Topic: Department of Environment
Green iguana population keeps growing
With Cayman on the brink of embarking on a nationwide green iguana cull, the population of the invasive species continues to creep upward.
Poisons regulation to close cat cull loophole
New regulations allowing officials to sanction the poisoning of animals in certain circumstances could pave the way for the resumption of a planned cull of feral cats said to pose a threat to rare seabirds on the Sister Islands.
DoE: Coral colonies sustain ‘serious’ damage from ship
Small coral colonies sustained serious damage from Cayman’s pirate-themed ship the Jolly Roger when it ran aground during heavy rains on Sept. 10, according to the Department of Environment.
EDITORIAL – Iguana eradication: Funding the war Cayman must win
It is important that the Department of Environment proceed with openness and transparency on this issue going forward. There is no conceivable need – or excuse – for secrecy or privacy.
Iguana cullers seek looser air gun rules
Environment officials are in talks with police in an effort to relax Cayman’s gun regulations in order to fast track new air-rifle permits for an islandwide cull of invasive green iguanas.
Environment chief removed from cruise project committee
The Department of Environment is no longer represented on the steering committee overseeing the cruise berthing project.
DoE ready to launch $9 million iguana cull
The Department of Environment is seeking a contractor to manage a full-scale, multi-year cull of green iguanas that aims to remove 1.4 million of the invasive lizards from Grand Cayman by the end of next year.
Large floating Styrofoam lure removed from water
The Department of Environment responded to a report of abandoned fishing gear off the coast of Grand Cayman on Friday and found a fish aggregation device arranged in the water.
44 respond to call for nationwide iguana cull
A call for iguana hunters and culling businesses to put themselves forward for a nationwide eradication effort attracted 44 responses.
Feral cats pose threat to survival of Brac seabirds
Feral cats present a threat to the survival of a rare seabird colony on Cayman Brac, according to Department of Environment researchers.
Council emphasizes concern over festival site decision
The Central Planning Authority’s decision to approve the Dart group’s plans for a festival site without considering environmental implications may not be legal, according to Gina Ebanks-Petrie, director of the Department of Environment.
Clearing sargassum comes with environmental risks
As thick mats of yellow seaweed continue to invade Cayman’s beaches, canals and harbors, environment officials are warning the cure could be worse than the problem.
Rare coral threatened by disease
Scientists are attempting to save a rare species of “pillar coral” blighted by disease.
West Bay condo development approved
Plans for an $8 million, 60-unit condo development in West Bay have been approved by the Central Planning Authority.
Large chicken farm approved in East End
Plans for an $800,000 commercial poultry farm of up to 10,000 chickens in East End have been approved, despite concerns about the method of farming intended for the site.
Search for man missing at sea called off
The search for 54-year-old Linvol Smith, missing in waters off Cayman Brac since Friday, has been called off.
Letter: Cruise berthing facility will have negative impact
With traffic in George Town already at a standstill, and tourist attractions such as Stingray City becoming dangerously overcrowded, accommodating these additional 800,000 cruise passengers on an annual basis could have an extensive negative impact on the island.
Conch, whelk, lobster and game bird seasons close
The Department of Environment is reminding the public that the season for taking conch, whelk, lobster or game birds is now closed.
Recovered ghost net may be reincarnated as sports shoes
Material from a deadly ghost net removed from Cayman’s waters last week is being shipped to the U.S. and may be used in the manufacture of Adidas sports shoes.
Divers spot sharks for science
Affectionate nicknames like Smudge, Scarlet and Big Bertha are not the first thing most people think of when they see a seven-foot shark cruise by.
Seabird study team highlights feral cat threat
Feral cats pose a threat to rare seabird populations on the Sister Islands, according to researchers who worked on a two-year study of nesting colonies.
A killer net in Cayman waters? Not today, Bobo
A deadly “ghost net” devouring fish and sharks off the coast of the Cayman Islands was removed from the water Friday thanks to the efforts of local fishermen.
UPDATED: ‘Ghost net’ removed from water Friday
A deadly "ghost net" discovered off Grand Cayman with hundreds of dead sharks and fish trapped inside was removed from the water Friday.
Sargassum seaweed returns to Cayman
Beachgoers reported an influx of sargassum seaweed this weekend at a number of beaches and coastal areas on the south side of Grand Cayman and in parts of West Bay.
Letter: Government is right to cull Sister Islands’ feral cats
All the feral cats I find on my property, I will give them to the government.
