$10k needed to keep reef restoration project going

Volunteer divers clear rubble from crushed reef (Photo by Lois Hatcher)

(CNS): Divers who have been working for over five months with the Department of the Environment to restore an area of reef damaged by a cruise ship anchor last year have launched a campaign to help finance the critical project. Some 11,000 sq ft of reef in the George Town harbour was crushed when the ship dropped anchor in the wrong location. Because no agency has taken responsibility for the destruction, efforts to repair the reef have been in the hands of the volunteers and they now need cash to get the equipment they need and cover costs.

With the help of dive operators donating boat use at weekends, the Cayman Magic Reef project volunteers have removed tons of rubble and salvaged pieces of live coral to be replanted. But Keith Sahm, General Manager for Sunset House and a co-coordinator of the project, told a local dive website that they need to recoup some expenses and buy supplies.

“The goal is to raise $10,000 and we’ve got the Cayman government’s full backing,” he said in an interview with The Cayman Bottom Times. Sahm said that marine science experts have suggested capping the scarred area on the reef base with concrete to keep the particles and silt from floating around and affecting nearby live corals, so bags of cement are needed for that phase of the project. The divers also need a special marine epoxy to reattach live corals to the base.

Some corals have already been reattached and are doing well, according to Lois Hatcher of Ocean Frontiers, another project coordinator. “The ones we replanted look really good,” she said. “We’re lucky to have a good strong corps of volunteers who care deeply and are dedicated to the effort. Everyone is working well together.”

The volunteers are knocking on the doors of the local business community and a fundraiser is planned for 27 February at the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal in George Town to cover some of the mounting costs. Hatcher said some people have already come forward to donate supplies without being asked.

Divers planning vacations to Cayman are also offering to get involved with the project during their stay and organizers say they can use all the help they can get. As they reach out to the community, the volunteers are spreading the message that keeps them going and working for a successful fundraising campaign.

“We’re working to save Cayman’s marine environment for the future so we can’t afford for it not to be a success,” said Hatcher.

Donations for the Cayman Magic Reef Restoration Project can be made online with the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. Online contributions must be designated for the Environmental Programmes listed on the giving page. www.nationaltrust.org.ky

For more information on the fundraising campaign contact Keith Sahm at keith.sahm@sunsethouse.com or Lois Hatcher at lohatcher@gmail.com.

Visit the Cayman Magic Reef Restoration Project Facebook Page:  Cayman Magic Reef Restoration Project