along with all the other materials that you put in the garbage”, Mike Haworth, assistant director of solid waste at the Department of Environmental Health, explained.

However, the recyclable material has a different destination. And COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the volume being exported.
Where does the trash go?

The waste that is separated and deposited for recycling makes a return journey to the US, from where it began life as consumer goods. It goes on a transatlantic trek from Cayman’s bins to its final destination in Florida, for distribution to various waste-processing facilities.

Haworth said the recyclables are shipped using the same routes as a lot of goods that travel to and from Grand Cayman.

“We use a broker in the States who basically manages the distribution of those materials to recycle facilities over there. And most of those facilities, if not all, are in Florida,” he said.But there’s no money to be made from this, Haworth explained. Read the whole story here.

Cayman Islands may dial back on cruise visits once borders reopen

Travel Weekly
25 February 2021

An aerial view of the Cayman Islands.

Grand Cayman may reduce cruise traffic from pre-pandemic levels once its borders reopen, the Caribbean nation's Premier Alden McLaughlin said this week.

According to the Cayman Compass newspaper, McLaughlin said that the government had received a "clear signal" from both the business community and local citizens that they wanted fewer cruise passengers to visit the islands. In 2019, 1.8 million passengers visited Grand Cayman, according to the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA), making it one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean.

The Cayman Islands is one of the few Caribbean islands still closed to U.S. visitors. It has no published timeline for reopening.

The Premier said that Grand Cayman may "cap the numbers so that our current system can accommodate them in a better way and the experience for those who do visit can be better."

He also said that the government will not proceed with an additional cruise berthing facility that had been proposed for its capital, George Town. Read the whole story here.

Battery causes another small fire at dump

Cayman News Service
22 February 2021

(CNS): Another small fire at the George Town dump last week was caused by a phone battery, officials said. Fortunately, this time the smoldering battery was spotted by the Department of Environmental Health team, who managed to put the fire out before it became a dangerous blaze. Officials said that this is the third incident so far this year in which a fire at the dump was linked to a smoldering battery, explaining that when batteries are placed in general waste and they move around in large trucks or are pushed around in the landfill, they can puncture and ignite a fire.

“Lithium ion batteries are often the cause of fires in landfills and other waste handling facilities. It is not always easy to know what each type of battery is called so we have come up with a guide we hope will help the community, ” said Michael Haworth, DEH Assistant Director – Solid Waste.

KNOW your BATTERIES – WHERE and HOW to SAFELY Dispose and Recycle

“Although we use batteries in everyday items, we rarely think of them as a hazard as they are powering our smartphones, laptops, and watches, etc. Yet we must be mindful of the hidden dangers,” he added. 

Given the growing problem of waste batteries, the DEH is asking people to dispose of their batteries in the recycling tubes found across the Cayman Islands at supermarkets and other commercial locations and not in their regular garbage. There are more than 50 recycling drop-off points for small batteries throughout the islands, Haworth noted. Read the whole story here.

Deadly coral disease moves closer to Seven Mile Beach

Cayman Compass
22 February 2021

The red line in this map indicates where stony coral tissue loss disease has been found at site along the North Wall, as of last week. - Image: DoE

The Department of Environment is appealing to divers to help monitor stony coral tissue loss disease which is spreading at about a mile a month towards Seven Mile Beach.

The disease was found in stony corals on Grand Cayman’s North Wall last summer and, in October, the DoE shut down 43 dive sites in the area in an attempt to combat its spread.

Tammi Warrender of the DoE told the Cayman Compass, “Unfortunately, SCTLD continues to spread along the reef and is getting closer to Seven Mile.”

The DoE has trained 30 divers to identify and manage the disease and there are 10 individuals who are dedicated to helping the department’s staff in the field every week, Wallander said, adding that new people are reaching out weekly to offer their assistance.

The DoE is currently looking for more volunteers to help out. Read the whole story here.

New National Conservation Board appointed

Cayman Compass
19 February 2021

McFarlane Conolly has been reappointed as chairman of the
National Conservation Council.

Following controversy earlier this week over government’s failure to appoint members to the National Conservation Board – leading to a delay in a decision on an application by Dart for a new 10-storey hotel – Cabinet has named and gazetted a new board.

The board’s chairman McFarlane Conolly has been reappointed as head of the NCC.

Among the new members are Paul Parchment, the former managing director of the National Roads Authority, who was sacked from his position in 2018 over allegations of misuse of NRA resources. He will be representing West Bay on the new NCC board.

Parchment now works as a senior manager, civil engineering, at Dart.

Other new members include Harry Lalli representing George Town; Pierre M. Foster representing Bodden Town; Capt. Harrison A.  Bothwell representing the Sister Islands; and Annick Jackman representing the National Trust. Read the whole story here.

Gov’t scrambles to form NCC

Cayman News Service
17 February 2021

Hotel Indigo site

After dragging its heels on appointing the private sector members of the National Conservation Council, public pressure appears to have led government to a last minute scramble. An application by Dart for a ten-storey hotel went before the Central Planning Authority on Tuesday with no input from the Department of Environment because there was no NCC to clear the screening opinion on the project. But government is now believed to be trying to appoint a council.

It is not clear why the NCC membership was allowed to lapse, given the important role it has in planning applications, which are heard every two weeks. CNS raised the issue this week after noting that the CPA agenda indicated that the planning application for this major project would be considered without input from government’s conservation experts.

While the proposed site of the Hotel Indigo is already man-modified and it is very unlikely that the DoE would have recommended an environmental impact assessment before the project moves forward, it would most certainly have had some comments.

Issues that the department would likely want to be considered include the impact of the project on Seven Mile Beach, turtle-friendly lighting, landscaping issues and how this project fits in with the more controversial proposal for a planned area development (PAD) that Dart recently submitted.

The decision to put the hotel application on the agenda goes against the requirement under the National Conservation Law that the DoE is consulted on all development projects. The question of wider public consultation also arises because the hotel falls within this proposed PAD footprint, which should be subject to public consultation before any individual development within it is actually approved.

After hearing the Dart application, CPA Chair Al Thompson said that the authority had decided to hear it without comments relating to the environment because it was unfair to the applicant to hold up the process just because government had not done its job.

However, Thompson said members would discuss holding back on their decision until the next meeting on 3 March to give the NCC an opportunity to clear any submissions from the DoE. If the CPA supports his proposal to defer for two weeks and government expedites the appointments, the DoE’s comments can still be considered. Read the whole story here.

Little known facts about 4 endangered species that call Cayman home

Loop Cayman
17 February 2021

Over 90 per cent of the United Kingdom's biodiversity is only in its Overseas Territories & Crown Dependencies. Not surprisingly, there is an extensive list of endangered species that call the Cayman Islands home.

Here are four with little-known facts we bet you didn't know...

Cerion Nanus is the rarest snail in the world

Cerion Nanus is the rarest snail in the world and grows to only about a centimeter long. This species of snail is endemic to Little Cayman where it is found among coastal dry limestone shrub with several small populations existing along the Spot Bay Road. This snail can be identified by the color of its shell, which is grayish or white, and emerges from its hibernation during rainy days but is difficult to identify during dry weather. The snail was first described in 1888 by Charles Johnson Maynard, a zoologist and professional specimen collector. Maynard indicated that the snail existed almost exclusively on one plant species: the rockyplains dwarf morning glory. Cerion Nanus is critically endangered because of its highly restricted range and because of the ongoing loss of its shrubland habitat to development.

The West Indian Whistling Duck is very shy and secretive

West Indian Whistling Ducks or Dendrocygna arborea are secretive, shy and difficult to survey and study, as they typically roost in mangroves or other dense vegetation during the day. They become active at dusk, flying around to different wetlands to feed. In Negril Jamaica, on Inauguration day January 20 2021, two West Indian Whistling-Ducks, nicknamed “Joe” and “Kamala”, became the first of their kind to bear GPS trackers. From now on, like their namesakes, these birds will be the focus of constant scrutiny and international attention. Their solar–powered backpack trackers will report their locations every hour. 800-1,200 individuals of this species breed in Cayman. While parts of the population show signs of recovery, the species is dependent on active conservation measures, without which it would potentially qualify as threatened. There is also concern that future climate change and extreme weather events may negatively impact the species’s habitat availability. Read the whole story here.

Dart’s hotel to go before CPA with no DoE input

Cayman News Service
15 February 2021

Hotel Indigo, which will anchor Dart’s proposed ‘new town’, will be before the Central Planning Authority (CPA) on Tuesday as a separate application, but it will not have any input from the Department of Environment because no new National Conservation Council (NCC) members have been appointed. The project comes against the backdrop of public concern about the threat the planned area development (PAD) poses to parts of the last remaining area of mangrove wetland in West Bay.

It is not clear why Cabinet has allowed the NCC membership to lapse, given that it is required to direct the DoE to give the necessary advice to the CPA on all matters relating to the National Conservation Law.

While the DoE has prepared a screening opinion, it has no ability to submit that project without the NCC first clearing it. In correspondence to planning, the department said it has been lobbying government to appoint the new council since October. DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie asked the project hearing to be delayed until the NCC is appointed and allow for the screening opinion and the review of the development application to be issued in accordance with the law.

The DoE stated that to grant planning permission for the project without taking into account the views of the National Conservation Council is contrary to the law. The government agency also raised concerns about what this tells the public.

“It also sends a clear message about the Central Planning Authority’s and Planning Department’s attitude towards the environment and the wider principles of sustainable development. Sustainable development seeks to ensure that development is considered in its widest context including assessing economic, social and environmental implications. Given the lack of environmental technical expertise on the Central Planning Authority, it is unclear on what basis a decision can be reached which takes into account environmental considerations,” Ebanks-Petrie stated in her memo to the authority.

While the hotel’s location is a man-modified site, its proximity to the Public Beach and concerns about turtle nests would be important considerations. While it is unlikely the screening would recommend an environmental impact assessment for this specific project, the DoE would have likely raised questions about the hotel’s position in the context of the PAD as well.

Dart has already started some work at the site, which it said Monday was not “foundation work” as reported here earlier but test pilings to inform “foundation design” should the project be approved. Nevertheless it demonstrates the confidence the developer has in receiving planning permission.

Activists are concerned that the proposal for the larger PAD will have a very negative impact on the environment while providing almost no benefit to the majority of residents of West Bay, where the worst of the mangrove destruction will be. Vandals have already protested these plans for more development by the islands’ biggest landowner by damaging a road sign on the Esterley Tibbetts Highway.

The ten-story Hotel Indigo, which will be constructed on the plot between the Kimpton hotel and the highway, will not be a beachfront property. Its guests will have access to the beach at the former Calico Jack Beach Bar between the Kimpton beachfront and Public Beach.
Part of the PAD which Dart has now submitted an application there are numerous environmental issues including the proposal to a cut a canal under the ETH to link the new town from the North Sound canal network to Seven Mile Beach. Read the whole story here.

Leadership Cayman seminar focused on the environment

Loop Cayman
14 February 2021

The Environment was the area of focus at the Leadership Cayman seminar held on Wednesday, February 10 at the Chamber of Commerce headquarters in Governors Square.

The seminar began with an afternoon tour of the George Town Landfill guided by Michael Haworth, Assistant Director Solid Waste and Angello Roye, Acting Operations Manager at the Department of Environmental Health (DEH). 

The breakout sessions and panel discussions concentrated on the current state and environmental threats and the role that government and society should play to preserve and curtail actions which further threatens the environment. 

Seminar speakers included Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director at the Cayman Islands Department of Environment; Claire Hughes, Founder of Plastic Free Cayman; and Catherine Childs, Education Programmes Manager at the National Trust for the Cayman Islands.

For the first time, Leadership Cayman 2020 graduates Genevieve Georgiades, Stephanie Rattan, Dana Boardsen, and Kimberly McLean organised the first seminar which was sponsored by Expertise Limited.
Cox Lumber Limited, RBC Royal Bank (Cayman) Limited and Wheaton Precious Metals are the major sponsors of the Chamber of Commerce’s six-month leadership programme.

‘Moonlight’ the turtle released into wild

Cayman Compass
9 February 2021

A green sea turtle named Moonlight is now in its forever home in the Caribbean Sea, thanks to Grade 2 students at Cayman International School.

The 2-year-old turtle, which was raised at the Cayman Turtle Centre, was released at Governor’s Beach on Friday, 29 Jan., as part of the students’ project, “How are we connected to the sea?”

“In this project, students [took] on the role of environmentalists to research and develop a sequence of public service announcements on ocean-based environmental issues,” said their teacher, Amanda Brown.

“They [completed] individual research projects and then worked in teams to combine information, connect understandings and grow ideas.” Read the whole story here.

Developers warned to maximise set-backs

Cayman News Service
9 February 2021

Location of proposed development on North West Point

Impending sea level rise and the impacts of climate change that Cayman will witness in the coming years are still not being taken seriously and the Department of Environment is warning developers that stretching set-backs to the letter of the law puts their projects at serious risk. In submissions to the Central Planning Authority for a proposed resort development on North West Point, the experts said the coastline has a history of storm surge property damage and they should not build too close to the ironshore.

The DoE has been warning even more emphatically recently that coastal set-backs should not be waived in any future developments and existing legal distances are inadequate. As a result, the developers, NWPR Group Ltd, should be maximising the distance between the properties they build and the ocean, regardless of the legal limits, and not taking them to the very limit.

In North West Point, developers are hoping to building a four-storey $12.3 million ‘condo resort’, comprising 30 apartments, a cafe, two oceanfront houses and ancillary features. Following their appearance at the CPA recently, it seems they hope to bring the development as close as possible to the ocean, ignoring the DoE’s warnings. Read the whole story here.

Nassau groupers put on a show

Cayman Compass
4 February 2021

DoE scientist, Tammi Warrender uses the stereo video device which is a long rod with a GoPro on each end to measure Nassau Groupers during the Grouper Moon. Photo: DoE

Thousands of Nassau groupers have commenced their annual spawning dance, also known as the Grouper Moon, in the pristine waters of Little Cayman.

Sunday night researchers surveying the annual event observed the first spawning at the aggregation site.

Volunteer Amanda Brown has been documenting the grouper spawning through a blog and described the sight as “incredible”.

“Bands of a dozen or so groupers shot upward in front of us, like fireworks. Each band consisted of many males pursuing a single female. The female grouper would shoot up into the water column swimming straight up to release her eggs, and several male groupers would follow, swimming in spirals around her,” she wrote.

The unique spectacle usually attracts international researchers and volunteers from the Reef Environment Education Foundation who come together for the Grouper Moon project which has been a mainstay since 2002. 

However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the REEF team was unable to attend to participate in the monitoring and study of the Nassau grouper spawning aggregations.

But a team of Department of Environment scientists and volunteers are tracking the fishes, which are listed as threatened. Read the whole story here.

More development needed, says McLaughlin

Cayman News Service
3 February 2021

Premier Alden McLaughlin at the Chamber of Commerce Q&A

Premier Alden McLaughlin has sent a message to environmental activists and conservationists after making it clear that if his team leads the next coalition government, it will seek to keep the pace of development going. Despite clear evidence that Grand Cayman’s coastline, especially along Seven Mile Beach, is already eroding and the sea level rise threat will only get worse, he said Cayman’s economy depends on inward investment.

“Cayman continues to need further development,” McLaughlin said at a roundtable Q&A session at a Chamber of Commerce meeting last week. The premier implied that shifting Cayman away from its increasing dependence on development and construction to sustain economic growth and jobs will not happen on his watch.

Even in the face of ever-growing public concern across the Cayman Islands about the negative impact that coastal over-development is now having on the islands, the premier spelled out a bleak future for nature.

The unsustainable level of development over the last three decades, but especially post Hurricane Ivan, has fuelled a population growth that has taken a toll on all resources, especially natural ones. Development has had a terrible effect on the environment, with the subsequent shoreline erosion and the islands’ endemic, indigenous and native bio-diversity under real threat, as land is cleared of natural habitat to make way for hotels, condos, luxury homes and rental units.

However, McLaughlin raised no concerns about the environmental issues that await the entire planet, and not just vulnerable low-lying islands like Cayman, much sooner than scientists have previously predicted. Read the whole story here.

Cayman Brac Farmers enlist in Farmers’ Assistance Programme

Loop Cayman
31 January 2021

Cayman Brac farmers complete their applications for the farmers’ assistance grant

Over 70 Cayman Brac farmers turned out at the Department of Agriculture building at the Agricultural Grounds on January 21 and January 22 to apply for assistance under the Ministry of Education, Youth, Sport, Agriculture and Lands (MEYSAL) COVID 19 Farmers' Assistance Programme, increasing the current number of applications received to over 350 farmers. 

Minister of Agriculture Honourable Juliana O'Connor-Connolly expressed her delight at the turnout. "I am encouraged that so many of our local farmers have taken advantage of this opportunity to increase their capacity to yield greater quantities of high-quality produce and livestock," Minister O'Connor-Connolly stated.

Several grant recipients, including Mr. Ashton Ferguson, lauded the initiative, expressing appreciation to the Ministry of EYSAL for the opportunity to enhance their backyard farming enterprises and increase the availability of safe, nutritious food within their communities.

"I certainly believe that eating what you grow and growing what you eat creates a healthy environment and provides persons with the opportunity to provide for themselves during these uncertain times. It truly is a great initiative," Mr. Ferguson commented. Read the whole story here.

Health Ministry investigating medical waste on Cayman beaches

Loop Cayman
30 January 2021

A multi-agency team led by the Department of Health Regulatory Services (DHRS) has reached out to local registered healthcare facilities concerning the issue of medical waste found on beaches in Grand Cayman. 

At this stage of the investigation, which was requested by the Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing, registered healthcare facilities are asked to support the information gathering process that will help determine whether there is a local or international source of the waste. The investigation is currently underway and will include the Sister Islands.

Noting that reports of medical waste turning up on various public beaches across the Island have spanned many years, DHRS Director Mervyn Conolly said: “This waste poses a very serious public health concern and working group members are united in their desire to see to understand the origin of the hazardous items and resolve the issue as quickly as possible. We are confident that the public share the same desire and urge anyone who comes across medical waste in a public area to treat it with utmost caution and separate it from other waste.”

Tourism sector workers or other individuals who may have found medical waste on any beaches in the past are also asked to report their findings to the DEH customer service number. Under the current Public Health Law (2002 Revision) and the Litter Law (1997 Revision), DEH is the Government agency with sole responsibility for the collection and sanitary disposal of medical wastes generated in the Cayman Islands. Read the whole story here.

Public urged, but not helped, to recycle e-waste

Cayman News Service
22 January 2021

George Town landfill (CNS file photo)

Government officials are blaming the public for an increase in mixed waste going to the dump, which sparked two small fires there this week. Officials said that people are not separating electronics and batteries and urged them to stop mixing these items in general garbage. But unlike the recycling depots for cardboard, paper, aluminum, glass and some plastics provided at supermarkets, electronics and larger lithium batteries must be taken by members of the public to the dump.

The two separate fires, which were both likely caused by electronic waste igniting as it was compacted on the dump, were dealt with through the combined effort of the Department of Environmental Health and the Cayman Islands Fire Service.

Chief Fire Officer Paul Walker said staff at the dump had notified CIFS early on after they spotted the small surface fires, allowing crews to get to them before they became deep-seated.

