‘DEEP’ RESEARCH UNDERWAY INTO CAYMAN’S MARINE ENVIRONMENT

By Staff Writer

“An impressive sight in George Town this morning as the RRS James Cook arrived in our waters!” That’s how a social media post from the Governor’s Office (HE The Governor - Cayman Islands) exuberantly greeted the British research vessel as it docked in the George Town Harbour.

“We proudly waved off our eight Department of Environment experts as they joined this world-class research team,” it further stated, listing the various globally recognised research agencies which use the ship as a lab for international maritime surveys.

They are: Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), British Antarctic Survey, Natural History Museum - London, UK Hydrographic Office and the UK’s National Oceanography Centre.

The Cayman team, led by Kelly Forsythe of the Cayman Islands Department of Environment, will participate in the exploration of the jurisdiction’s offshore banks and deep-water environments. Specialist equipment include eDNA (environmental DNA) sampling, seafloor cameras, and acoustics to map and assess our marine environment for conservation and sustainable management.

The RRS (Royal Research Ship) James Cook is one of the world’s most advanced research ships, fitted with cutting-edge scientific instruments. It has been collecting vital data since setting sail on 13 January on a first-of-its-kind mission to explore uncharted waters across three Caribbean Overseas Territories: Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, and the Cayman Islands.

The expedition is part of the UK Blue Belt Programme’s ‘Beyond the Reef’ survey, aiming to improve scientific understanding of the ocean and seabed across approximately 365,000 km² of UK Overseas Territory seas. The data collected will help fill critical knowledge gaps and support evidence-based decisions to strengthen marine protection, sustainable fisheries, and responses to threats, including climate change, over-fishing, and pollution.

A team of 44 world-leading scientists from the UK and UK Overseas Territories have joined forces for this mission. Nineteen scientists and marine managers from the Territories are working directly alongside their UK counterparts aboard the ship, promoting collaboration, knowledge exchange, and increased scientific capacity across the region.

The data collected in Cayman’s waters - the last leg of the research tour - will provide the Department of Environment with robust scientific evidence to support sustainable management and targeted conservation efforts. It will also build local scientific capacity through hands-on training for Cayman’s marine protection area managers.

The final port call will be at George Town on February 25th, when information will be presented about the findings to support local understanding of Cayman’s unique and precious marine environment.