Topic: Department of Environment
Historic sightings of schools of hammerhead sharks off Little Cayman
At a glance
Divers on Little Cayman report four sightings of multiple hammerheads this year
Sightings of schools of hammerheads at these depths have...
Turtle poachers fined, vehicles forfeited, in ‘pivotal’ sentencing
Two turtle poachers have been fined and had their boat, truck and trailer forfeited, in what Department of Environment officers call a "pivotal" step forward for conservation enforcement.
Hotter sea temperatures leading to longer turtle nesting seasons
Marine turtles appear to be responding to hotter sea temperatures amid shifts in climate by beginning their nesting seasons earlier, new research carried out in the Cayman Islands has shown.
Contract renewed for green iguana culling programme
Government has renewed a contract with a local company to continue to cull invasive green iguanas in the Cayman Islands.
Government to clarify speargun licensing after Cabinet discussion
Government has promised to look into the issue of speargun licences “as soon as possible” after the issue was debated in Parliament’s Finance Committee.
Multi-agency response launched as bird flu detected in Cayman
Local birds in Grand Cayman have tested positive for avian influenza, prompting a multi-agency response led by Hazard Management Cayman Islands.
High-powered air rifles used in Little Cayman feral cat cull
More than 250 feral cats in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have been culled since the official culling programme began on the Sister Islands, according to official figures, with a new tactic being the use of high-powered air rifles to euthanise cats in Little Cayman.
Survey launched on proposed policy changes on fishing
A public survey has been launched on the proposed policy changes to limit fishing by non-Caymanians, with certain exceptions.
Cayman’s conch and whelk season opens with a call for care
If we all respect the limits, conch and whelk will remain part of Cayman’s story; on our reefs and in our kitchens, for generations to come.
National Conservation Council adopts new control procedures for feral cats
The National Conservation Council has approved updated procedures for managing feral cats in environmentally sensitive areas of Grand Cayman.
Poachers plead guilty to taking turtle from marine park
Two poachers have pleaded guilty to taking a protected species – a green sea turtle – from the South South marine park.
Deadly stony coral disease reaches Little Cayman
Marine researchers have confirmed the first cases of stony coral tissue loss disease on Little Cayman, after finding lesions on corals over a mile-long stretch of reef on the island.
Volunteers invited to join bat count
A count of Cayman's bat population is under way and the Department of Environment is inviting volunteers to sign up to help.
Sargassum causes mass fish suffocation
The sargassum washing ashore across Cayman is not just creating a smelly and unsightly nuisance, it's also killing fish as it rots along shorelines and in canals.
Low tides and striking scenes on Cayman’s coast
Cayman is experiencing extremely low tides, making for striking scenes on the coastline and a tapestry of exposed turtle grass.
Little Cayman’s rock iguana population triples after feral-cat cull
The population of Sister Islands rock iguanas on Little Cayman has tripled in the past three years, following a cull of feral cats.
Planning tribunal quashes approval of Little Cayman subdivision
The Planning Appeals Tribunal has quashed a Sister Islands planning board approval of a 47-lot subdivision on Little Cayman.
Documentary highlights shark monitoring in Cayman
The work of Cayman's shark taggers is the subject of a new documentary, 'Tagged & Tracked', that premiered this week.
Grand Hyatt dock plan in choppy water over environmental concerns
A new water-sports dock at the Grand Hyatt hotel has failed to get the DoE's green light due to concerns over its impact on marine life.
Lack of spawning groupers leaves scientists baffled
Grouper Moon Project scientists monitoring the annual spawning of the endangered Nassau grouper on Little Cayman have encountered a mystery this year - the groupers haven't shown up.
Man arrested with 70 conch; charged with assaulting DoE officer
A man was arrested last Monday for possession of 70 conch – well beyond the legal daily limit of five conch per person or 10 conch per boat.
Department of Environment boat sinks mysteriously in Little Cayman
A Department of Environment boat sank overnight Wednesday while moored off the coast of Little Cayman, and the DoE is looking into the cause.
Hope for return of beach after Royal Palms demolition
The removal of the old Royal Palms building has led to hope for the return of a healthy beachfront along Seven Mile Beach, portions of which have been lost over time to erosion and battering by storms.
Concern over Cayman’s soldier crabs living in plastic waste
Hermit crabs that are still able to find a real shell to live in most frequently select a whelk shell for their home.
Concerns raised as brown water drains into marine park
The Department of Environment says smelly brown water flowing into South Sound marine park comes from the breakdown of leaves in the mangrove wetlands, not raw sewage.