“It is their diligence in the early notification, the fact these were small surface waste fires and not deep-seated veins of fire and the prompt deployment of CIFS resources and firefighting equipment that has prevented further fire spread and limited the impact of these two small fires on surrounding residents and businesses,” said Walker. “The minor excavations and damping down was precautionary and aims to reduce the chance of re-ignition from any unseen hot-spots.”

But preventing electronic fires in future may require a more concerted effort by the ministry responsible for the dump. At present, with the exception of recycling tubes at some supermarkets for small household batteries, there is nowhere for residents to take lithium and large batteries or any electronics other than the dump.

“At a mixed waste facility, there is an ever-present risk of ignition when materials are disposed of together,” officials said in a press release, pointing to the disposal of electronic items and batteries in the general garbage causing the fires at the dump.

In addition to the significant risk of ignition when compacted, as outlined by officials, e-waste is also one of the world’s fastest growing pollution problems. Read the whole story here.

COVID lockdown helped record-breaking turtle season

Cayman Compass
20 January 2021

The 2020 turtle-nesting season came to a close with a record 557 confirmed nests on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac combined, the Department of Environment reported Tuesday.

The DoE said the high number of nests was aided by the COVID-19 lockdown early in the year which left beaches deserted for long periods of time, giving turtles the opportunity to lay their eggs unhindered.

“The season started in an unusual way, with the Cayman Islands in lockdown and beaches closed,” the DoE said in its report. “Although this presented a number of challenges for the monitoring team, it meant that nesting turtles had little to no disturbances on the beaches and this positive impact was reflected by nesting occurring in new locations.”

The 2020 lockdown helped boost numbers towards the end of the season, but the DoE said a number of tropical storms and passing hurricanes threatened nests.

“The DoE’s Turtle Team were kept very busy assessing nest safety, and where necessary, relocating nests to safer locations. Despite the team’s best efforts, high seas caused more than 30 nests to become inundated with varying impacts to the hatch, and 10 nests were completely washed away due to unpredictable and significant beach erosion during the storm season,” it said.

However, the DoE was able to relocate 53 nests to protect them from storm surges on Grand Cayman and eight were relocated on Cayman Brac. Read the whole story here.

Activists seek public opinion on environment

Cayman News Service
19 January 2021

Site in Rum Point where mangroves were cleared before planning permission given

The local activist group, Amplify Cayman, has published on online survey which it says is designed to gather data and gauge public opinion on local and global environmental issues impacting the Cayman Islands. According to a release from the campaigners, the aim is to influence candidates running for office in May to set environmental policy platforms that they would “align with the perspectives of the Cayman people”.

The survey questions are based on the guiding principles of the Cayman Islands’ Environment Charter, upheld by the Cayman Islands Constitution section 18, the release stated.

The activists said that they will collect, review, and provide resulting data to local and international stakeholders, which include the general public, non-profit organisations, private sector actors and government stakeholders.

“Globally, leaders agree that a truly sustainable recovery post COVID-19 presents the need for data-driven decisions and policies, that are centred on the overall well-being and health of a nation’s people and natural environment,” a spokesperson for the campaigners stated.

“With an election set for May 2021, it is also the hope that the results of this survey will assist candidates running for office.”

The survey, which was launched last week, is available to take online until 15 February and respondents will be eligible to win one of ten $50 grocery gift certificates.

Close encounters help change fearsome image of sharks

Cayman Compass
19 January 2021

The silhouette of a Caribbean Reef shark hovers in the sunlight as the dive boat sits at the mooring bouy. Photo: Jon Barron, Ocean Frontiers

As the group of scuba divers gathers on the sandy ocean floor, just off East End, the thick, steel-grey body of a Caribbean reef shark cuts into view.

It moves slowly and gracefully, driven by its powerful, sashaying tail.
The shark is just a few feet away from the camera’s lens when it veers upward towards the sunlight that strobes through the clear blue waters. As it moves out of the frame, another shark moves in. Soon the small dive group is swimming amid a shiver of at least seven sharks...

...This is the X-Dive, the latest innovation from Ocean Frontiers which has partnered with the Cayman Islands Shark Project and the Department of Environment to run educational dives at sites frequented by Cayman’s resident reef sharks.

It is not just about thrill-seeking, says dive operator Steve Broadbelt.

Participants are given an hour-long presentation from Shark Project researcher Johanna Kohler, where they learn about the animals and their behaviour. Read the whole story here.

Mobile battery blamed for small dump fire

Cayman News Service
18 January 2021

Item suspected to have caused the small surface fire at the dump on Monday

Officials from the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) said that a small surface fire at the landfill at around 4pm Monday was probably caused by a mobile phone battery or similar item that had been discarded in the regular waste. When operators were compacting the area and drove over the battery, it may have burst and ignited. The Cayman Islands Fire Service (CIFS) worked alongside DEH and the fire is now extinguished.

According to a release, DEH crews will continue to monitor the area throughout the night and notify CIFS immediately if any smoke is observed.

“Any kind of battery, including those found in mobile phones, pose an increased risk of combustion and should be separated from other waste materials when disposing,” said DEH Director Richard Simms. “The George Town Landfill has a designated area for batteries which we encourage the public to use.” Read the whole story here.

Beach cleaners pick up nearly 1,000lb of plastics

Cayman News Service
18 January 2021

East End Beach Clean

Volunteers removed over a 1,000lbs of garbage from Grand Cayman’s beaches, most of it plastic, in a clean-up this weekend, with teams working at Barkers Beach in West Bay and beaches in East End, according to a spokesperson for Plastic Free Cayman. As well as highlighting the major issue of marine debris, the haul of garbage collected Saturday morning revealed a local littering problem. In addition to the plastic items and micro-plastics, volunteers picked up thousands of bits of polystyrene, syringes and vials of blood.
Francella Martin, the lead organiser of the event, said these were properly disposed of, but noted that this is becoming a regular occurrence now for the beach clean-ups.

“But what was most surprising was the amount of local litter,” she said in a release about the event. “It seems that parts of East End and Barkers are becoming increasingly polluted by locals discarding bottles, cans, old appliances, diapers and cigarette butts upon our shores.” Volunteers have suggested that government puts up signs on beaches to discourage people from littering and remind them of the fines.

In his strategic policy statement in April 2019 Premier Alden McLaughlin had promised a war on litter, but almost two years later the “major anti-litter campaign” he announced has never materialised.

“We need to re-educate both locals and tourists as to what is expected from them; we need to provide better facilities for waste and, in time, for street recycling bins; and we need to look again at the litter laws and their enforcement. All three parts of this campaign are important and need to reinforce each other,” he told the then Legislative Assembly.

PFC founder Claire Hughes has continued the NGO’s campaign for a national clean-up campaign and plastic ban policy similar to those introduced on other Caribbean islands, but the government recently postponed yet another stakeholders meeting on the topic. “It is time that our government takes ownership of this important issue,” Hughes added. Read the whole story here.

Cayman: DoE reports increase in shark sightings

Loop Cayman
16 January 2021

The Department of Environment (DoE) has received recent reports of an increase in the sightings of sharks in the vicinity of the Sandbar, North Sound.

The DoE is advising the public that sharks are an important part of our oceans and play a key role in keeping our marine ecosystem balanced and healthy.

While sharks generally actively avoid areas of high human traffic, activities like fish and ray feeding can make them curious and more likely to investigate areas they would normally avoid, particularly given the lower than usual number of boats and visitors to the Sandbar at this time.

In order to reduce the likelihood of sharks learning to associate the presence of people with food and becoming regular visitors to the Sandbar, the Department of Environment advises the following:

1. Do not attempt to attract or feed sharks if they are present at the Sandbar. Under the National Conservation Law it is illegal to feed or attract sharks with bait anywhere in Cayman waters. The law also protects all sharks in Cayman waters at all times. Fishing and the take of any marine life at the Sandbar and Stingray City Wildlife Interaction Zones is strictly forbidden. Read the whole story here.

Blue Iguana Conservation programme celebrates arrival of twins

Loop Cayman
12 January 2021

The newest residents of the Blue Iguana Conservation (BIC) facility
are now 6-months old.

The arrival of twin blue iguanas was a special highlight of the recent breeding season at the BIC facility run by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands, with the support of the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park.

According to the National Trust, twin births are a rare occurrence in reptiles and, although not the first time for blue iguanas, it is still a special occasion.

As hatchlings, the twins were very vulnerable due to their small size, weighing less than 15 grams at the point of hatching-- the equivalent weight of one AAA battery. Now 6-months on, the twins have steadily grown and become stronger, surviving the heavy rains during hurricane season and now have their own personalities.

Iguana Warden, Peri Smalldon, expressed his excitement. "The twins were a real surprise for the team as you can never expect two hatchlings in the same egg. The survival of the twins, given their small size was against the odds, particularly during the 2020 hurricane season, however, we are very proud of this achievement by the BIC team and it is a positive news story to share during what has been a tough year for everyone."

The twins of Grand Cayman’s endemic blue iguanas can only be viewed during the guided tours at the Blue Iguana Conservation facility, which includes special access to the Blue Nursery. Read the whole story here.


Brac aviation firm fills disputed turtle kraal

Cayman Compass
12 January 2021

Heavy machinery moves in to fill in the kraal in a screen shot from a video taken by a Brac resident.

A stand-off between opponents and a new aviation firm on Cayman Brac escalated Tuesday after the company filled an old turtle kraal at the site where it plans to station an airfield and helicopter hangar.

The presence of the kraal, which objectors say is an important national heritage site, was cited as one of the key reasons for an appeal against the Development Control Board’s decision to grant planning permission for the project. The aviation firm says it was filled with the appropriate planning permission and in the presence of environmental officials in order to address safety issues due to trespassers.

