Tag: Department of Environment
Shore fishing allowed in over half local waters
(CNS): Local fisherfolk are still free to fish from the shore around the Cayman Islands along more than half of the country’s coastline. The Department of Environment said there was some misunderstanding in the community about the recent rule changes to the Marine Park regulations and noted that fishing from the shore was still allowed […]
DoE offers cash to divers in fatal coral disease fight
(CNS): The Department of Environment (DoE) is looking for divers who can help them in the national response to the deadly Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). With this disease impacting over 20 species of reef-building corals on local reefs, the department needs qualified divers to apply topical antibiotics and where necessary remove infected corals. […]
Underwater cameras to watch-over UKOT sea life
(CNS): The UK is funding a network of underwater cameras across its overseas territories to keep a watchful eye on the sea life and collect data to help in the conservation battle. The Cayman Islands will be included in the rollout of non-intrusive stereo-Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS), which will be deployed in open […]
Massive BT subdivision poses more mangrove threats
(CNS): A planning application by Lookout Holdings Ltd for a subdivision of 437 house lots off Harvey Stephenson Drive, Bodden Town, raises numerous concerns, the Department of Environment has said. In its comments on the application, the DoE noted the lack of an updated overarching development plan, as well as the lack of data to […]
Port marine life still protected, say officials
(CNS): The George Town Harbour, which is now an anchorage zone and no longer a marine park after new regulations were implemented, is still protected because it remains a no-take zone, officials from the Port Authority and the Department of Environment have said. The new zoning also means that in future, divers will need to […]
Mangroves face destruction for land survey
(CNS): The Department of Environment is urging the Central Planning Authority not to allow speculative clearing of important mangrove habitat in the absence of an actual plan to develop at a site off the Linford Pierson Highway. Pros Plus Construction is seeking permission to mechanically clear and fill a more than ten-acre lot to survey […]
E-W Road poses major flood and eco-threats
(CNS): An environmental impact assessment on the East-West Arterial is critical, according to information revealed in a scoping document by the Department of Environment. Government’s plan to build the road from Woodland Drive to Lookout Gardens poses a major flood risk for residents, threatens the very future of the Central Mangrove Wetlands and, in turn, […]
Activists push FIN clean-up after raising alarm
(CNS): The Department of Environment is paying close attention to the situation at the luxury condo development FIN after a catalog of issues surrounding the project. Local activists raised the alarm this past weekend when it appeared that construction materials had been dumped or washed into the ocean from the project site. This comes after […]
Killer coral threat very serious
(CNS): The threat posed to local reefs by the still enigmatic Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) is very serious, according to the director of the Department of Environment. Against the backdrop of climate change, other diseases, excessive coastal development and ocean pollution, this extremely contagious and deadly disease is advancing towards Seven Mile Beach, […]
Coral disease advancing towards 7MB
(CNS): Despite efforts to contain the spread of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which is a worrying new hazard for coral first detected here last June, it is heading towards the Seven Mile Beach marine park, according to the Department of Environment. SCTLD has been advancing west over the last few months across Grand […]
Dart’s hotel to go before CPA with no DoE input
(CNS): Hotel Indigo, which will anchor Dart’s proposed ‘new town’, will be before the Central Planning Authority (CPA) on Tuesday as a separate application, but it will not have any input from the Department of Environment because no new National Conservation Council (NCC) members have been appointed. The project comes against the backdrop of public […]
