Grand Cayman port project, a scientist’s perspective
Dr Ellen Prager writes: I am an independent marine scientist and author. In full disclosure, I also work as a consultant for Celebrity Cruises in the Galapagos Islands for their small expedition ships. I am not against the cruise industry and believe, if well managed and negotiated, the industry can provide important economic revenue, jobs, and infrastructure improvements for island nations. I have long worked with them to minimise environmental harm and promote science and sustainability. But…
In 2015 I wrote an article for CNN with my colleagues Drs Steven Miller and Carl Safina regarding the proposed port construction project, pointing out the importance and complexity of coral reefs, and the falsehoods in the original environmental impact assessment regarding relocating entire reefs and coral restoration (see here).
Recently, I have been asked repeatedly what my take on the situation is now.
As a scientist, I base my opinions and recommendations on data. Based on the data, it is absolutely clear that at a minimum ten acres of coral reef will be destroyed – best case scenario. But there is also risk to the coral reefs to the south and northeast of the proposed dredging area and pier due to increased turbidity during excavating operations and afterward from repeated use of ships’ thrusters. Thrusters are used to maneuver ships into and away from a pier or dock and generate strong short-lived currents. These impacts are, however, uncertain.
There is additional uncertainty on the impacts to Seven Mile Beach. In the report by my colleague, Dr Richard Seymour, often cited by the parties involved, it suggests the southern part of the beach is unstable and the buffering capacity of offshore structures minimises sand loss during northwesters.
“The shelf that fronts this beach is shallow and irregular in depth because of substantial ridges of beach rock, coral heads and boulder fields. This hydrodynamic roughness scatters and dissipates the energy of incident storm waves such that the classical offshore transport during storms that dominates on open coasts is greatly diminished.”
If the reefs to the northeast of the proposed pier are lost due to indirect impacts (turbidity or smothering), there is potential for impact on Seven Mile Beach as well.
As for the revised plans for coral and reef relocation, the plans I have been made aware of have improved, but data from coral restoration projects across the world are not optimistic. In the short-term, and with some species such as staghorn coral, the results are promising. But over the long-term, survival rates plummet dramatically. Warming seawater temperatures, an increasingly acidic ocean, more intense storms and rising sea levels associated with climate change will also impact the survival of the coral transplants as well as the region’s natural reefs.
In addition, to my knowledge, there has never been a project as large as is being proposed to relocate reef structures to minimise coral and biodiversity loss, so there are no data suggesting it will be successful.
Bottom line is it will be the choice of the citizens of Grand Cayman: What do you want the future of the island to look like and what are you willing to risk? Will you risk a harbour with clear beautiful water alive with fish and other marine life that avails snorkelling, diving, submarine rides and a spectacular view for waterfront restaurants? Will you risk a change in the overall oceanographic dynamics and geology that puts Seven Mile Beach at risk as well as additional acreage of coral reef?
Without data, I cannot comment on who will benefit most financially or bear the brunt of the costs or the carrying capacity of the island’s infrastructure or excursions, though from personal observations, Stingray City, is clearly already at capacity.
As a non-Caymanian, I don’t have a say. But if I were a resident, I certainly know how I would vote. Instead, I’d want more funds invested in local improvements (such as addressing the dump and sewage treatment, improving education, George Town, and creating jobs, etc).
Dr Ellen Prager is a marine scientist, author and president of Earth2Ocean Inc.
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Category: development, Local News, Viewpoint
Dual standards are a funny thing. I herd Arden say in the same speech that Verdant and the cruise lines should mind their own business as foreigners and leave Cayman alone and then later quote Dr. Prager, who is the same type of meddling foreigner in her entire letter.
See 2:36pm, this is why there is so much corruption in this sand spit. The simple fact that you see no difference between a Scientist giving an opinion and Verdant/cruise lines that stand to PROFIT from the port, is an excellent example.
It’s actually laughable. Ignorant and laughable.
Why do we insist on trying to have an area that is used both as a port facility as well as for tourists and everyone else to go diving? don’t we know this is a disaster waiting to happen? This is most certainly against global safety standards for ports. We should build the port here and reserve other sites for diving and marine protection.
Because it’s more economical to snorkel/ glass bottom boat / dive where you don’t need to pay for a relatively long cab and then boat ride. The dock is going to raise the cost of tours in Cayman, or just force certain companies out of business. (There no where else they can move their current business model to. They’ll either reinvent themselves or close and move on to other endeavours. Like how Eden Rock has added a bar. The writing is on the wall.)
Thats not true, Eden Rock, Cali, Devil’s Grotto, Sotos reef central (cheeseburger reef) are free dive sites. If you’re a diver you can rent a tank and lead weights CI$10 per day.