Simone Scott, one of the members of a group opposing the airfield, said it appeared workers made a beeline for the kraal – an inland water hole used in previous generations to store turtles before they were needed for consumption. No other work was conducted at the site and the objectors believe the kraal was filled in prematurely to undercut their appeal.

“It is a beautiful site and it is important to us for our heritage. It was part of Cayman’s history,” said Scott.

Protesters say the turtle kraal was an important heritage site.

The firm, Dagarro Ltd, released a statement earlier in the day indicating it had filled in a “sink hole” on the site. Read the whole story here.

UN report: World could lose coral reefs by end of century

Cayman Compass
6 January 2021

Coral bleaching on Australia's Great Barrier Reef: after (left) and before (right). - Photo: The Ocean Agency/WL Catlin Seaview via UNEP

According to a recent United Nations Environmental Programme report, reefs worldwide are in danger of vanishing by the end of this century, under the pressures of ocean warming and coral bleaching.

“In the face of inaction, coral reefs will soon disappear,” Leticia Carvalho, head of the United Nations Environmental Programme’s Marine and Freshwater Branch, said following  the issuing of the report in late December.

“Humanity must act with evidence-based urgency, ambition and innovation to change the trajectory for this ecosystem, which is the canary in the coalmine for climate’s impact on oceans, before it’s too late,” she said in a press release accompanying the report...

...The latest report offers two possible scenarios of what happens next – a ‘worst-case’ one involving continued global use and dependence on fossil fuels, and a ‘middle-of-the-road’ one in which countries exceed their current pledges to cut back on fossil fuels and limit carbon emissions by 50%.

Under the ‘worst-case’ scenario, the report estimates that all of the world’s reefs will bleach by the end of the century, with annual severe bleaching occurring on average by 2034, nine years ahead of predictions published three years ago.

If jurisdictions do manage to achieve the ‘middle-of-the-road’ scenario, severe bleaching could be delayed by 11 years, to 2045, the UNEP report projected. Read the whole story here.

DoE: Leave the sharks alone

Cayman Compass
4 January 2021

This photo was shared in The Real Women of Cayman the Facebook group.

The Department of Environment has issued a reminder to the public not to harass or disturb marine wildlife after videos and photos of a shark spotted close to shore along Seven Mile Beach made the rounds over the weekend.

The DoE, responding to queries from the Cayman Compass, said it received about seven different reports from members of the public about seeing the shark.

“Sightings were reported along Seven Mile Beach in front of the Kimpton, Westin, and Ritz-Carlton hotels,” the DoE said.

In assessing a video that had been shared, the DoE said it was a reef shark...

...“The DoE advises that members of the public should avoid harassing, catching, touching, disturbing, injuring, or killing sharks as they are protected in the Cayman Islands given their essential role in maintaining the healthy balance of our marine ecosystem,” the DoE said.

While the department said it has received occasional reports of reef sharks in very shallow water along Seven Mile Beach in the past, it is not a common occurrence along that particular stretch of coastline near the hotels. Read the whole story here.


Environmentalists discourage use of Chinese lanterns

Cayman Compass
30 December 2020

Releasing Chinese or sky lanterns on the beach has become a tradition on New Year’s Eve in Cayman, but a local environmentalist is urging this practice to be discontinued.

Tammy Kelderman, environmental sociologist and founder of Cayman Eco, has said the lanterns are very bad for the environment.

“We would just like anyone who does one to understand the hazards to marine life. Even lanterns marketed as ‘biodegradable’ or ‘earth-friendly’, are not, really. They are still constructed with wires, treated paper, and/or a bamboo ring, and unfortunately can cause serious harm to marine life,” she said in a brief statement.

Kelderman said the Westin resort has cancelled this year’s lantern release based on critical feedback from customers.

The lanterns, she said, can glide in the sky for miles, “placing them in the pelagic feeding grounds of aquatic animals who can eat or become entangled in their remains”.

She added, “Many countries have actually banned their use. We do hope that the hotels will stop this ‘tradition’ and help preserve the beauty of our sea and ensure the safety of the creatures that make it home.”

DEH collecting Christmas trees for mulch

Loop Cayman
30 December 2020

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) wishes to advise the public that bins have now been placed for the public to drop off Christmas trees.

Locations include:

Spotts Dock
The Cricket Grounds, George Town
The George Town Landfill 24 hour drop off-site

The trees will be collected and mulched in the landfill. The mulch will then be taken to the Cricket Grounds next to the Farmer’s Market in George Town for public collection on Saturday, January 23 2021 starting at 8am.

The Christmas season 2020, hazards to aviation

Caymanian Times
28 December 2020

As we enter the Christmas season the Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) would like to remind the public of the risks to aviation and public safety in general which come from the flying of small unmanned aircraft (also known as drones or unmanned aerial vehicles) kites, sky lanterns and firework displays which are received as presents or used as a part of the holiday festivities. Read the whole story here.

Local author donates $200K towards Little Cayman conservation

Loop Cayman
7 December 2020

L-R- Mrs Brigitte Kassa, Ms Betty Bua-Smith (Vice Chair, Little Cayman District Committee of the National Trust), Mr Gregory S. McTaggart (Chairman, Little Cayman District Committee of the National Trust)

The Little Cayman District Committee of the National Trust For The Cayman Islands has announced a donation of US $200,000 by Mrs Brigitte Kassa for the purchase of 17 acres of environmentally and ecologically important land in Little Cayman.

The parcel of land lies in prime Sister Islands Rock Iguana habitat and may contain historic artifacts from the phosphate mining industry that was on the island at the end of the 1800s.

The parcel adjoins another Trust held property on the Nature Trail at the west end of the island interior and nearly doubles the contiguous protected area at a time when pressures of speculative real estate development are increasing.

Mrs Kassa is a long time resident of Little Cayman, having settled on the island with her late husband Basil in 1973 when there were fewer than 20 inhabitants. She is a founding member of the Little Cayman District Committee and a Life member of the National Trust. She has always been an enthusiastic and extremely active member, from staffing the Trust House to setting up for the annual Easter Auction and Christmas Bazaar and attending regular Committee meetings. She even assisted with the construction of the Gladys Howard Visitors Center in the 1990s, doing everything including painting and operating heavy equipment, lifting the roof trusses in place with her backhoe. Read the whole story here.


21 people in 2021: James Whittaker

Cayman Compass
7 December 2020

James Whittaker (Photo credit: realife.ky)

It’s easy to see how GreenTech owner James Whittaker could help transform Cayman’s energy sector. He’s the man in charge of one of Cayman’s prominent solar-energy businesses and heads up the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, a group that lobbies on behalf of the industry.

“Our goal is really to help transform Cayman’s energy sector. We’d like to see this grow into another pillar of the economy,” he said.

There were more than 11 million renewable-energy-related jobs globally in 2019, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency’s annual review. Of those, 3.8 million were related specifically to solar power. Whittaker said Cayman can directly benefit from employment in this sector. 

“From an economic standpoint, this industry can create hundreds of jobs. It can support thousands of jobs indirectly,” he said. “Educating Caymanians to make sure that we take over in this industry and that we dominate this industry here locally, for me, is personally important.” 

Beyond dollars and cents, however, Whittaker points to the benefits of combating climate change. Cayman’s National Energy Policy calls for the country to use 70% renewable energy sources by 2037 and Whittaker says a planned update report in 2022 will show Cayman is behind schedule. Read the whole story here.

Lobby group launches ‘Rethink Cruise Tourism’ campaign

Cayman Compass
3 December 2020

Photo courtesty of cruiseportinsider.com

The recently formed Global Cruise Activist Network has launched a 'Rethink Cruise Tourism' campaign calling for a revamp of the cruise ship industry before sailings resume post-COVID.

In a virtual press conference on Wednesday, the group cited the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Travel Notice recommending people avoid travel on cruise ships because the risk of contracting COVID-19 is “very high”.

On 14 March, the CDC issued a 30-day ‘No Sail Order’ for cruise ships. This was repeatedly extended until 30 Oct., when it was replaced by a ‘Framework for Conditional Sailing Order‘, which allows for a phased resumption of cruise ship passenger operations based on strict new health and safety protocols.

However, the voyage did not go smoothly for the first cruise ship to operate a Caribbean route following the lifting of the No Sail Order. The SeaDream 1, owned by Norway’s Sea Dream Yacht Club, departed Barbados on 7 Nov. and reported a case of COVID-19 on board a few days later, forcing the ship to return to port. Several other passengers subsequently tested positive.

GCAN members said they agreed with the CDC’s contention that “cruising safely and responsibly during a global pandemic is very challenging”, and want this to act as a wake-up for the cruise industry to reform how it operates its business...

...The group is urging policymakers and cruise companies to create a “more responsible” cruise tourism industry, that takes social and environmental aspects into consideration. GCAN in September published its 'Principles for Responsible Tourism' to this effect.

The group is also calling on customers to make informed decisions about taking cruises. Linda Clark, of Cruise Port Referendum Cayman which opposed the creation of a cruise dock in George Town, said, “It’s time to rethink cruise tourism. Before rebooking a cruise, before investing money, before taking a cruise, before restarting cruise ships, please rethink your plan.” Read the whole story here.

DoE queries LNG as viable future option

Cayman News Service
1 December 2020

LNG storage tank (not in the Cayman Islands)

In its initial response to a proposal to build a liquid natural gas depot in Bodden Town, the Department of Environment not only raised concerns about the negative impact it would have on the immediate environment but also the wisdom of choosing LNG. The DoE said the proposal must be considered against the National Energy Policy target of generating 70% of local power from renewables by 2037.

Responding to Breakers LNG (Cayman) Ltd’s submission of a preliminary project concept, the DoE pointed out that while LNG is often referred to as a lower-emissions fuel facilitating a transition to renewables, it is in fact a hydrocarbon-based fuel that will still contribute to the overall carbon budget.

