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click here to listen to music
from the film "Flipper"
Please complete our Survey at the bottom of the page and send your replies to us by email.
April to October is the marine turtles' nesting season
During the turtle nesting season make sure lights don't disturb nesting turtles or disorient hatchlings and prevent them from
reaching the sea. REMEMBER MARINE TURTLES ARE PROTECTED BY CAYMAN LAW! It is illegal to take, disturb or molest turtles between
May and October. This offence carries a fine of up to $500,000 or 12 months' imprisonment. Possession of wild turtle eggs
at any time is also an offence and carries the same penalty. Contact the Department of Environment on 949-8469 for more information
of alternative 'turtle-friendly' lighting so that we can protect our turtles during the next breeding season.
Fish pots
Fish pots/traps are used to catch fish from the world's coral reefs. This one was brought to the shore from a reef by north
westerly/easterly winds in North Side, Grand Cayman, in an unrestricted marine area.
| A Caymanian Fish Pot brought ashore from a coral |
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| reef onto a North Side beach by a north easter - 3 December 2000 |
There is overfishing taking place all over the world and this is causing species of marine life to become extinct. You will
have read in the last two pages that in the Cayman Islands we have a Marine Conservation Board to help prevent this from happening
in Cayman waters. We have restricted the use of fish pots/traps to prevent depletion of fish and destruction of coral reefs.
In Bermuda, fish pots/traps were found to be damaging reef structure. In 1990 it was decided to close the $2 million
pot fishing industry. The World Resources Institute says that by protecting their coral reefs in this way, Bermuda recognised
the importance of its reef-based tourism and recreational industries (valued at over $9 million in 1988). By closing the
pot fishing industry they were also benefitting reef biodiversity.
Kenya's reefs were being threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices, organic pollution, sedimentation and
tourist damage. To protect these reefs from destruction it was decided to form the Mombasa Marine National Park in 1989.
The World Resources Institute says that surveys have shown a major increase in finfish size, abundance and diversity, and
recorded coral cover has increased from 8 per cent to 30 per cent.
The World Resources Institute (WRI) says that these reports show that there are solutions that can help assure that reefs
at risk today are maintained as healthy ecosystems in the future. They say that what is needed is resources and commitment
from governments around the world.
Sylvia A Earle, Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, writes in the foreword to 'Reefs at Risk' -
which is a report made by the World Resources Institute (WRI) that:
'The fate of coral reefs, the ocean, and humankind forty years from now and forevermore will depend on the intelligence,
motivation, and caring of people now alive. In that spirit, this report provides hope that we may succeed.'
John Gray
Recyclers Coral Reefs' Survey
There are threats to the world's coral reef ecosystems from overfishing, pollution and coastal development. Please give your
views/comments by email on the following questions, so that we can unite and save these ecosystems from destruction. Coral
reefs are as important as rainforests to mankind. They need to be protected now before it is too late for them and us!
1 Do you think that we should have Marine Conservation areas to protect the world's coral reefs?
2 Do you think that research into ways of saving these ecosystems is important?
3 Can you think of ways to help save the world's coral reefs from destruction?
4 Will you unite with us to try and save the world's coral ecosystems?
5 Do you think it is a good idea to have a Coral Site similar to the sites you will visit when you follow the link below?
We MUST protect our marine life from
extinction!
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