Westin’s $153 million, 10-storey expansion concept stuck in planning merry-go-around
More than a year after getting the go-ahead for a 10-storey hotel annex with conference facilities and two swimming pools, owners of The Westin luxury hotel have been forced to re-apply for planning permission.
Uncharted waters: From sub-sea gold deposits to swordfish wars
Within a sprawling – but loosely defined and sometimes contested – marine zone around the Cayman Islands is a potential bounty of mineral wealth, vast fishing grounds and research opportunities.
Invasive green hatchlings could prove a nuisance in September
As juvenile green iguanas emerge from their nests, finding food will be their priority, with private gardens filled with fruit and vegetables an easy target for the invasive reptiles.
Cabinet grants MP’s family licence to dredge North Sound marine park
Cabinet has granted permission for a channel to be cut through part of a protected marine reserve in the North Sound to create a marine access route for a canal-front subdivision owned by the family of Newlands MP Heather Bodden.
Road to ruin? Landowners claim conservation directive devalues their rights
A lightning bolt shaped stretch of road dissecting private property sandwiched between the green swathe of two blue iguana reserves is at the centre of a new dispute between landowners and wildlife guardians.
How a golden retriever is pioneering sea turtle detection in Cayman
An award-winning golden retriever, Bell, is becoming Cayman’s first sea turtle detection dog. The effort is part of a pilot study by the Department...
Coral bleaching: A global and local threat
Coral bleaching in Cayman is part of a worldwide phenomenon that is threatening reefs across every ocean on the planet, apart from the Arctic.
Developer carries out unauthorised land clearing by proposed road extension
A developer seeking to create 99 residential lots near the proposed extension of the East-West Arterial has cleared the land and begun building access roads before taking their application before the planning board.
Agouti roadkills: DoE encourages drivers to ‘slow down’
Be vigilant on the roads is the message from the Department of Environment with apparent increased sightings of agoutis dead on the side of the roads in the eastern districts.
National Trust joins development debate, supports Conservation Act
The National Trust thrown its support behind the National Conservation Act as it weighed in on the debate of development versus environment saying that "it is difficult, if not impossible" to see how the legislation was seriously impeding development.
DoE issues warning after invasive lizard captured in Grand Cayman
The Department of Environment has issued an invasive species alert following the discovery of a red-headed rock agama lizard in Grand Cayman on Thursday, 25 Jan.
DoE: Project developers are responsible for EIA timeline
The Department of Environment, in a statement this week, said it is not to blame for the drawn-out Port Zeus environmental impact assessment.
Sunken vessel removed from North Sound Estates
The Department of Environment has said no ecological damage was caused by the sunken vessel that was found in North Sound Estates earlier this month.
DoE monitoring sunken vessel in North Sound Estates
The Department of Environment says it has taken measures to prevent oil spillage from a sunken vessel which was discovered in North Sound Estates last week.
Multiple rare whitetip sharks recorded in Cayman
A collaborative effort between the Cayman Islands Department of Environment and the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis team has revealed the critically endangered Oceanic Whitetip Sharks have found sanctuary in Cayman’s waters.
Year in review: 10-storey blocks to transform Cayman’s skyline
A receding beach and a growing skyline appear to be part of an inevitable future for Grand Cayman after a slew of 10-storey development proposals were presented in 2023.
ReGen EIA under review, approval expected early in new year
While government continues to negotiate the financial close on ReGen, work on the environmental impact assessment for the multi-million dollar waste-management project is nearing completion.
Holiday hawksbill hatch: Rare turtle nest found in Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman experienced a remarkable event this week – a rare nest of hawksbill turtles hatched on its sandy shores.
Environment department defends conservation council after criticism
The Department of Environment has refuted claims that the National Conservation Council’s oversight on planning proposals is stunting Cayman’s development industry.
Government raids Environmental Protection Fund to help pay salaries
A $50 million fighting fund - previously ring-fenced to buy land for conservation purposes - has been diverted to help government balance its budget.
Juvenile hammerhead shark found dead on South Sound beach
A young female scalloped hammerhead shark has been examined to determine the cause of death after a member of the public found it on a beach in South Sound.
Driver backs into mangrove pilot project site
A driver has damaged a small section of a new border of mangrove propagules planted at the Barcadere Marina as part of a pilot project to test the feasibility of using recycled glass to protect local wetlands.
Rackam’s seeks to repair seawall after tropical storm damage
The manager of Rackam’s Waterfront Restaurant and Bar has applied for permission to repair a protective seawall after it was badly damaged during a tropical storm this summer.