The DoE noted that the proposal would require a significant financial investment and time to realise the full scope of the works involved in the offshore facilities and the associated construction of roads and pipelines.

“The timeframe required for investors to realise a return on their investment may therefore not align with the timeframe required for the country to achieve decarbonisation of its power generation in order to do our part to keep global warming at or below 1.5⁰C,” the DoE said.

“The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change clearly demonstrates that for low-lying, vulnerable islands like the Cayman Islands, limiting global warming to 1.5⁰C is a necessity as even an increase of 0.5⁰C above 1.5 ⁰C will result in unprecedented adverse impacts and a much harsher climate,” the DoE warned. Read the whole story here.


The bottlenecks to growing renewable energy in Cayman

Cayman Compass
1 December 2020

The goals to introduce renewables into Cayman’s energy mix are lofty but progress is slow.

In 2019, CUC generated just under 700 gigawatts of energy, but only about 2.6% of that came from renewable sources.

Because of the lower energy usage this year, due to the lockdown and the halt to tourism, the share of renewable energy has increased slightly to 3%.

This is still a far cry from the 240 megawatt capacity of renewable energy projected for the year 2037 by Cayman’s Integrated Resource Plan. This plan, drafted in 2017 by Caribbean Utilities Company and approved by the regulator OfReg, aims to meet both the islands’ energy needs and the climate goals of the National Energy Policy, which called for 70% of Cayman’s energy to come from renewables within 20 years.

The Carribbean Transitional Energy Conference, hosted virtually on 19 Nov. by the Cayman Renewable Energy Association, provided another reminder why growing the share of renewables is taking time.

The electricity provider CUC, regulator OfReg, the government and industry association CREA are locked into a circular argument of sometimes competing interests and objectives...

...The advancement of renewable energy, the cost of energy and ensuring competition are, to some extent, competing objectives. At a minimum, the lack of prioritising one over the other will lead to delays.

So far, renewable energy is evenly split between so-called distributed generation, mainly in the form of more than 500 rooftop solar panels, and a 5MW solar farm in Bodden Town. Read the whole story here.


Cayman commits to present climate change adaptation & mitigation plan

Loop News Cayman
1 December 2020

The Cayman Islands has committed to present a plan for climate change adaptation and mitigation which contributes towards global carbon emission reductions, in time for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26.

This commitment was made at The United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories’ Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) which was convened for the purpose of providing leadership and promoting cooperation in areas of mutual interest, and wrapped up Thursday, November 26, 2020.

At the JMC, the UK pledged to work together closely with the Overseas Territories in the lead up to COP26, to ensure that their interests are represented.

"As the host of COP26, the UK Government endeavours to offer the Overseas Territories opportunities to showcase their environmental initiatives at the summit, including in areas such as transitioning to renewable sources of energy and disposal of waste," the UK said in a communiqué. "For both biodiversity and climate change actions, the UK Government commits to provide the Overseas Territories with technical and financial assistance where this is required."

The UK Government also committed to "meaningfully engage with the Overseas Territories to achieve local objectives which contribute to global targets for the environment, consistent with Sustainable Development Goals. Commitments to environmental funding such as Darwin Plus will support joint objectives to preserve the wonderful array of biodiversity across the Territories for generations to come, and to be an example to other communities in responding to the global biodiversity emergency."

Darwin Plus (also known as The Overseas Territories Environment and Climate Fund) provides funding for environmental projects in UK Overseas Territories and fellowships for UK Overseas Territories (OT) Nationals to increase their knowledge and ability to meet long-term strategic outcomes for the natural environment in UK Overseas Territories.

The Cayman Islands has already made some headway in its fulfillment of these commitments. Cayman's National Energy Policy seeks to limit per capita carbon emissions to 2014 levels while achieving 70 per cent renewable energy by 2037. The Cayman Islands also produced a climate change policy in 2011, entitled "Achieving a Low Carbon Climate-Resilient Economy: Cayman Islands’ Climate Change Policy." Read the whole story here.

More renewables but energy efficiency is ‘the low-hanging fruit’

Cayman Compass
30 November 2020

CUC pays owners of solar or wind energy systems for their kilowatt hours, places the power on the national grid, and then bills them at a lower rate as they consume electricity for their own needs.

As part of an official push to reduce carbon emissions, the Ministry of Infrastructure announced it is compiling data on energy consumption and conducting energy audits to determine the cost of retrofitting many of the 160 government-owned buildings.

At last week’s virtual Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference, officials added that schools are one of the prime targets for energy-efficient insulation and air conditioning or rooftop solar panels. For the wider public, the ministry has launched an energy-efficiency campaign with a competition in which eight homeowners can win a free energy audit. The overall winner will receive an energy-efficient retrofit, from foam insulation to energy efficient air conditioning, based on the audit.

Kristen Augustine, energy policy coordinator in the ministry, said, “We want consumers to take control of their energy consumption to reduce their cost of living.

“The purpose of having another competition was that to show consumers how retrofits and behavioural changes can make a difference to help reduce your energy consumption.” Read the whole story here.

Partnership with UK on renewables, climate goals planned

Cayman Compass
30 November 2020

The Cayman Islands government is looking at a partnership agreement with the UK to support the introduction of renewable energy in the islands to meet the climate change goals set out in the National Energy Policy.

Cayman aims to generate 70% of its energy from renewable sources by 2037.

At a virtual renewable energy forum, organised last week by the Cayman Islands Renewable Energy Association, the minister responsible for infrastructure, Joey Hew, confirmed that his ministry is in the process of preparing a Cabinet paper, with the assistance of the Governor’s Office, to enter into a partnership with the UK government...

...Hew noted that the instability caused by global events over the past month demonstrated how vulnerable the Cayman Islands and other countries in the region are to market volatility and having their energy supplies disrupted.

“If anyone has any doubts about the realities of climate change, you need only look at the weather disasters that have occurred and continue to occur today and see the undeniable link between the two,” he said.

“While the Cayman Islands and other territories in the region are not major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, we will all have to accelerate our climate action plan, as we will not escape the global climate challenges without transitioning to green energy.” Read the whole story here.

Free bus hits the road in George Town

Cayman News Service
26 November 2020

George Town Shuttle Logo

(CNS): Government is launching a free hop-on-hop-off shuttle bus service, which will hit the roads of George Town on Monday. The new service, described as an effort to reduce traffic in the capital and cut carbon emissions, will run daily on a continuous loop from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. The aim is to reduce cars making short trips and tackle parking issues in the town. Those targetted include individuals who work in or visit the central George Town area either for business or general errands. Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Joey Hew, said the shuttle service will have a number of short and long term benefits.

“It will assist many of our residents, particularly our older persons who often struggle to get around George Town,” he said. “In the longer term, we hope that the shuttle service will support Cayman’s energy efficiency goals through a reduction in emissions. If the shuttle service proves to be successful, we aim to expand the service and make it a permanent fixture for Grand Cayman.”

Energy Policy Coordinator Kristen Augustine said the service will make getting around central George Town much easier and economical for all.

“When devising the service, we wanted to ensure we that helped the tourism sector, which is still suffering as a result of the pandemic,” she said. “We have made use of existing tour buses to support those in the tourism industry who are unemployed. The spacious, air-conditioned buses will mean a comfortable and stress-free journey for passengers carrying out their daily errands.” Read the whole story here.

Gov’t funds water-sports operators to feed stingrays

Cayman Compass
24 November 2020

Stingrays at the Stingray City sandbar on Grand Cayman. - Photo: Serena Kelly

Government is paying water-sports operators $80,000 to feed stingrays at the Stingray City Sandbar for the next four months.

A number of Caymanian water-sports operators have launched the non-profit ‘Stingray Feeding and Interaction Program’, which is being funded by the Ministry of Tourism in a bid to bolster the population of the rays at the site, according to a press release from the operators.

The initiative will provide daily feeding and interaction for the stingrays at the sandbar by licensed Wildlife Interactive Zone operators for an initial period of four months. The government is providing $20,000 a month to the project, Troy Leacock, a member of the project’s steering committee, said.

A spokesperson for the group said in the release, “We could see that the numbers of stingrays at the Stingray City Sandbar were steadily declining since March but the recent Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation census confirmed our worst fears and we knew we had to move quickly to get a regular feeding program launched. But in addition to feeding, the stingrays need regular human interaction to maintain Cayman’s most popular experience.”

The three-day census in October showed that the number of stingrays at the sandbar had halved since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation researchers found 47 rays at the sandbar and only three at Stingray City. A census in July had found 60 rays at the sandbar, while pre-COVID counts showed an average population of more than 100 stingrays at the site. Read the whole story here.

DoE continues fight against coral-killing disease

Cayman Compass
24 November 2020

Dive sites from Bear's Paw off the coast of West Bay to Delia's Delight off North Side have been closed until mid-January in a bid to stop the spread of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. - Map: Department of Environment

Nearly two dozen volunteers have signed up to help with the Department of Environment’s efforts to contain the spread of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Cayman’s reefs.

DoE sent out a call for volunteers, shortly after shutting down 43 dive sites along the North Wall in October due to the onset of the disease.

“The response from the public has been wonderful,” said a DoE spokesperson in an emailed response to queries from the Cayman Compass. “We currently have 20 experienced volunteer divers dedicated to helping us with our response to SCTLD and that number is growing every week.”

The coral disease, for which there is currently no cure, was first spotted at Penny’s Arch dive site in June, by a member of the public who reported it to the DoE. In an attempt to prevent its spread, in addition to closing the dive sites, the DoE removed boat moorings and established a ‘coral-firebreak’ in which highly susceptible stony corals were removed from nearby uninfected reefs.

This coral seen at Penny’s Arch in the Rum Point Channel
is infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. – Photo: DoE

Although Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease has been plaguing Caribbean reefs for nearly a decade, several crucial details about the affliction remain a mystery. Scientists still do not know how it is transferred from one reef to another, let alone from country to country. Read the whole story here.

