NCC seeks public backing for new fish plan
Photo courtesy of Mark Orr
(CNS): As marine life around Cayman battles against mounting manmade threats, from over fishing and development to climate change challenges, the National Conservation Council is asking the public for comment on a new fish conservation plan. The draft plan, designed to enhance protection for local fish species, continues the existing rules but recommends a few new conservation measures, “all aimed at ensuring a healthy marine environment for the long-term”, officials stated.
The main changes impact parrotfish, as conservationist say the take needs to be limited to no more than three fish per person per day between 12 and 24 inches only. It also includes limiting the take of sprats and fries to half a five gallon bucket per person daily.
The National Conservation Law requires users of spearguns, fish pots and nets be licensed and in future those licences will be managed through the species conservation plan by the new council. An interim directive has allowed the NCC to issue licences but it must replace the temporary measures as soon as possible.
The new plan is expected to work in combination with the enhanced marine parks proposal, which is currently awaiting Cabinet approval. It aims to protect dwindling local resources from over fishing while at the same time promoting the commercial fishing of lionfish, an invasive species which is competing with Cayman’s native species for space and food, causing significant concern.
“Many of these new rules expressly mention, and exclude, lionfishing,” officials state in the plan. “We want to encourage people to fish for lionfish, including fishing for them commercially, and the plan accommodates this.”
While promoting lionfish as a species that can still be fished without limit, the plan attempts to protect other species. Among them is the parrotfish, which is a very important algae eater that help keep the reef healthy and allow young corals to settle and grow.
“Without them our reefs would be even more overgrown with algae than they are, as in other parts of the Caribbean,” the authors of the plan state. “We’ve also already fished out most of our big parrotfish. We get told all of the time that people aren’t seeing ‘gillenbows’ and ‘thumpers’ and other large parrotfish like they used to. Anyone under thirty, or maybe older than that, may not realise how common ‘gillenbows’, ‘thumpers’ and other large parrotfish were. So to encourage their recovery we are proposing that large parrotfish be protected.”
With that in mind, the plan is posing a minimum size limit to protect the young parrotfish and a maximum to protect the increasingly rare bigger species. The limit of three per person per day is in line with recommendations from other parts of the Caribbean, the conservationists said.
The plan is also seeking a limit on goggle eyes, sprats and fries. Officials said concerns were raised by fishermen that too many were being taken. A limit of half of a five gallon bucket per person per day is being proposed in an effort to balance the desire of people to take these fish with the concern regarding the sustainability.
The full plan is available online at the DoE website but people can also view the proposals at the DoE office, at district libraries and the Little Cayman DoE building.
Comments and Written submissions should be sent to ConservationCouncil@gov.ky or to the Conservation Council, c/o Department of Environment, PO Box 10202, KY1-1002, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, or by hand to the Department of Environment office, 580 North Sound Road, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.
Submissions must be received by 19 August 2016.
Category: Marine Environment, Science & Nature
Like to add my voice to this problem as a long time resident and dive business owner.I agree with FISH BRAIN at top of page and say again that we cannot deal with this over fishing problem by just adding new laws and regulations WITHOUT more enforcement officers.I have long called for the banning of NON caymanians( IE) work permit holders from taking marine life In my humble opinion the issuing of licences will not work properly UNTIL we increase the number of enforecement officers to check with people fishing all around the island.Even this will not solve the problem so again I call for total banning of work permit holders to fish in our local waters.We have long moved from the tiny cluster of islands that “Time Forgot”with a small resident population, to close to 60,000 people who are putting way too much pressure on our natural resources.How many of you out there have ever seen a “Lobster”walk along the west side of the island?Massive schools of jacks,sprats,goggle eyes Huge parrot fish their backs out of the water as they feed on the algae along the shallows along west bay beach These are almost things of the past so we need to do what we have to do to save and protect these for future generations before all this becomes just a distant memory
Dear scientists. What is the *correct* temperature and climate for the earth?
You can have as many conservation laws as you want but it is pointless,if there is no enforcement.
I have watched locals ( who I recognise) taking Squabs, Lobsters and Conch by the bucket load from the protected zone in the South Sound, I have called the marine Police to let them know and Nothing has been done, there is absolutely no enforcement, so implementing stupid laws that are unenforceable, is utterly pointless.
Even my Caymanian friends think that it’s ok to take 30 or 40 conch occasionally for fish tea!
Stupid is as stupid does, Pirates will be Pirates, nothing changes, your Government are stupid and corrupt, the Marine Police are underfunded, under equipped and powerless to enforce the laws, so bellyaching about the lack of marine life is a waste of time.
Fishery protection lessons can be obtained from the US Government but without any will to protect the marine environment you are all heading to hell in a handbag, what is the point of a conservation law if it is never enforced?
Get serious or shut up, your arguments are pathetically irrelevant bearing in mind the levels of greed, corruption and stupidity that continue to exist on this beautiful island.
If Caymanians want to feed their kids locally caught fish in the future, then the law requires draconian enforcement and respect from the population….neither of which is likely to happen!
Oh and by the way, why don’t you destroy the last of the mangroves for housing, that way there won’t be any more sanctuary for the juvenile fish and we won’t have to have this pointless discussion
I am ashamed that you are so stupid, that you can’t see that what you are carelessly allowing, is destroying your heritage.
Hate me if you like, but that will not bring back your marine life, the only answer is respect for your own country ( and sadly most of you are too narrow minded to do anything about it)
Once the fish are gone you’ll have to concentrate on covering the remaining bush in concrete and arguing about the backhanders!
Stop proving to the rest of the planet that you don’t care and take control of the reckless environmental damage you are allowing in the name of greed, before it’s too late.
“We’ll never fish out the North Atlantic cod. No way. Not even if we go at them for 500 years. Oh Nooooooooooooo! What’s happened to all the cod?”
Learn the lesson folks. Before you have nothing……….
Half a bucket of sprats is not enough, but they should implement a complete ban on taking squabs for at least 5 years to let them (and the reef) recover.
I also sat through the DOE lionfish course about 3 years ago, and am still waiting for my card and a spear.
We had to go by their offices to get the cards, but my understanding is there’s a long waiting list for spears; I don’t think people are very good about turning them back in when they move off island. You can borrow them from a lot of the dive shops with the certification card, though.
Invest in AI submersibles that can troll the waters. It is the only way because a cop or local will not report how the locals are destroying the marine wildlife. A videofeed does not lie.
How will the rich families get their drugs into Cayman. Silly rabbit, tricks are for rich to play on the poor,
maybe for 2 years put a ban the sale of locally caught fish. end of story.
speaking to fishermen about conservation is an excercise in futility….
How about let’s START with sending the damn Marina Drive / Omega Bay residential Fishing squatters HOME!?!
DOE can’t stop these overseas fishermen from docking in residential canals,
Immigration has a loophole that International fishermen do not require work permits, and these fishermen are catching 10,000lbs our OUR FISH per month and sending them back to Central America!!!
WHY can’t we STOP this illegal fishing? Because someone’s cousin has an “in” with Govt or we are afraid they are (working once in a while) for our fat-cat drug lords and they are untouchable.
Hear me NOW- Ban these fishing boats before the election please. There is NO good reason to allow these immigrants to fish our seas. The Marina Drive/Omega Bay homeowners are fed up but afraid to speak out….this is ridiculous and wrong.
Geezum, if ONLY the Cuban immigrants were so keyed up, all they would have to say when caught in our waters is that they are fishing and we would welcome them to a Canal Point dock?
Thousands of our fish going into their pockets? Huh…..
DOE start with the illegal fishermen please.
“these fishermen are catching 10,000lbs our OUR FISH per month and sending them back to Central America!!!”
You are so misinformed it’s not even funny. These fishermen are not fishing in our waters at all. They actually travel 100’s of miles south to fish in central American waters and return to Cayman to sell their catch to our restaurants and supermarkets. Why you ask? Because our restaurants/supermarkets pay a lot more for fish than a restaurant in central America would.
This still isn’t good because they flood the market with fish that’s 2 weeks old and they sell it for dirt cheap prices which hurts the local fisherman trying to catch a few local fish to sell.
So next time you go off on a rant do a little research first.
So they promise none of the fish are closer than 100 miles? Right…Is it okay for them to reside here without work permits and sell fish to our restaraunts? Wouldn’t they need a Trade and Business license for this? DCI?
It’s okay for them to dock on residential canals?Panning allows commercial vessels in residential neighborhoods?
It’s okay for no immigration or planning enforcement that they live without running water or electricity? And of course they are not putting ANY waste into the canal right??
It gets more fishy by the minute!!!
We need to implement a plan that will make sure our seas are full of fish. That means enforcing the laws on the little jam boats on the sea. Sometimes I see them in protected areas. Also need to check these boats for sharks, that must be regulated and prosecuted!
You bring in Filipinos and pay them $6.00 per hour they will eat everything they can that is free and send all their money home. The one thing they don’t eat is Iguanas. So to save the fish and other marine life you need start “Iguana Eating and Cooking Courses at UCCI”. Plenty Hondurans that can train the Filipinos for free in how this is done.
What a racist comment.
You do realize that it is not the expats wiping out the marine life and it is the locals that believe it is their right to fish and obtain anything they want from the sea. See 8:46pm’s comment.
10:17 If you do not agree with the statement you have not been in Cayman long enough to realize the damage bringing in Filipinos has done to our shoreline marine life. Go to the fishing gear supply and asking them how many hand lines and small hooks they sell monthly. $$$$$$$. Reef fish keep the belly from growling. Eating Iguanas is the answer. Come here and marry a fat rich guy eat everything and send money home.