DoE issues warning as conch and whelk season opens
As conch and whelk season opens Wednesday the Department of Environment has warned the community against breaking the legal take limits.
Kaibo owner applies to dredge sand by docks in marine reserve
The owner of Kaibo restaurant and bar on Cayman Kai has applied for permission to dredge sand under and around the property’s two docks in a protected marine reserve.
Baby Caribbean reef shark found dead
The death of a baby Caribbean reef shark, the second in recent weeks, has prompted a call from the Department of Environment for residents to exercise caution when fishing.
Department of Environment to consult with DPP on Aggressor grounding case
The Department of Environment has confirmed it will be consulting with the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding potential charges in the wake of the Cayman Aggressor IV’s grounding on a reef in the North Sound last month.
Cayman on high alert for severe coral bleaching
The highest level of alert warning of heat stress to Cayman’s corals has been triggered, meaning extensive bleaching is imminent.
DoE assessing reef damage after Aggressor grounding
The Department of Environment on Friday was assessing the impact of the Cayman Aggressor IV's grounding on a reef in the North Sound the day before.
Coral spawning in the wild and in a lab
In a first for the Caribbean, last week a group of scientists in Cayman gathered around glass tanks to watch corals spawn in a lab.
Morritt’s applies to expand its East End timeshare resort
Morritt’s Resort has submitted a planning application to expand its popular beachfront property in East End with a five-storey building extension containing 33 more guest rooms.
Exotic-pet owners urged to register animals
The Department of Environment is calling on exotic pets owners in the Cayman Islands to register their animals immediately as the deadline for permits draws near.
Boggy Sands cabana application heads back to planning board after Court of Appeal ruling
The National Conservation Council has the "final word" on planning applications that are likely to have adverse effects on marine parks or other environmentally protected areas, the Court of Appeal confirmed in a judgment handed down Friday.
Owners apply to replace historic house with modern duplex
The owners of an old wooden Caymanian house in West Bay have applied for planning permission to knock it down and build a modern two-storey duplex in its place.
Turtle rescue ‘memorable lifetime experience’ for US family
When Debi Schneiderwind decided to take an early morning walk with her coffee on the last day of her Cayman vacation, she had no...
Department of Agriculture to open cat pounds
Plans are afoot to open pounds for feral or stray cats at the Department of Agriculture facilities on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac.
Natural born culler: Iguana hunter racks up kills
Iguana hunter Tyree Hernandez has kept his finger on the trigger and eyes on the target for nearly six years in his quest to rid the Cayman Islands of the invasive reptiles.
Environment director opposes George Town carpark plans
A planning application for a new 27-space carpark in George Town has come up against opposition from the Department of Environment for its “poor use of land”.
Developers propose four townhouse complexes
Four separate planning applications for townhouse complexes in Grand Cayman will be scrutinised at the Central Planning Authority’s upcoming meeting next week.
As water temperatures rises, DoE monitors deadly stony coral disease
With local sea temperatures hitting record highs this summer, the Department of Environment is monitoring the effect this is having on the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease.
Record sea temperatures threaten corals and raise hurricane concern
Sea-surface temperatures around Cayman are breaking seasonal records and sparking fears of a major coral bleaching event or a significant hurricane this season.
Conservation Council chair McFarlane Conolly dies in snorkeling incident
The Cayman community is mourning the loss of National Conservation Council chairman and Older Persons Council member McFarlene Conolly who passed away on Monday.
Cayman shark week spotlights conservation efforts
As Discovery Channel launches its annual Shark Week special on July 11 so too will Cayman's local shark expert Johanna Kohler as she puts the spotlight on this apex predator.
Environment director says no to more seawalls
A beachfront property owner’s plan to build a seawall to prevent damage from storm waves has met with strong opposition from the head of the Department of Environment.
Salvage firm recovering sunken Cayman Mermaid boat
Attempts are being made to remove the partially submerged 31-tonne Cayman Mermaid boat from the bottom of Governors Creek in Grand Cayman.
Rare glow-in-the-dark shark discovered in Cayman’s waters
Glow-in-the dark sharks and schooling scalloped hammerheads are among the mind-bending discoveries of Cayman’s first serious effort to explore its deep seas.
Compact subdivision planned on 39-acres of mangrove and woodland
A developer has submitted plans to subdivide 39 acres of mangroves and woodland into 138 small lots which could eventually contain 75% more houses than is currently allowed.