Hew: No plan to ban petrol cars

Cayman Compass
24 November 2020

The minister responsible for energy and infrastructure has said the current administration has no plans or even a long-term target date for when Cayman might ban the importation of petrol powered vehicles. Joey Hew said it was “too early to go down that road”, depending instead on duty cuts to persuade people to switch, despite the ambitious National Energy Policy and the stated aims of his government to cut emissions.

At last week’s virtual Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference (CTEC), Hew was asked by organiser James Whittaker when Cayman would follow the UK’s ban on importing new petrol powered cars, but the minister gave no indication of when restrictions might be implemented, if ever.

He spoke instead about reducing the age of petrol cars that could be imported and using incentives to attract investment in the infrastructure needed for a move to electric vehicles. The minister said he hoped the duty cuts that government has implemented on electric cars and its plan to switch 10% of its fleet to electric vehicles over the next five years would act as that incentive.

But Hew admitted that at present the sector is not confident that government is serious about supporting a broader switch and remains reluctant to invest.

When Governor Martyn Roper delivered the introductory message for the conference, he said the world was at the climate change tipping point, putting island nations like Cayman at serious risk of sea level rise. But despite the sense of urgency conveyed by the governor, the minister said it was “too early” to set a date for a petrol vehicle ban, even though transportation has been identified as Cayman’s second biggest climate change problem.

Hew spoke broadly about government’s plans regarding a greener economy. He referred to the LED street light replacement project and a solar array at the government building that would supply around just 8% of the building’s energy needs. Hew said government was also about to undertake a tender process for a zero emissions shuttle bus service for George Town and had started a public campaign to cut home energy use. Read the whole story here.

Bulk Waste Campaign in Full Swing

Caymanian Times
23 November 2020

Christmas comes early every year at the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) as crews head out to tackle the hard, long days of cleaning-up the islands during their bulk waste campaign activities.
The campaign which commenced its annual bulk waste removal activity on Monday, 16 November has seen bulk waste collections and clean-ups in both East End and at the Bodden Town Civic Centre.

The campaign will continue in Bodden Town next week before moving into the other districts and onto Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The campaign will continue until its conclusion on 19th December.

“This is a job well done by our team so far. This is not easy work and it is done with such dedication, integrity and care for the community. Residents should continue to follow the guidelines for bulk waste collections and be ready for their collection dates,” said Michael Haworth – Assistant Director, Solid Waste – DEH. Read the whole story here.

Beach disappears as storms steal shoreline

Cayman Compass
20 November 2020

Storm activity has stripped away sand at the northern end of the beach near the South Bay Beach Club. Photo: Taneos Ramsay

Parts of Seven Mile Beach have disappeared in the aftermath of a series of storms, sparking concern about the long-term future of Cayman’s greatest natural asset.

Property owners and environmental officials say the erosion at the northern end of the beach is some of the worst they have ever seen...

...Infrastructure Minister and George Town North MLA Joey Hew is leading the charge on government’s efforts to update Cayman’s development strategy, Plan Cayman, which will look at setbacks for properties building near the water.

Hew finds the beach loss worrying.

“Rising sea levels and the beach erosion have to be taken seriously and if we have to change the way we develop to achieve the setbacks and improved vegetation lines then we should do [it,]” he told the Cayman Compass Thursday.

Hew said any mitigation efforts would need to be approved, or even led, by the Department of Environment.

He said Plan Cayman is about to embark on a six-week consultation process about the future of the Seven Mile Beach area and he hopes to get wide input on the issue.

The minister said extended setbacks for new developments could be part of the solution.

“What is obvious is that the sea walls are a contributing factor [to the beach loss] and it is my hope that at the end of the Plan Cayman review of Seven Mile Beach that we return to setbacks being from the historical vegetation lines,” he said...

...In an earlier interview with the Compass, Wendy Johnston, of the DoE’s technical review committee, suggested slowly moving infrastructure off the beach over the coming years.“There is a process called managed retreat, which some [places], including Hawaii, have adopted to start removing and repositioning hard structures off the active beach,” she said. Read the whole story here.

Cayman's Pirates Week turtle release is today

Loop Cayman
20 November 2020

Cayman Turtle Conservation and Education Centre, in partnership with the Cayman Islands Pirates Week Festival, is pleased to announce their annual Pirates Week Turtle Release will take place today Friday, November 20 at 10am, as a virtual event.

Pirates Week turtle releases are part of a long-standing historical tradition, popular with residents and visitors alike.

“Due to COVID-19 restrictions on public gatherings, we decided to broadcast this year’s Pirates Week turtle release live on our Facebook page so audiences around the world, as well as locally, can share in this special occasion with us,” said Mrs Renee Howell, Chief Marketing and Merchandising Officer, Cayman Turtle Centre.

“It is such a long-running tradition that many parents, who enjoyed this event as children, will surely want to show their own kids what all the fun is about!” Read the whole story here.


Annual UKOT meeting goes online

Cayman News Service
20 November 2020

Premier Alden McLaughlin and Chief Officer Eric Bush in London

The annual meeting between the United Kingdom and its overseas territories will take place this year via video-conference starting on Monday. As with everything in 2020, the Joint Ministerial Council has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. While the virus and the arrival of various vaccines will top the agenda, the territories and the British government will also engage in a variety of discussions, from Brexit to climate change before wrapping up on Thursday.

According to a press release from his office, Premier Alden McLaughlin will be making a presentation about the recent amendments to the Cayman Islands Constitution, which were approved by the Privy Council last week.

The changes clarify the relationship between the governor and the UK. They specify the requirement for more consultation with local elected officials on various issues and revoke the British government’s ability to cancel or disallow legislation passed here. They also formalise the role of ministry councillors to parliamentary secretaries, provide for an additional Cabinet minister, outline the creation of a independent police commission, extend consultation on draft bills before they go to parliament by a week. Read the whole story here.

Conference to focus on Cayman’s clean energy future

Cayman Compass
17 November 2020

Photo credit: caymansolarenergy.ky

How Cayman can achieve its clean energy targets, boost the economy and create sustainability post-COVID will be some of the themes at the Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference (CTEC) on Thursday, 19 Nov.

The virtual event features 20 international speakers, including from the US, the UK, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Bermuda. From Cayman, Governor Martyn Roper and Joseph Hew, minister of commerce, planning and infrastructure, will be among those speaking...

...In the afternoon, guest speaker James Ellsmoor from UK-based Island Innovations will give a presentation on building a clean and sustainable Cayman in a post-COVID world, followed by a discussion moderated by senior environmental journalist Daphne Ewing-Chow.

The agenda for CTEC 2020 will also focus on the role of the regulator in promoting change in the energy sector. A regional showcase on driving clean energy growth will show policy success stories from the around the Caribbean. Read the whole story here.

CPA’s Balboa Beach decisions to be appealed

Cayman Compass
17 November 2020

The CPA is understood to have granted after-the-fact approval to a concrete slab that has been built at the Balboa Beach site. - Photo Taneos Ramsay

The controversy surrounding work at the Balboa Beach site along the George Town waterfront continues to escalate as two recent Central Planning Authority decisions on the development face appeals.

The appeals stem from mixed decisions that were handed down by the CPA in September on two after-the-fact applications concerning Balboa Beach.

Kel Thompson, the landowner, submitted the joint applications – for a concrete slab that was poured onto ironshore at the site and the partial filling-in of a portion of submerged ironshore.

The CPA refused the after-the-fact application for the filling-in of submerged coastal land, which Thompson is appealing; and allowed the concrete slab, a decision which neighbouring landowner Chris Johnson is appealing.

Thompson’s attorney Samuel Jackson said of the refusal, “We have expressed our interest to appeal the CPA’s decision on the grounds that it was irrational, and was unduly influenced by the National Conservation Council, which really had no real role in such a decision to begin with.” Read the whole story here.

Governor: World is at a ‘tipping point’ on climate change

Cayman Compass
8 November 2020

Massive storms like Hurricane Dorian which struck the Bahamas last year are expected to become more frequent as a result of climate change.

The UK hopes to play a bigger role in driving global action on climate change, Governor Martyn Roper has said.

The governor told the Cayman Compass that the world is at a ‘tipping point’, with potentially catastrophic implications for small islands.

The UK is hosting the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland, next year and Roper said the UK was hoping to galvanise the world to do a better job of limiting global warming. He said it was imperative for small islands like Cayman that the global community reduce green house gases.

Though Cayman is likely too small to make a significant impact on its own in that respect, he said there would be technical support from the UK as needed in areas like renewable energy.

He believes the islands and other overseas territories, which will discuss the issue at the next Joint Ministerial Council in November, can also play a role in spelling out the consequences of inaction on climate change.

Citing data that shows natural disasters cost Caribbean countries $52 billion between 1950 and 2014 and projections that the impact of such disasters would increase in the coming years, he said it was imperative that action was taken. Read the whole story here.

How accessible are beach accesses?

Cayman Compass
8 November 2020

A chainlink fence and thick shrubbery makes this clearly marked access point unpassable. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay

Though there are 279 public rights of way to beaches in Grand Cayman alone, keeping those paths properly mapped and maintained has proven a challenge for the Public Lands Commission, and quite a number remain inaccessible.

The commission has made some progress clearing 36 of the 91 blocked or partially blocked rights of way identified in a 2018 beach access report.

To get a clearer picture of public accessibility, the Compass set out to investigate beach rights of way along the main roads from East End to West Bay.

Out of the 64 accesses the Compass looked at, around 30 were either completely blocked, had obstacles in their path or were not properly marked. Read the whole story here.

Pressing issues to be addressed during Caribbean Environment Week

Loop Jamaica
6 November 2020

Many of the Caribbean’s most pressing issues related to sustainable economies and eco-friendly solutions will be addressed in a series of daily discussions from November 9 to 13, 2020, free and open to the public online.