I will be voting yes Doctor.
Why?
Who needs science when we have the word of our great Premier to tell us the project is for the best?
Wrote an article for CNN, say Noo Nooo more.
More legit than your dumbass comment. I’d follow her advice any day.
Kirkbot Alert!!!!
and in 3…. 2…. 1… PPM bots arrive
That last sentence about better to invest in the dump and education suggests that this scientist has been influenced by local port opposition as part of the anti port campaign.
Or it could suggest that this is simply her opinion…god forbid someone actually has an opinion that differs from yours….
Also suggests common sense.
I am a UK citizen and a regular visitor to the island. I have no affiliation with this CPR group you speak of but I share the author’s views. The dump is an eyesore, GT is a ghost town, the educational standards are appalling as are driving standards, and the morning and evening traffic to and from the East where I often stay is horrific. I think clearing precious coral reef and dredging to accommodate the proposed port is absolute insanity and could be the ruin of Cayman and Seven Mile Beach. The construction along West Bay Road over the last few years has Cayman looking more like Miami. Rum Point, Sand bar and Seven Mile Beach have become ugly and constantly packed with rowdy cruise ship tourists and quite frankly, my long love of the island has dwindled so much that I now prefer to visit other islands including Jamaica where I am now enjoying the wonderful relaxing and pleasant breaks that I used to have in Cayman. I am very saddened by the deterioration of Caymans quality as a destination and even more disgusted by what I read about your Government and the Premiers blatant disrespect for the public purse and those people who oppose the port. Your government has all your heads in a noose which they are tightening before kicking away the school. As you are a British territory I only wish my government would step in and stop them. They are royally screwing you over people of Cayman. I feel for you but apparently my thoughts as a “foreigner” and tourist to your island are not welcome. Just read Trip Advisor reviews. More and more of us are finding somewhere else to holiday because Cayman is no longer the beautiful Caribbean island we all used to love to visit.
A marine scientist, this is a very general description of your qualifications. It would be nice to know the exact qualifications you have to be able to make all these statements and express your opinion. CCMI in little cayman have already public stated that we will lose SMB made by marine scientists who will not provide identity or their qualifications. Everyone has suddenly become Coastal Engineers and experts on the matter.
Look here for her qualifications https://www.gulfbase.org/people/dr-ellen-j-prager
Field of Focus
Geosciences and Geochemistry Environmental Science Ecotourism Biological Oceanography Marine Geology and Geophysics Physical Oceanography
Area of Expertise
Coral Reefs; Public Education
Education
B.A. Wesleyan University, CT, USA
M.S. University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, FL, USA
Ph.D. Coastal Studies Institute at Louisiana State University, LA, USA, 1992
Read below at the 8:52 stamp, plus how do you like your crow cooked ? With or without scotch bonnets
I wholeheartedly agree with this post! My vote is NO! I am not entirely against building a bigger port at some point in the future. But not something shrouded in so much lies, secrecy and uncertainty about the magnitude of destruction this project will cause. There is absolutely no guarantees that building these piers will not destroy the reefs and beautiful crystal clear blue water in George Town Harbour. Belize doesn’t have cruise ship piers. Their passengers are tendered to the dock from all size cruise ships! They have made it work, so what’s wrong with sticking to what’s already working here! Just improve the area where cruise shippers have to wait, by adding some shaded areas. We first need our broken education system fixed, so that our children can get a job when they leave school. They are being overlooked for jobs now! What makes anyone think building this port will help Caymanians get the jobs created, if they will still be as undereducated at that point, as they are right now!? Fix the dump that’s probably poisoning us on a daily basis. Fix the airport and concentrate on our stay over tourists, who are the ones that spend the money!! Fix our roads so that people in the Eastern districts don’t have to wake up at 4am to get to GT by 8am! I hope that all those who can vote will come out and vote on December 19th! This is your chance to make a change, and have your say in your future, so please don’t waste your chance by giving up and saying your vote doesn’t count! YOUR VOTE COUNTS!! PLEASE COME OUT AND VOTE NO, IF YOU ARE AGAINST THE DESTRUCTION OF THE NATURAL BEAUTY THAT WE ALREADY HAVE IN GEORGE TOWN HARBOUR. Because that natural beauty is the reason why cruise ships come here in the first place.
8:04 a point in the future means you will leave it for the Grand Children to build!
Hopefully grandchildren will have more sense and say no too.
