CITA coordinates Earth Week clean-ups

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Tourism Association (CITA) Watersports Committee has said that it is again coordinating the Earth Day Reef Watch Survey on 24 April in partnership with the Department of Environment. Described as a fun but scientifically useful event that residents and visitors alike can get involved in, divers and snorkelers are being asked to fill out surveys about the marine life they see during their dives. The DOE will then compile the results and enter them into its database of Reef Watch Results stretching back from 1997. Last year’s survey was adapted to include Lionfish sightings, which will continue this year, CITA said.

Lionfish are an Indo-Pacific species which have invaded Cayman waters. They eat large quantities of juvenile fish and invertebrates but have no predators themselves because of their venomous spines. Lionfish can inflict a painful wound if handled, so the Department of Environment cautions survey participants not to approach a Lionfish if one is sighted and to alert a divemaster, who will report it to the DoE for removal.

Some dive operators are offering participants returning a completed survey a free Earth Day T-shirt while supplies last. Many of the operators offer a free tank for shore diving or a free one-tank boat dive, depending on availability, for divers participating in the Reef Watch Survey and/or free snorkelling gear for participants, so contact the individual operator to find out what is on offer. Participating shops, included Divetech, Don Fosters Dive, Eden Rock Diving Centre, Ocean Frontiers, Red Sail Sports and Pirates Point on Little Cayman.

Meanwhile, on shore people can still get involved in Earthweek activities by joining in the ironshore and beach clean ups.

Ocean Frontiers will be conducting a clean up in East End Beach as well as a Reef Watch snorkel. Beach clean up will take place in the morning of Saturday, 24 April. Earth day participants will be taken by boat to snorkel inside the East End reef and given Reef Watch surveys to complete afterward. Call 947-7500 for details and to reserve space on the boat.

The Central Caribbean Marine Institute will be doing a clean up with Cayman International School and Montessori By the Sea, as part of the Marine Ecology Courses they are doing this week/weekend. Also, CCMI has released its latest Green Guide, which is now in all the major supermarkets, in support of the Earth Week activities.

Divetech & Cobalt Coast will be doing an underwater clean up 24 April and Pirates Point Resort on Little Cayman will be coordinates beach cleanups throughout the week of April 19 – 26. Red sail Sports is offering a free one-tank dive to do a reef clean up on Saturday 24 April. Check in at the Grand Cayman Beach Suites at 2:00 pm. Phone 949 8745 for reservation.

For more information about Earth Day activities or the Reef Watch Survey call the Cayman Islands Tourism Association on 949-8522 or email: erinbodden@cita.ky