The inaugural Caribbean Environment Week, under the theme “Bold Steps Towards a Sustainable Future,” will be presented by Live ECCO and Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL).

Caribbean Environment Week 2020 represents a concentrated effort to tackle a range of environmental challenges impacting the region, and to point to workable “green” solutions. Tight, focused but free-flowing discussions with guest speakers from Jamaica, Trinidad, UK, and the Cayman Islands will examine issues such as solid waste management, financing for sustainability, youth activism, and urban planning for resilience. The overarching, ever-present phenomenon of climate change, which is affecting every aspect of our economy and livelihoods, will be factored into the discussions.

The conversations will take place with a range of regional and international speakers and will be live streaming online on the Zoom platform and on YouTube at @LiveECCO  from the offices of the Branson Centre and from the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) in Kingston, Jamaica.

The full week’s agenda and registration details for the Zoom event are available at: www.LiveECCO.com/CEW20. For updates throughout the week, we invite you to check the Live ECCO and ESL social media channels. Read the whole story here.

Stingray sandbar population has halved amid COVID impact

Cayman Compass
4 November 2020

Guy Harvey and a team of volunteers during the recent census.

The number of stingrays at the North Sound sandbar has halved as a result of a decline in visitors since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, according to the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation.

A three-day census last month found only 47 rays at the sandbar and only three at Stingray City. An earlier census in July found 60 rays at the sandbar.

Pre-COVID counts showed an average population of more than 100 stingrays at the popular tourist attraction.

Researchers attribute the drop in numbers to a reduction in “supplemental feeding” from the tour boats which would ordinarily visit the site.

Boats were banned from the sandbar for an extended period during lockdown. Even since the site was reopened, there has been limited boat traffic because of the absence of tourists on the island.

Though the foundation and the Department of Environment have been feeding the rays, the food they have provided is not enough to sustain such a large population.

The drop is not necessarily cause for concern, however. Stingrays forage for food naturally, supplementing their diet with easy meals from tour boats that frequent the sandbar.

“It is suspected that the individuals normally present at Stingray City Sandbar, but have not been seen during the recent surveys, are becoming less reliant on being fed by people and are foraging in the North Sound and surrounding areas for longer with occasional visits to the Sandbar,” the foundation said in a statement to the Compass. Read the whole story here.

Civil servants encouraged to get on a bike

Cayman News Service
4 November 2020

Minister Joey Hew with the bikes available with the BikeShare initiative

Public sector workers are being given the chance to use bicycles to get around with a three-month bike-share trial at the government HQ on Elgin Avenue. The Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, in partnership with Cycle Cayman, is providing five bicycles on a dock by the staff entrance that can be released free of charge using an access app, giving workers a greener transport alternative.

Civil servants can sign up on the app using their government email address. This will allow them to unlock the bikes and use any of the bikes provided by Cycle Cayman around the island.

Planning Minister Joseph Hew said the three-month pilot was part of this year’s Energy Cayman campaign.

“Following the success of ‘Car Free Day’ in 2019, which included the use Cycle Cayman bicycles, we decided to make their bikes available for a longer period of time to encourage alternative transportation, particularly amongst civil servants,” he said. “The National Energy Policy (NEP) encourages the use of non-fossil burning vehicles as an alternative mode of transportation. One of the strategies of the NEP is to encourage cycling as an alternative mode of transportation.”

The pilot will also provide an opportunity to assess the inclination of people to use bikes to get around during the day.

Energy Policy Coordinator Kristen Augustine applauded Cycle Cayman for taking the innovative step of creating an automated BikeShare system here. Read the whole story here.


Reimagining Cayman: 7 ways the island could develop smarter in the future

Cayman Compass
27 October 2020

An aerial image of the Seven Mile Beach corridor from 1958 shows how the area looked pre-development. NB: Colour has been restored to this image from an original black and white shot.

When architect Mike Stroh looks at satellite imagery of Cayman, he gets an urge to move the pieces of the jigsaw around.

He sees buildings too close to the beach, large swathes of land wasted on concrete lots for car parking, and roads choked with traffic.

“If I had been here 50 years ago, I would have done things completely differently,” he says.

If Cayman’s growth had been masterplanned using modern principles from the beginning, it might look very different today.

While impossible to change the past, it can serve as a guide to the future. If Cayman, as seems apparent, is going to continue to grow, it should do so in a planned and strategic manner.

Stroh, of Trio Architecture, talked to the Cayman Compass about some of the methods he believes could allow the islands to continue to develop in a way that could even improve the quality of life. 

1. Deeper Setbacks
2. Redevelopment of older condominiums
3. Taller buildings
4. New Approach to car parking
5. Transforming public transport
6. Embrace complete streets
7. Proper beach access

Read the whole story here.

Putting a price on nature

Cayman Compass
27 October 2020

It is hard to put a dollar amount on the value of natural attractions like Booby Pond in Little Cayman, but natural capital accounting aims to approximate some of the 'services' provided to people by the environment. Photo: James Whittaker

Most people understand that natural attractions, like a beach, a coral reef or an area of mangrove wetlands, have value.

But what are they actually worth and how can that stack up against the promise of jobs and economic benefits that comes with every new development?

A new project seeks to quantify Cayman’s natural resources and put a dollar value on some of the ‘ecosystem services’ they provide, which range from supporting tourism to protecting the island from storms.

Environmental economics company Eftec has been retained through the UK’s Darwin Plus scheme to create a set of ‘natural capital accounts’ for Britain’s Overseas Territories, including Cayman.

Jake Kuyer, of Eftec, said the company would use cutting-edge statistical tools to create national accounts for the environment.

Once the project is complete, Cayman will know exactly how much coral reef, mangrove wetlands and dry forests remain across the three islands. It will also be able to put a price on some of the services they provide. Read the whole story here.

Fragments of endangered coral rescued

Cayman News Service
26 October 2020

Cayman Eco Divers and DoE researchers investigate Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (Photo courtesy of the DoE)

Researchers at the Department of Environment are hopeful that pieces of endangered pillar coral rescued from areas of reef infected with Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) in the North Sound can be saved. During the rescue mission last week in a heavily infected area by Rum Point, around ten pieces of this rare, threatened, and highly susceptible coral, which the DoE called “Fragments of Hope”, were removed in an effort to at least save some of the colony.

“Interestingly, the researchers were also able to see eggs inside the skeletal structure of several removed fragments,” the DoE posted on social media about the effort by their own researchers and Eco-Divers Reef Foundation to try to save at least some of the pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus).

“This indicated that although the colonies were weak and dying from fighting against a virulent disease, they were still able to produce eggs and prepare for the upcoming spawning event later in the month,” the DoE said.

The department has closed off dozens of dive sites across the North Sound in an effort to curb the spread of SCTLD after this mysterious but lethal coral threat was discovered locally this summer. Read the whole story here.

Population growth has transformed Cayman’s economy and environment

Cayman Compass
25 October 2020

A bird’s eye view of Grand Cayman reveals the staggering impact of population growth on the island.

Two sets of aerial photographs, taken 60 years apart, starkly demonstrate the extent of the transformation that has taken place within a single generation.

Anyone with a passing familiarity with Cayman would already be aware of how rapidly the island has developed since the 1950s.

Yet the images, perhaps, communicate the scale of this change in a way that is less obvious at ground level.

There is little doubt that this development has been a huge part of Cayman’s metamorphosis from ‘the islands that time forgot’ to the powerhouse economy of the Caribbean that it is today.

Those same images, however, also illustrate the cost of that development and raise questions about if, how and from where Cayman’s future growth should come. Read the whole story here.

Editorial: Growth is good… but for how long?

Cayman Compass
16 October 2020

Population growth has fueled Cayman's economy but has also put pressure on public spaces. -Photo: Taneos Ramsay

“Greed is good.”

The oft-quoted maxim of Gordon Gekko, the anti-hero of the movie ‘Wall Street’, is perhaps the most recognisable slogan of the core assumptions of modern capitalism.

We need to alter that phrase, only slightly, to find the formula that has underpinned Cayman’s economic development over the past 60 years – “Growth is good.”

The population of these islands increased by about 10 times between 1950 and 2019, rocketing from little over 7,000 to almost 70,000 in the lifetime of many of our older citizens.

That growth has brought unprecedented wealth and a standard of living that previous generations could not have dreamed of.

In recent times, however, it has also created pressures on infrastructure, natural resources and social cohesion.

It is no exaggeration to say that population growth is linked to every single point of tension in the Cayman Islands. Read the whole story here.

43 North Wall dive sites to close as coral disease spreads

Cayman Compass
16 Octoer 2020

Dive sites from Bear's Paw off the coast of West Bay to Delia's Delight off North Side will be closed for three months in a bid to stop the spread of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. - Map: Department of Environment

The Department of Environment is shutting down 43 dive sites along Grand Cayman’s North Wall for the next three months as the island tries to combat the spread of the deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease.

The affected dive sites are located between Bear’s Paw at the edge of West Bay and Delia’s Delight off North Side, and are predominantly along the entrance/exit of the North Sound – the only local area so far known to impacted by the disease.

The DoE said the closure of these sites comes at a time of year when they are usually inaccessible to divers due to adverse weather conditions.

“We are here to try and find a solution to stem the spread of this disease,” said Tammi Warrender, the DoE’s lead coordinator for its response to the disease, which has already decimated parts of Florida’s reefs. 

Warrender addressed about two dozen dive operators from various companies who attended a meeting about the DoE’s plans Friday morning at the Government Administration Building. Read the whole story here.


Litter Law charges considered in mangrove concrete dumping

Cayman Compass
16 October 2020

Workers returned to the Red Bay mangrove Tuesday morning to remove the dumped concrete. - Photo: Submitted

National Concrete has been warned by the Department of Environmental Health that it may face prosecution under the Litter Law, after a company truck was photographed Monday discharging excess concrete into a Red Bay mangrove.