@9:43 Ya mama look like cheese reef plastered with mustard
It is really interesting that during Arden’s debate today on the Referendum Law he was so critical of the Cruise Ship representatives who were invited here to educate voters on the Port project but accused them of interfering in local politics. At the same time he failed to criticize Dr Prager for the same thing..Now to be clear the Cruise Ship Reps were invited here by Govt to better explain the Port project. We don’t know who invited Dr Prager to comment. What was really shocking though is the last sentence of her viewpoint which reads “As a non-Caymanian, I don’t have a say. But if I were a resident, I certainly know how I would vote. Instead, I’d want more funds invested in local improvements (such as addressing the dump and sewage treatment, improving education, George Town, and creating jobs, etc).This I feel is pure political interference and not a fact based scientific statement on the environmental impact of the CBF and cargo port. Yet Arden did not see fit to point out or criticize this .
The cruise ship representatives were invited here to secure the bag, nothing more, nothing less…
If anyone saw the debate yesterday in the house. Per the referendum law, all the ads and public purse funded media campaigns by the government telling people to vote yes is actually against the referendum law and unconstitutional yet none of these fools are being penalized for it. How are they allowed to blatantly and openly break the law continuously and get away with it. This to me just proves that the MLA, the current CIG is nothing but a sadistic joke and I think a petition should be started for an early election and banning of certain current MLS from ever serving again in any capacity. They are all a disgrace. Also a petition should be started to enact the Standards of Public Life law as it currently stands and also to limit the serving terms to only 3 terms and done to bring fresh life and blood in to the current corpse of democracy here in Cayman.
@9.58am What referendum law?.
No. It’s a simple opinion that is shared by many both on and off the island.
Wonder what would be the outcome if Grand Cayman upgraded the island to the ultra class attraction for wealth, brought in the exclusive high end tourists, attracted the spenders not gawkers, told the Dart team to downsize the “Tower of BS” that will ruin the island’s ambiance remaining, and made this island a true paradise dream destination?
When a diamond cutter has a 3 carat diamond, she doesn’t cut it down to shavings to attract this masses, she creates a masterpiece. Come on leadership, you have the gem, don’t cut it into fragmented chips for the masses, shine with the masters.
This gem has already been cut down to shavings by the current CIG. Problem is that a hand full of people are the ones buying the shavings and making their own master pieces. “Shine with the masters”? You posted that in the wrong context, it should be “shine for your masters”
The pro port voters are going to come to the same ugly realizations that those who voted for Trump are coming to now. They will one day regret their “Yes” vote. Then they’ll just lie and say that they voted “No”.
Captain Hurlsron said it best. We do not have a harbour. It is a disaster waiting to happen.
8:12 it may not class as a safe harbour but Cap. Hurlston knows its been used by many of his Captain friends from long ago !
If expats could vote you would be guaranteed this port would not go ahead. How can it be that outsiders are more motivated to protect your motherland than you? Shame on you ppm. Shame on you caymanians supporting the destruction of your homeland through voting for this monstrosity in the chase for money rather than what is right for your country and shame on those of you who can vote but won’t, thereby voting in favor
Say NO to expat voting. Never haopen bobo.
Hell zNo you are ignorant, they’re not saying that expats should be allowed to vote they are saying it’s back when non-Caymanians care more for Cayman then the Caymanians f’n Muppet.
Muppet “head” Hunter
England is your motherland. Just saying… Rule Britannia! Rule!
I wish they would.
Agree wholeheartedly. Half of those living on island are expat and they should have a voice too. We should start an expat petition against the port even if only to show our support for those opposing the proposed port.
Boy, if only our government leaders spent as much time and money on the current state of our education system. Could you imagine.
You would have a country of people prepared to see long term outcomes rather than just dollar signs
6:47 true we will need education to work on the Port!
The skill of counting will be all you need. Need to make correct change.
It seems pretty clear to me that if an area of seabed is suitable for healthy coral growth, it would already be there. It’s had how many thousand years?
It’s already there jackass, we’re proposing to destroy it.
Someone asked recently for the science passes at school for the present political decision makers in government and their position in their graduating classes. It would good to see which of those passed any science or have any such background to lead our country down this path.
We need a young person like that young Swedish girl who addressed the UN last month to ask the present government “How dare you”? mess with the learned scientists and their advice and “What qualifies you to make such decisions” when you have no background to defend your theories.
These are the same people who started Two High Schools around fifteen years ago and one is still not finished. Cockroach have no business in a fowl nest!
This statement could also be reflective of McDweeba.
Sorry we do not need Gretta here with her push for global carbon taxes.
Another question is how many of them can swim? How many are certified scuba divers? How many have ever seen the beauty under the water there?
Only people who have experienced it care. The ones that don’t know anything about it can easily destroy something they have no personal vested interest.
Thank you Dr. Prager. What has been missing from this debate are the opinions of experienced and knowledgeable professionals. This matter is too important for citizens of this country to make a decision either for or against, without solid information.
