Sustainable Management Of Threatened Predators Enhances Reef Resilience

Cayman's anglers and divers will be the key beneficiaries of a recent award received by the Department of Environment (DoE) and its partners, which will be used to promote the sustainable management of marine species that enhance Cayman's delicate, vibrant and economically vital reefs.

The two-year Darwin Plus Award will help DoE and Marine Conservation International (MCI) – along with Bangor University and the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation – to protect some of Cayman's threatened and key marine species: oceanic whitetip, tiger and Caribbean reef sharks, and grey snappers and tiger groupers.

Healthy populations of these species enhance the capacity of Cayman's coral reefs, which are vital to tourists, resident divers, snorkelers, and fishers; moreover, they are important in withstanding climate change, explained DoE Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie.