The Cost of Cruises: Planned Caribbean Port Would Destroy Coral Reefs

[Omaha Steve]

The Grand Cayman Island project could crush acres of delicate corals to make way for a cruise ship dock.



George Town in Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands. (Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images)

JUN 23, 2015

Taylor Hill is TakePart's associate environment and wildlife editor.

If you have to destroy the pristine reef systems that attract tourists to your island in the first place, is an expanded cruise ship port really worth it?

The government of Grand Cayman Island has proposed to build a $250 million berthing facility that would provide docking and direct shore access to as many as four cruise ships at once. That would be more convenient for passengers and crew than the current system, which requires large cruise ships to anchor offshore, and use smaller vessels to taxi passengers to and from the island.

But construction and dredging for the port would also damage or destroy acres of reefs and animal habitat, according to the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, and take millions in tourism dollars along with them.

An environmental impact statement on the project was released on June 9. Around 15 acres of reef would be destroyed by the project, and another 15 to 20 negatively affected, according to the report. That’s bad news for the 26 unique coral species identified in the harbor, two of which are considered “critically endangered” and four as “threatened” under U.S. endangered species law.

FULL story at link.

[olddots]

1. The Cayman Islands are a toilet for 1 % ers

anyone who goes there is either completely unwise or evil .

[MuseRider]

4. That may be to a point

but there is some incredible diving there. I have been there twice. I have no idea what anything above water is like there except the tiny resort area we stayed in. Bloody Bay wall is worth scrimping and saving to get to if that is your thing regardless what else is going on there.

[lpbk2713]

2. This so that multi-millionaires could come and visit their hidden accounts?

That would be the only reason for hedge fund managers and others to come to the Grand Caymans.

[Auggie]

3. I won't be surprised when it happens