Grand Cayman was number one on the Caribbean Journal’s list of 19 Best Caribbean Islands to Visit in 2019 and second on Scuba Diving Magazine Readers Choice Awards list for ‘Best Scuba Diving in the World‘ for the Caribbean and Atlantic region.

Forbes included Seven Mile Beach on its 2019 list of ‘World’s Best Beaches‘, and this week also lauded the Cayman Islands for its conservation projects that are attracting eco-tourists.

While the Department of Environment continues to advise government on the pressing need to enhance the now inadequate marine protections, which Cabinet has still not approved, the private sector and non-profit organisations are helping to improve Cayman’s green credentials.

Efforts such as ‘sea sense’ menu options in restaurants (an initiative of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands), support for shark conservation by the local brewery, the work of the CCMI in Little Cayman and Plastic Free Cayman’s encouragement of ‘volun-tourism’ have all led Forbes to describe the Cayman Islands as a trendsetter in tourist-related conservation.

Another addition to the green credentials is the partnership between Sunset House, a popular dive resort, and Aaron Hunt, the coordinator of the Eco Divers Reef Foundation, who will be running a training programme in coral conservation and reef renewal.

Hunt already manages 14 coral nurseries here and has had some success. However, the issue of coral relocation is currently causing controversies because of government’s claim that coral under threat from its port project can be picked up and moved as a solution to the extensive destruction the project will have on the George Town reefs.

While Hunt’s transplanted corals in the Sunset House nursery recently spawned, this is no indication that coral which has been growing for hundreds of years can just be relocated. Nevertheless, the work is important and seeding, growing and relocating coral will, over the long term, become an important element in coral conservation.

Dive Manager at Sunset, Mike Pinnington, said that everyone is concerned about the future of coral and Hunt will be teaching guest divers, guiding them through the coral nursery. He will also train local instructors how to teach coral restoration work.