EDITORIAL – In the ‘Lizard Lotto,’ we’re putting our money on the lizards
One lesson about wars: Don’t declare them if you do not intend to win them.
No solution in sight for iguana control
It will take a dedicated commitment of money and resources to control or eradicate Cayman’s green iguana population, according to Department of Environment experts.
Beach lighting concern for sea turtle health
The instinct of sea turtle hatchlings to wander toward the brightest horizon has ensured the survival of the species for millions of years.
A fish tale on a giant scale
You have to repeat the phrase a couple of times to grasp the importance: the world’s second-largest, private, indoor, salt-water reef aquarium – and it is in Steve and Andrea Hughes’s Cayman Yacht Club living room.
Weekend Mail Call: ‘Catfight’ on the Sister Islands
The Compass editorial “Catfight on the sister Islands” had readers talking this week, as animal advocates took to the courts to halt government’s plan to cull booming feral cat populations.
Cat fight
Today's editorial cartoon
Lobster season closes
Cayman’s annual three-month lobster season ended Wednesday, Feb. 28. The closed season runs from March 1 to Nov. 30.
Feral cats
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – ‘Catfight’ on the Sister Islands
The claws came out last week in discussions about how best to control the Sister Islands’ booming feral cat populations when animal advocates turned to the courts to stop the Department of Agriculture and Department of Environment from culling the strays.
Feral cat challenge questions legality of cull
A legal challenge to the culling of feral cats on the Sister Islands has raised questions about the legality of such animal control methods under Cayman Islands law.
Microsoft founder settlement funds new mega-yacht moorings
Compensation money paid by Microsoft founder Paul Allen after his yacht damaged coral reef off Grand Cayman is being used to help ensure similar incidents do not happen in future.
Rarely seen pygmy whale washes ashore
A baby whale – preliminarily identified as a pygmy sperm whale – washed up on a beach in South Sound Thursday night. Staff at St. Matthews University performed a necropsy on the carcass over the weekend and were working to determine the cause of death.
East End shooting range approved
Plans for a $1.45 million commercial shooting range in East End have been given the green light by the Central Planning Authority.
Turtle patrol helps hatchlings beat the odds
Sometimes nature needs a little helping hand. From fishing hatchlings out of a condo pool at 2:30 a.m. to hatching eggs from storm-damaged nests in a bucket in her bathtub, Lucy Collyer is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
EDITORIAL – A ‘lobster tale’: Only 3 per restaurant — Who knew . ....
How many times have you heard it from a waiter: “Do you have any questions about the menu?”
Well, in this instance, actually, we do. “Where’s the local lobster?”
Iguana cullers shift sights to Cayman Brac
Cullers on Cayman Brac are hunting down a fledgling population of green iguanas in an effort to stop the invasive species from gaining a foothold on the island.
Law traps restaurants: Fresh local lobster a disappearing delicacy
Cayman restaurants have been caught off guard by a new regulation that could see fresh local lobster disappear from menus across the islands.
Government: Ensure Caviar is licensed
You will not be eating this delicacy without having the proper documentation. The Department of Environment sent out an advisory Tuesday alerting people that they cannot import caviar to Cayman without arranging for the appropriate CITES permit.
Lobster season opens Friday
The annual three-month lobster season opens on Friday, Dec. 1, and the Department of Environment is reminding the public to familiarize themselves with the catch limits.
DoE issues warning after spate of attacks on sharks
A series of shark attacks on Cayman Brac is causing concern – for the sharks, that is.
Ocean Week, Shark Project raising funds and awareness
Ocean Awareness Week kicked off Sunday, joining with the Department of Environment and its Shark Project, raising public awareness, hoping to persuade private companies to launch conservation efforts and underlining critical issues of marine health.
Cayman’s green iguana population tops 1 million
There are now more than a million invasive green iguanas on Grand Cayman, with culling efforts so far proving futile.
Ocean Conservation Month puts focus on plastic pollution
A tiny turtle hatchling negotiates a minefield of plastics and other debris as it makes its journey toward the sea. The image, snapped by a visiting media crew on a Little Cayman beach, demonstrates the threat posed by carelessly discarded trash to the island’s marine life.
Waste management project to undergo EIA
An environmental impact assessment will be required before construction on the Cayman Island’s new waste-management infrastructure can commence.
NEW: Suspected barracuda bite on SMB
A man received a suspected barracuda bite while in the water outside the Westin hotel on Seven Mile Beach Friday morning.
Kittiwake shipwreck a threat to coral reef, DoE says
The popular USS Kittiwake shipwreck has been deemed safe for divers, but concerns persist about the threat it now poses to natural coral reef.
