What is being done to protect our marine life, now that tourists will once again flock to our island?
This week my friend was visiting Starfish Point, when she observed a family of tourists in the sea. The teenage son was picking up the starfish, and tossing them up in the air, catching them, and throwing them from hand to hand, much the way a juggler would toss items in the air.
She immediately told him (in a non-confrontational way) that he must stop doing this. The starfish are not to be removed from the water. The young man’s father, became angry and told her, “What is the big deal? They take them and cut off their points so they can grow more starfish!”
She told him it was against the law. However, she backed away immediately as this man was visibly agitated and she did not know how he would further react.
Cayman protects the blue iguanas, the stingrays, parrots, and we need to also protect the waters in this beach area. Thousands of dollars are spent for people to travel here to observe everything Cayman has to offer, and that includes our marine life.
A sign is not enough. We need a Caymanian to be present at this area, to not only educate, but to explain the consequences that will befall anyone that molests our marine life. Starfish Point is having more and more tourists now, especially since Rum Point is still closed.
Janice Sanders
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