Tag: Department of Environment
Cullers must seek green light from property owners
(CNS): As cullers gear up to begin the full-scale attack on the invasive green iguana next week, the Department of Environment said they must obtain permission from property owners to go onto their land to track the pest. Over 340 people are expected to take part in the cull across Grand Cayman. The DoE called […]
DoE rescues hawksbill turtle from fishing line
(CNS): Conservation officers on Grand Cayman came to the rescue of a juvenile hawksbill turtle at the weekend that was entangled in discarded fishing line. The Department of Environment officers were called to help on Saturday in the North Sound after a member of the public spotted the endangered sea turtle in difficulty but was not […]
Over 500 baby turtles rescued from stormy seas
(CNS): Hundreds of baby turtles were rescued this week by volunteers and staff from the Department of Environment after Hurricane Michael stirred up high seas as it passed through this area of the Caribbean. The wave action washed over many nests along Grand Cayman’s beaches, where the baby turtles were not all ready to hatch. On […]
Turtle eggs destroyed after nest dug out
(CNS): The Department of Environment is urging the public not to disturb turtle eggs they see along the beaches after a nest was dug out on Grand Cayman on Monday. Officials said people should never dig up turtle nests if they see the baby turtles emerging from the sand along the beach, even when they […]
DoE explains magnitude of green iguana cull to LA
(CNS): The Department of Environment director spelled out to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday the magnitude of the challenge presented by the number of invasive green iguanas on Grand Cayman ahead of the planned cull. In order to make an impact on the growing population and ensure the cull’s success, cullers will have to kill […]
Poachers undermine conservation efforts
(CNS): The Department of Environment recovered dozens of illegal conch and lobsters taken out of season from the Barkers area on Sunday, which were donated to the Pines Retirement Home. The poached catch was seized following an operation in West Bay by DoE conservation officers, who recovered 43 conch and seven lobsters that were illegally taken […]
Pirate tour boat crushed coral colonies
(CNS): A number of small coral colonies were damaged when The Jolly Roger, a pirate-themed tour boat, ran aground in the George Town Harbour last week. Following a survey by marine researchers, the Department of Environment said that two colonies of starlet coral (Siderastrea sidera) and four colonies of brain coral (Diploria strigosa), as well as a […]
7MB turtle nests have narrow escape from bulldozer
(CNS): Department of Environment volunteers and staff were able to rescue four turtle nests on an empty Seven Mile Beach lot last week when they intervened to stop an excavator that was clearing vegetation in the area. The team arrived just in time to stop the heavy equipment from driving over one nest, but discovered […]
DoE booted off cruise port steering committee
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Tourism Ministry has formed a new steering committee for the controversial cruise port development project but the Department of Environment is no longer represented. The original committee had not met for more than a year before it was reformed several weeks ago, and it is not clear why the new committee […]
Divers urged to report coral bleaching
(CNS): Following the launch of the Coral Watch Programme by the Department of Environment last year to help monitor the impact of bleaching on Cayman’s reefs, the DoE is urging divers and snorkellers to look out for and report any changes to the reef they see over the coming weeks that could suggest a bleaching […]
DoE brings in abandoned dangerous fishing device
(CNS): Department of Environment researchers managed to bring in a fish aggregation device (FAD) on Friday, which was found off the coast of East End and could have posed a threat to the reef, marine life and sea vessels had it not been retrieved. Officials from the department explained that FADs, which require a permit […]
