Megatourism, intensive fishing, and sewage, sewage, sewage

To help save the reefs of the Cayman Islands (U.K.), get active with these groups:

Hunting Aquatic Resources

Hot in Here? Rising ocean temperatures bring deadly bleaching to Caribbean corals like this pillar coral in the Caymans. Photo: Mike Bacon/Tom Stack & Assoc.

Corals in this British possession are mainly healthy, but still threatened by bleaching, depletion of coastal mangroves, sewage, oil-related pollution, and tourism impacts, notably destruction by cruise ship anchors and anchor chains.

The government has responded with effective controls on some of the worst practices. In 1978 and 1986, the Cayman Islands passed some of the Caribbean's most effective marine-protection laws, and in 1993 insituted a fine of up to $625,000 against any vessel that pollutes its territorial waters. The government now plans to implement a comprehensive reef management program, adding permanent moorings, spreading dive sites out to less-frequented areas, setting standards for watersports operators, and promoting snorkeling more heavily.

It's even had a little help from the cruise industry. In December 1996 the Holland America cruise line donated $100,000 to the National Trust for the Cayman Islands for the development and preservation of a marine bird sanctuary on Little Cayman Island. Seem generous? Oddly enough, the Cayman government was at that very moment pondering what Holland America owed for allowing its cruise ship Maasdam to drop and drag its massive anchor across a local scuba and snorkeling site called Cheeseburger Reef.