Tip of the spear, end of an era
Most young Cayman Islands fishermen will never know the thrill of the hunt – and sometimes, being hunted – that accompanies the practice of spearfishing.
‘It keeps washing in’: Sargassum chokes beaches in wake of Irma
Cayman’s business owners are teaming up to rid the beaches of a smelly vestige of Hurricane Irma. The Cayman Islands Tourism Association sent an advisory this week regarding the seaweed and trash that has been accumulating along Seven Mile Beach.
Planning begins for management of new protected areas
With six more protected areas added to the National Conservation Law, work is under way to acquire land and establish management protocol.
Iguana cull extended through Nov. 30
Contracts to cullers were issued with a provisional end day of Aug. 31, but the DOE has funds available to allow current contractors to continue for an extra three months.
Hunting season set to begin for Cayman’s game birds
Hunting season begins soon for Cayman’s game birds. The Department of Environment sent out a notice Tuesday alerting hunters that the blue-winged teal and white-winged dove will soon be on the menu. Hunting for blue-winged teal is prohibited from May through August.
‘Wave of marine life attacks’ concerns water sports businesses
Poachers are targeting snapper, grouper and conch in Cayman’s waters as well as more iconic and endangered species like stingrays and sea turtles, water sports business owners fear.
Turtle poaching ‘a growing problem’
Impaled with hooks and laid on its back in a tool shed, an endangered green sea turtle was saved from the butcher’s knife at the 11th hour last week. Department of Environment enforcement officers investigating reports of poaching in the eastern districts made the discovery on Thursday.
Green sea turtle rescued from jagged rocks
A large female green sea turtle was rescued in Grand Cayman on Tuesday after a group of residents found her trapped in ironshore rocks on the beach. The turtle had come ashore to nest but was unable to return to the sea because of the high, jagged rocks.
Northward prisoners turn their hands to leather working
Iguana wallets and handbags may soon be coming to a store near you, handmade by prisoners in Cayman. Northward prison has enlisted the talent of a craftsman from Guyana to teach inmates the finer points of tanning and leather working.
DOE: No environmental studies for 2 new hotels
Two new hotel projects planned for Grand Cayman will not be required to go through Environmental Impact Assessments before being granted planning approval. Director of the Department of Environment Gina Ebanks-Petrie said Wednesday that the department would offer its opinion to the Central Planning Authority on the projects but would not require either developer to go through the extra step of an independent study.
Islandwide GM mosquito release approved
The National Conservation Council on Wednesday unanimously approved the islandwide rollout of the genetically modified mosquito program without the need for a new independent risk assessment. Bill Petrie, head of the Mosquito Research and Control Unit, said a national program using the technique to fight the disease-spreading Aedes aegypti mosquito could begin in February next year.
Exotic species
Today's editorial cartoon
Exotic pet probe continues
Customs officers are continuing to investigate an attempt to import a sugar glider possum into the Cayman Islands last week.
Residents encouraged to clean up Cayman
The Cayman Islands Department of Environment is inviting residents to join a competition called Take5Cayman, which aims to help clean up the area’s precious natural resources.
Only 1,400 iguanas culled in May, concerning environment chiefs
Environment officials are rethinking their iguana-control strategy after a weak return in the first month of a planned community cull.
EDITORIAL – Few winners in Cayman’s ‘Lizard Lotto’
The Cayman Islands government’s big idea – to supplement professional green iguana cullers with a volunteer "lizard lotto" – turned out to be a bad idea.
19 loggerhead turtle nests discovered on Little Cayman
Nineteen loggerhead turtle nests and another 21 "turtle related activities" were verified recently on Little Cayman by Department of Environment turtle conservation intern Lucy Collyer.
Wanted: Volunteers to find turtle tracks
The Department of Environment is seeking volunteers in Bodden Town, Rum Point, North Side and East End to search the beaches for turtle tracks and nests.
Lionfish culling tournament nets 503 fish
The sustained effort to eradicate lionfish from Cayman reefs continued over the weekend, when the Cayman United Lionfish League held its 22nd culling tournament of the invasive species.
Cayman earns approval on endangered species trade regulations
Cayman Islands businesses will be able to continue international trade of commercially important yet protected species without threat of suspension after being deemed fully compliant with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Proposed Little Cayman road draws DoE warning
Proposals for a new road in Little Cayman could open up 200 acres of “pristine primary habitat” to potential development, the Department of Environment has warned.
