Hon Mark Scotland Minister of Health, Environment, Youth, Sports and Culture The Government Administration Building Grand Cayman RE: Proposed expansion of Cayman’s Marine Parks Dear Minister Scotland, I am writing to you to express my support for the proposed expansion of Cayman’s Marine Parks, as it has been outlined and suggested by the Department of the Environment. It is critical that the recommended expansion of the Marine Parks system goes forward to ensure a healthy, vibrant marine ecosystem in the Cayman Islands. Local fish stocks are threatened today as never before, and protecting only conch, lobster and grouper are no longer enough. Without new measures to protect all reef fish, stingrays, sharks, mammals and invertebrates, the Cayman Islands will have the problems Jamaica and Haiti now face: reef systems that are now beyond the point of no return. Tourism is one of the main pillars of the Cayman Islands economy, and it relies on a beautiful, healthy marine environment. Each year, tens of thousands of visitors arrive to the Cayman Islands with the sole purpose of enjoying diving, snorkeling and swimming. We stand to lose millions of dollars annually if the marine parks are not expanded. Research efforts confirm that marine parks in the Cayman Islands: • show significantly more fish than non-marine park areas • show lower percentage of corals that are bleached than non-marine park areas • typically have lower incidence of coral diseases than non-marine park areas • have higher coral recruitment than non-marine park areas, a critical factor to continued growth of coral reefs • have much higher percentage of coral cover than non-marine park areas More marine park reserves means more fish for divers, snorkelers, fishermen and a healthier reef system. Please help to preserve our marine resources for generations to come by supporting the expanded plan for Cayman’s Marine Parks. Respectfully yours,
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Cc: Jennifer Ahearn, Chief Officer Ministry Health, Environment, Youth, Sports and Culture Gina Ebanks-Petrie, Director, Cayman Islands Department of Environment
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