Nice job. Implenting a mandatory maximum size line and specific hook would be good too. The “j” hooks that most people use are swallowed more easily by fish and in turn is impossible to retrieve without potentially harming the fish. You can’t control what takes your line in the water, and if the fish doesn’t meet the size limit, it must be released safely back into the water. This a problem if the fish has swallowed the hook. You can cut the line, but you leave the hook inside the fish and that’s no good.
Circle hooks work best for catch and release as they let the fish hook themselves in the corner of the mouth majority of the time, making catch and release easier for the fishermen and safer for the fish. Line restrictiom should be another thing to look at. Maybe a mandatory minimum of 15lb test or even less for catching fish off the shore. This will ensure a fun fight for most species of fish and allow them the opportunity to fight and it’s great fun for the fishermen. Using 80lb handline to catch a 1lb grunt off the shore is ludacris. I believe looking at line restriction and the benefit of using circle hooks would help the conversation of our marine life.
And everybody stop bashing spearguns, it is the most conservative fishing. With the right mentality towards conservation, spearfishing is what we need to focus on if we want to be selective with what we take. It also gives you the oppurtunity to see life underwater from a different perspective and appreciate it’s serenity and beauty.
Spearfishing can be the most conservative form of fishing but if you have an instagram account you will see how most people are greedy and shoot way over the 3 fish limit.
Why do they do this? 1. Ignorance 2. They know they will not be caught.
The same can be said for the anglers who catches 100 snapper in a day. Let’s see you shoot 100 snappers in 50 feet of water for the day.
Enforcing a maximum line test is actually detrimental as survival of a fish with a broken line and hook attached to it has a lower chance of surviving.
And if it’s a circle hook with a broken line, chances are it will fall out of the fish mouth unlike the j hooks they tend to swallow.
Circle hooks ain’t going to fall out, Beavis. A better argument would be to use galvanized hooks over stainless steel so they can rust out. 😉
fishermen…..pillagers of the sea… despicable practise…..nothing grown or produced …just stealing from the sea…..
Go eat some tofu and be quiet.
Fishing is no different than picking a mango or eating a coconut. Fisherman harvest what nature provides and the species reproduces and replenishes itself as long as the harvest is at sustainable levels.
Yes John. Exactly. They fail to realise that nature is providing for us and we must be selective with what we take. This benefits both humans and marine life.
10:11 – This is why you respect marine life and practice conservative fishing. Fishermen can help balance the food chain by acknowledging the limits and being selective with what they take. i.e The culling of lionfish. Without these fishermen we would sit back and let the lion fish decimate our marine life. So a little pillaging aint so bad when it means taking care of the environment.
No restrictions on Divers taking all manner of sea life. Yup. Typical. Bash the locals catching a squab to eat.
What are divers taking? BS! Divers are way more cautious of the damage being done than any local with a line.
Actually, that’s already and still is illegal – to take anything on SCUBA (except lionfish witht eh free license)
Wait up. Have the district “no fishin ” zones been passed yet?. Like no line fishin from shore or on a boat closer than 300feet from shore?
What?? For real?
Put a five year moratorium on taking anything within the reef from shore, boat or while in the water. Do it right.
The management.
There is a blinkered philosophy of entitlement among many Caymanians fisherman that nobody can deny them their historic right to catch as many as fish as they want. They seem incapable of understanding that one day there will be nothing left to catch. CIG should study the programmes implemented in places like Belize. There, the government, working with the local fishermen and researchers from the US have achieved a sustainable level of inshore fishing which still provides a viable fishing industry.
Belize has 100s of miles of shallow water that reef fish can reproduce in. We have half a mile in most places until you reach the abyss. We just don’t have the natural environment to support any kind of commercial fishing. It should be illegal to harvest anything from our waters for profit, and we should limit recreational fishermen to take what they can eat that day.
You got a point, but surely not all fisherman are Caymanians. There a plenty other nationalities who are on Island who fish and use fish traps which should not be used.
As with anything, you can write whatever law you want, but if it isn’t enforced…..
Here’s the plan to implement:
Stop the overdevelopment of the island, send home most of the work permit holders, ban the Cruiseships to a small amount of people per week, and limit overnight guests, that way we would not have to feed so much mouths, our natural supply of food cannot feed all these mouths. It’s too much.
It’s been decades since Cayman fed itself. Look at the amounts of imported seafood.
It and it’ll be decades before we’re able to do so again. Hence why we start the change now so that in the future we have abundant marine life to look forward to.
I would love to help cull lionfish! In fact so much so that I sat through a 3 hour lionfish culling seminar/course hosted by the DoE over 3 years ago… After countless unanswered emails I’m still waiting on them to send me my lionfish culling certification card and a spear to kill them with.
People want to help exterminate lionfish but DoE aren’t helping us!
Ditto.
The mutton and grey snapper need protection right now! This is the time of they year when the spawn and fishermen use this to wipe them out by the hundreds. It’s not unusual for a boat to take more than 100 in a night during the May and June full moons.
Ezzy and Harden gonna have a massive coniption fit.
Revolution!!!