In my opinion, this project, however necessary, must take a backseat to improving public school education in this country. And I’m not talking about $100 million dollar brick and mortar schools. Numerous recent studies have determined that public education in Cayman is severely broken. Too many young Caymanians are being “graduated” from the public school system without the proper skillset to either enter the work force, or move on to tertiary education. This is leading to the serious social problems that we are seeing now. Thousands on needs assessment welfare, too many unemployed and underemployed Caymanians. Increased criminal activity and an increase in the severity of crime on the island. Broken homes and families. All of this can be turned around if more focus and resources are put into educating our young citizens. There needs to be a partnership between Caymanian citizens and government to determine the where the causes of undereducation are. and develop programs to fix them. A change in culture and attitude towards education is needed to reestablish the importance of making the education of our young people the top priority of families and government.
Caymanians need to make it clear to government that our tax-payer dollars should be used to better US. All of us. Fix public education first. Every Caymanian voter has the power to make this clear to our government by voting in the referendum.
Having worked in recruitment and interviewed hundreds of your government school ‘graduates’ Cayman’s entire future depends on educating your young people. Their life skills, academic skills and standards need a lot of work. Not to mention how broken the system is in terms of educating your young people on sex education and teenage pregnancy. Focus on these things and you will raise the next generation of politicians to not go chasing profits for short term gain and without any consideration to the fact they are killing the golden goose.
Your country is in trouble. You have a chance to save it.
if you know what is best you had better leave Hog Sty Bay alone, otherwise it will be nothing more than a hog sty.
“Bottom line is it will be the choice of the citizens of Grand Cayman: What do you want the future of the island to look like and what are you willing to risk? Will you risk a harbour with clear beautiful water alive with fish and other marine life that avails snorkelling, diving, submarine rides and a spectacular view for waterfront restaurants? Will you risk a change in the overall oceanographic dynamics and geology that puts Seven Mile Beach at risk as well as additional acreage of coral reef.”
It won’t be the choice of the citizens it will be corrupt men and woman(mostly men) to make this decision for the entire island and future generations to come.
A few ignorant and naive men to make there last few bucks in their life at the destruction of the priceless environment. So we can bring in some more tourist for a few hours per day?
Habitat and marine destruction, in this blue water scenario, is not a risk, but an assured certainty. Only the scale of the destructive impact, and contaminating seasonal transport are left to wonder about.
Lifetime project costs are also in the Billions, and haven’t been tabulated or factored at all. Nobody has asked the disposable, hastily-incorporated Verdant Isle Cayman shell company, or their presumed shareholders to stake a financial bond to cover any of the Billions in other variable costs that will follow in the years and decades after construction phase all the way out to the final decommissioning and reclamation phases.
This is another legacy shit deal, negotiated by confirmed-nefarious, school-leaving, non-business, or even real world world, amateurs – who have already paid out at least one financial settlement on this topic in recent memory. We don’t need any more painful and costly examples to confirm their density, and ill-qualification to negotiate on our behalf. Enough! No!!
‘I’d want more funds invested in local improvements,’ and so say all of us. The dock will only benefit the already privileged and wealthy minority. Everybody else will be screwed.
Just like everywhere else in the world sadly.
Mm looks like The Activists are putting out all the stops now. Well we still gonna vote YEs so take ya meat out me rice.
Netflix. Unnatural selection, 2019, Episode 3. Watch. Then tell us who do you resonate with. 23:20 forward … On the surface, they are facing different issues…yet the debate is about long-term consequences of the decision they make.
Why would an independent scientist chose to go on record at the behest of the so called “activists” ? Answer me that please? What has Dr Prager got to gain? Absolutely nothing! Baird, the consultant who is doing the so called “independent” EIA however is PART of the consortium so has EVERYTHING to lose if it doesn’t go ahead – who is really pulling out the stops to con the public… SAY WA?!?
What a stupid post. One day those voting to concrete over the reef will hang your heads in shame or lie to your grandkids on how you voted.
6:27 most Locals did not know there were REEFS in George Town!
You know one day there will be no more anonymous
O stings, I sincerely hope you have the cojones to voice your opinion then with your name.
OK, so why are you going to vote yes? I keep seeing people saying they are still going to vote yes but no one ever says why.
What information have you received that has convinced you that the port project is th best way forward?
10:42 the proper way to embark and disembark a ship is by using a Pier, simple.
No the proper way to embark and disembark a ship is pulling up the anchor or casting off mooring lines and not running it into something as it is moved. So for hundreds if not thousands of years when sailors from small fishing villages or settlements used their small craft to load ships they’ve been doing it wrong all this time?
9:39 I am not thinking of your kind of ships !
I take you don’t know how to swim. You also can’t be from George Town. Jumping into that water. Swimming in the hog sty bay was the best days of my life growing up.