DEH Director Richard Simms said his department submitted a file on the case to the Director of Public Prosecutions on Thursday.

Earlier this week, the Department of Environment decided not to recommend prosecution against National Concrete under the National Conservation Law’s mangrove plan, which prohibits damaging or destroying mangrove habitat without prior authorisation.

DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie said it would not be fair at this time to recommend prosecution against the offending party because the mangrove conservation plan came into effect during COVID-19 lockdown.

“We intend to reach out to the cement company and alert them to the fact that this practice, which has unfortunately become commonplace now, is illegal,” Ebanks-Petrie said Monday. Read the whole story here.

Cayman: Solid Waste Management early works announced

Loop Cayman
15 October 2020Government and the Dart-led Consortium have signed a number of agreements for pre-construction works to advance strategic elements of the Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS) project, which is to be operated as a public-private partnership.

The Consortium, led by Dart, was identified after careful consideration by the ISWMS project team as the preferred bidder because its proposal best follows the recommendations in the outline business case and offers the greatest value for money.*

The agreements, signed today (Tuesday, 13 October 2020) will allow the Consortium to continue the remediation and capping of the existing George Town Landfill (GTLF) at an estimated cost of KYD20 million.

The agreements will also allow the Consortium to finalise design details for the project, including the energy recovery facility, otherwise known as waste-to-energy, in preparation for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and submissions to the Planning Department.

The closure, capping and remediation of the GTLF will be undertaken in phases, with the entire mound covered with an initial regulating layer by the end of this year and the entire remediation completed by mid-2022.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, who served as Minister for Health when the ISWMS project was first announced, said he was pleased the project had reached a point where the people of the Cayman Islands could begin to see the realisation of Government’s vision for waste management in the country.

Thanking the members of the project team for their perseverance, current Health and Environment Minister Hon. Dwayne Seymour added that he understands public frustrations with the length of time taken over negotiations, but notes that this will be the country’s first public-private partnership and that the timeframe is not uncommon for infrastructure projects of this size and complexity. Read the whole story here.


Earth breaks September heat record, may reach warmest year

Loop Cayman
14 October 2020

FILE - In this Saturday, September 5, 2020 file photo, people crowd the beach in Huntington Beach, California, as the state swelters under a heat wave. On Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the Earth reached a record hot September, saying that there’s nearly a two-to-one chance that 2020 will end up as the globe’s hottest year on record. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Earth sweltered to a record hot September last month, with US climate officials saying there's nearly a two-to-one chance that 2020 will end up as the globe's hottest year on record. 

Boosted by human-caused climate change, global temperatures averaged 60.75 degrees (15.97 Celsius) last month, edging out 2015 and 2016 for the hottest September in 141 years of recordkeeping, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday.
That's 1.75 degrees (0.97 degrees Celsius) above the 20th century average. 

This record was driven by high heat in Europe, Northern Asia, Russia and much of the Southern Hemisphere, said NOAA climatologist Ahira Sanchez-Lugo. California and Oregon had their hottest Septembers on record. 

Earth has had 44 straight Septembers where it has been warmer than the 20th century average and 429 straight months without a cooler than normal month, according to NOAA. Read the whole story here.

Landfill pre-construction work set, but negotiations continue

Cayman Compass
14 October 2020

Pre-construction work is set to begin on government’s long-awaited waste management plan, but a final agreement with the selected project bidder, Dart-led consortium DECCO, is still in progress, government announced Tuesday. 

Three years after DECCO was selected to tackle government’s waste management problem, negotiations on the design, operation and financing aspects of the project are ongoing.

Officials indicated Tuesday, however, that they are ready to move forward and begin the early phases of the project. A final agreement with DECCO on operational details could be signed by the end of the year, said Premier Alden McLaughlin.

By 2024, when the George Town landfill is expected to reach full capacity, government hopes to complete the final phase of its integrated waste management plan – a waste-to energy facility that would turn rubbish into ash. Government estimates the project could divert up to 90% of waste from being landfilled in the future. Read the whole story here.


$20,000 green home makeover offered in competition

Cayman Compass
7 October 2020

Government and the Caribbean Utilities Company today launched a competition in which  one household will win a $20,000 energy-efficient makeover of their home.

All homeowners who live within their properties can apply to take part in the contest, and eight homes will be chosen for home energy audits, worth $1,900 each, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure.

The ministry, in partnership with CUC, launched the Home Energy Efficiency Competition, with the aim to help show residents how to reduce their energy use, lower the cost of living and lower CO2 emissions, the statement said.

The energy audits will analyse the homes and determine where and how energy is being lost and what systems are operating inefficiently, and recommend improvements that can be made to substantially lower utility bills.

One of the eight homes will be chosen to receive a full home ‘energy makeover’, worth up to $20,000. Read the whole story here.

Rare and elusive killer whales a mysterious presence in Cayman

Cayman Compass
4 October 2020

Recent sightings of a pod of killer whales off the coast of the Cayman Islands mark only the eighth occasion the elusive mammals have been officially recorded in these waters.

Anecdotally, there are suggestions of more frequent sightings, but the range and habits of orcas, both around Cayman and in the Caribbean at large, is a mystery that researchers are only just beginning to unlock.

Fishermen [sic] Chris Briggs recorded stunning drone footage after sighting the pod off East End last week.

And a group of scuba divers from Ocean Frontiers, en route to Little Cayman, spotted them again last Sunday, around five miles off Grand Cayman.

Jaime Bolaños-Jiménez, one of the leading researchers on orcas in Caribbean waters, told the Cayman Compass there was very little known about the presence, range and family associations of the creatures in the region. Read the whole story here.

Demand for nature tourism expected to increase after COVID

Cayman Compass
2 October 2020

Image courtesy of US News

With nature based attractions expected to be in demand post COVID, the future for Cayman tourism could be as much about protecting its natural assets as attempting to create new attractions. Read the whole story here.

DoE marks 500th wild turtle nest

Cayman News Service
29 September 2020

DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie finds 500th turtle nest (Photo courtesy of the DoE)

2020 is a year none of us are likely to forget, and while COVID-19 is indelibly stamped on it, there are some good things to remember too. The Department of Environment’s Turtle Conservation Programme officially recorded the 500th wild sea turtle nest of the season on Tuesday morning, reflecting the efforts of volunteers and organisations committed to helping these endangered species survive and thrive.

In the 1999 season only 23 nests were found on Grand Cayman, but over the next twenty years there was a phenomenal increase in nests numbers. Last year, which is the longest nesting season to date, a total of 675 nests were found across all three islands. Since monitoring began the highest number of nests in any one season was in 2017, when 679 nests were recorded.

In a happy coincidence, the 500th nest for 2020 was found on the stretch of beach that is monitored by DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie. The team celebrated this special event with her and DoE staff member Paul Chin, known as the ‘Turtle Whisperer’.

Ebanks-Petrie, who has stewarded the programme’s development since 1999, spoke about the work over the last two decades that has led to the increase in nests, which is slowly helping to increases the number of these endangered species in the wild. Read the whole story here.

DoE: Dive volunteers helped save coral

Cayman Compass
28 September 2020

Over three days last week, hundreds of volunteer divers worked to clear sand that was smothering coral at Eden Rock. Those efforts may have paid off, according to Department of Environment Deputy Director Tim Austin. Read the whole story here.

Dump deal ‘soon come’, claims minister

Cayman News Service
23 September 2020

Protect Our Future protests the dump (Photo by POF member Isabela Watler)

Government is said to be close to signing a deal with the preferred bidder on the long-awaited waste-management project. It has been almost three years since the Ministry of Health selected DECCO and a consortium of waste experts to take on the project, but to date almost nothing has happened on the tender remit and the George Town dump continues to grow, with reuse and recycling accounting for only a fraction of rubbish management.

On Friday, Health Minister Dwayne Seymour, who is responsible for the Department of Environmental Health, which operates the landfills on all three islands as well as garbage collection, claimed that a deal was going to be signed soon. He said that talks with the Dart-led consortium regarding the project had made real progress.

“From the progress that I have seen… next month we hope to sign the total agreement. So we are very close in our negotiations, so I must say there is a lot of progress being made,” he said in response to questions from CNS about the possibility of taking the project into public hands in order to move it along.

Seymour said that work on remediating the dump was underway but it would be next year before any work would begin on the waste-to-energy component of the project, which the government is relying on to all but eliminate the need for a landfill.

However, government has been describing the project as ‘soon come’ for more than a decade. A combination of factors, from backroom dealing to a lack of profitability in waste-management, has thwarted efforts to address what many see as Cayman’s most fundamental environmental and public health problem, even in the face of the current COVID-19 pandemic. Read the whole story here.

Loop Cayman 19 May 2021
A Hawksbill turtle
Results of combined research done by the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the University of Exeter have indicated that some species of sea turtles in the Cayman Islands are pulling back from the brink of extinction.
This is revealed in a paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Marine Science, entitled: 'Cayman Islands sea turtle nesting population increases over 22 years of monitoring'.
Research that monitored the animals from 1998-2019 show the number of loggerhead and green turtle nests increased dramatically during the period. In the first counts between 1998 and 1999, just 39 sea turtle nests were found in total on the three islands. By 2019, the figure was 675.
Captive breeding of green turtles and inactivity of a traditional turtle fisheries due to tightening of restrictions in 2008 contributed to the increase, but populations remain far below historical levels and still face threats including illegal hunting. Read the whole story here.

Cayman Eco is a non-profit group based in the Cayman Islands whose mission is to educate & motivate people of all ages to become more environmentally conscious.

Thanks to theNational Trust for the Cayman Islands for their continued support!

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