In an effort to protect these resources, the Cayman Islands Marine Parks were founded in 1986 under the forward-thinking slogan “Save Our Tomorrow-Today.” In 2011 they still serve that stated purpose. Officials from the Cayman Islands are celebrating this important milestone.
In enacting the Marine Parks Regulations, three types of protected area zone designations were created: marine parks, replenishment zones and environmental zones. Over the years, these locales – have enabled conch, whelk and lobster populations to be sustained. They have also protected our reefs and secured fish stocks. That visionary move established the Cayman Islands as a regional leader in marine conservation. Apart from fulfilling the moral obligation to secure marine resources for future generations, the marine parks have also proven to be a sound economic decision. A 1985 National Geographic article described Cayman’s reefs as “a bonanza for pleasure and profit,” adding that the Islands’ “submarine splendor” supports an underwater recreation industry with more than 300,000 visitors annually.
It has been found that Marine Parks promote healthy corals and increase biodiversity, biomass, size, and abundance of fish: within Marine Parks, there are more species of fish and they are larger and present in greater numbers. Research shows that fish move across the boundaries of Marine Parks to colonize the areas outside them.
Healthy reefs are more resilient; they have the capacity to recover from major impacts such as coral bleaching, disease, and storms. As a country,they are fortunate that the early institution of Marine Parks has helped our coral reefs survive until now. As part of a growing network of Marine Protected Areas around the globe, they can work to ensure that marine ecosystems in the Cayman Islands are healthy enough to cope with current impacts and coming challenges such as climate change.
The new “Dive 365″ Project is a shining example of private sector dive operators working with Government’s Dept of Environment and the Marine Parks to provide a sustainable solution for all of the dive sites in the Cayman Islands. “Dive 365″ is a project that is in the process of adding 68 new dives across all three islands over a five year period.
As the Cayman Islands celebrate their phenomenal achievements, they once again find themselves at a defining moment, so far as conservation is concerned. They do need continued economic growth of course, but the natural resources also need to be protected and properly managed as part of that process. Looking forward to the next 25 years, the key word then must be sustainability. Development should never trump conservation and even as we work to build a strong economy, it is equally important to think about the kind of environment we all want to leave behind for our children.
For more information, please visit
www.doe.ky/marine/25-years-of-marine-parks
Want to experience Cayman’s Marine Parks firsthand? Learn more about scuba diving opportunities in the Cayman Islands at dive365cayman.com/deals.
