Cayman signs onto agreement to protect Sargasso Sea

| 05/01/2017 | 13 Comments

(CNS): While the PPM government continues to mull the extension of the Cayman Islands Marine parks to further protect our own unique marine environement, it has signed these islands up to the Hamilton Declaration on Collaboration for the Conservation of the Sargasso Sea, the earth’s only sea without a land boundary, located in the North Atlantic. According to Bernews, Cayman’s Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts signed the Hamilton Declaration on behalf of the Cayman Islands on 3 January.

Around 700 miles wide and 2,000 miles long, the Sargasso Sea is recognied as a unique and important marine habitat. The Hamilton Declaration, a political commitment by the signatories to work with the Bermuda government and the Sargasso Sea Commission to conserve it, was originally signed in Bermuda, which lies on its western fringes, in March 2014 by five governments: the Azores, Bermuda, Monaco, the United Kingdom and the United States. The British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and Canada signed in 2016.

Bernews quotes Cole Simons, Bermuda’s Minister of the Environment, as saying, “I am very pleased that the Cayman Islands is now part of a growing number of jurisdictions lending oversight and protection to this important ecosystem. The Cayman Islands is the ninth signatory to date.”

Dr. David Freestone, Executive Secretary of the Sargasso Sea Commission, added, “The signing of the Hamilton Declaration in 2014 was an historic event in the move toward conservation of the high seas. The Commission is delighted to welcome the Cayman Islands as the most recent signatory.”

Read more about the Sargasso Sea Commission

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: ,

Category: Marine Environment, Science & Nature

Comments (13)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Since when do mere territories have competence to do such things? Surely this is a national issue for determination by national government in London.

  2. Anonymous says:

    More empty platitudes from an empty press. Where is the real news?

  3. Anonymous says:

    That’s all fine and good until Dart discovers that water from there makes 7 Star tourist happy, or young again. Try to protect it then. Jobs, ya know.

  4. Ernesto says:

    This is laughable. We are unable to protect our own 7MB yet we going to save some other sea! The only thing I compare this island to is the reality show The Kardashanians.

    • MM says:

      Nah! Compared to our leaders the Kardashians have much better investment sense, way higher ratings, are physically fit and at least easy on the eyes.

  5. Jotnar says:

    I am glad to see that the CIG has its priorities right. Signing a non binding agreement, which only promises efforts to collaborate amongst territories neighbouring the Sea, which we do not, and takes care to exclude the exclusive economic zones and interests of the neighbouring neighbouring countries and Bermuda itself, which they are free to develop or exploit as they see fit, is a major advance in the area of Cayman Islands environmental conservation. Clearly a far higher priority than protecting the George Town area reefs, enforcement of existing marine conservation laws in Cayman and extension of the park system, all of which will require CIG to actually do something rather than sign a meaningless piece of paper. Next up, Cayman’s commitment to stamp out elephant poaching?

    • Nunya says:

      That is because signing this one doesn’t affect the dollars and cents of our politicians pocket books. Let’s get this right now. Protecting 7MB, taking care of the dump, protecting our reefs, etc. these things will cause the pockets that are being lined (with all the big developers or whoever on the island) to stop the deals that are taking place under the table. Smsh – this country is a joke and the corruption will never end.

  6. Wiy Lye says:

    MEANWHILE – In the Cayman Islands we have said screw sea/reef protection, because as long as they pay then its OK! Think South sound, think hog sty bay with this new ‘dock’, think kimpton seafire and down the back of salt creek etc…

  7. Anonymous says:

    And what will this cost us, the tax payers each year?

    • Anonymous says:

      You see all the concessions they get etc? Why do you think our bills are going higher and higher?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.