Marine Environment
Divers log in to benefit sharks
(CNS Local Life): For the past two years a volunteer group of sharkloggers has been assisting the Department of Environment (DoE) in gathering important data on sharks, in turn helping to understand, manage and ultimately protect their population in Cayman. Sharkloggers record sightings during a dive, noting location, time and species, which will be used […]
CCMI holds regional workshop on lionfish
(CNS Local Life): The Central Caribbean Research Institute (CCMI) recently hosted a first-of-its-kind workshop and webinar dedicated to sharing information across the region on how to manage the threat posed by the invasive lionfish. The session, “Bridging the Gap to Improve Lionfish Management”, aimed to move the issue from a local level to one that […]
CCMI to recognise champions of the ocean
(CNS Local Life): The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) has launched its Ocean Awards, with nominations open in a range of categories aiming to recognise both individuals and companies committed to improving the health of the marine environment. The awards, part of the nonprofit organisation’s 20th anniversary celebrations this year, are being introduced as the […]
CCMI to hold webinar on lionfish
(CNS Local Life): As part of International Year of the Reef (IYOR) outreach efforts, on 19 April the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) aims to engage both local and global audiences through live streaming of an upcoming workshop focusing on lionfish-management work throughout the Caribbean. The event will be held at the National Gallery of […]
Community comes together in LC beach clean-up
(CNS Local Life): Little Cayman resorts and businesses recently joined forces with researchers of the Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) to take part in an island-wide beach clean-up. During the full winter moon, with researchers gathered for the Grouper Moon Project, a study of the annual spawning of the Nassau grouper, the marine conservation effort […]
National Gallery to showcase coral reefs
(CNS Local Life): In recognition of the third International Year of the Reef (IYOR), the National Gallery will be opening an exhibition of underwater photography next month that focuses on the coral reefs around the Cayman Islands. Towards that end, the gallery is inviting photographers to submit their work for consideration to be included in […]
Rotarians athletes to raise funds for CCMI
(CNS Local Life): Two Cayman Islands athletes, Rotarians Chris Bailey and Derek Haines, are gearing up to raise CI$50,000 for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s new virtual live programme. Bailey is competing in the Ironman Florida on 4 November at Panama City Beach. Then, on 3 December Haines, who just turned 69, will be taking […]
TV paves way for weatherman’s lionfish hunt
(CNS Local Life): Weatherman and TV reporter Joe Avary has been given a paid vacation by his bosses at Hurley’s Media to hunt for lionfish while raising money for charity. A keen diver, Avary plans to catch and then sell his invasive catch for cash, which will then go to the local Cancer Society, the NCVO, One Dog […]
Community called on to nominate local dive pioneers
(CNS Local Life): Members of the public are being asked to nominate Cayman Islands pioneers as candidates for induction as local honourees at this year’s International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame (ISDHF). More than 30 people have been recognised locally since 2003 and the Ministry of Tourism is looking for more trailblazers in the sport […]
Swim class teaches respect for the ocean
(CNS Local Life): A group of 10 Caymanian children is learning to swim and snorkel through the West Bay ECO Warriors programme hosted by a local hotel. The children, all between the ages of 8 and 10, meet every Thursday to learn skills taught through PADI swim school and the YMCA, the latter which supports […]
Haines scales two volcanoes in aid of CCMI
(CNS Local Life): Cayman’s marathon man and champion fundraiser Derek Haines is well into his next effort – raising $50,000 for the Central Caribbean Marine Institute’s (CCMI) reef research project by climbing two volcanoes and running three marathons this year. After finishing a marathon 30 April in Guatemala, he returned to that country last month to […]
Gallery screens film on environmental impact of plastic
(CNS Local Life): The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) is hosting screenings of an award-winning documentary on the impact plastic is having on the oceans and marine animals. Set for 1 April, the film, A Plastic Ocean, follows documentary filmmaker Craig Leeson and British-Caymanian-American world record free-diver Tanya Streeter as they travel the […]
Branson dives to promote grouper protection
(CNS Local Life): Sir Richard Branson said witnessing a massive spawning aggregation of Nassau groupers was “like being in the maternity ward of the ocean, with thousands of fish mating together”. Branson made the dive off the coast of Little Cayman with Dr Guy Harvey, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE) and Reef Environmental […]
Applications open for DoE internships
(CNS Local Life): The Department of Environment is offering summer internships for students ages 15 and over, who live in Grand Cayman and are interested in gaining experience in marine science, terrestrial ecology, sustainable development and related fields. The internships are unpaid volunteer positions and cover a variety of activities within the department including fieldwork, […]
First lionfish cull of the year set
(CNS Local Life): The first lionfish tournament of 2017 is scheduled for 25 and 26 February, with each of the invasive species that is caught analysed by the Department of Environment (DoE), and then sold to local restaurants. The event, organised under the mantle of the Cayman United Lionfish League (CULL), protects Cayman’s shores, provides […]
CCMI reports record 2016
(CNS Local Life): A Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) report looking at the organisation’s accomplishments in 2016 indicates it was a banner year for scientific publications and presentations at international scientific conferences, while educational occupancy and the Festival of Seas fundraiser hit record highs. The institute has been the training ground for 20 master of […]
Young Caymanians learn sea skills at CCMI
(CNS Local Life): In December, a group of 11 young men took part in the latest Young Environmental Leadership Course (YELC), a programme established in 2012 by the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) in Little Cayman to teach high school students how to be good environmental stewards in their local community. The programme targets year […]
Save Cayman sets up eco-tourism internships
(CNS Local Life): Local environmental group Save Cayman is taking applications for its Environmental Ambassadors Programme set to launch this summer, with the first internship running from 19 June-11 August. Participants will learn about marine and terrestrial conservation issues and the eco-tourism industry. They will also have the opportunity to visit several historical sites and […]
