Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – The Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI), funded by Walkers and the UK Government’s Darwin Plus Programme, recently published a paper in the scientific journal Nature Scientific Reports following a study into the response of fish in Grand Cayman harbour to the reduction of water-based activities, including shipping, during the Covid-19 lockdown. 

The project examined the response of fish communities to this period of altered activity, measuring number of individual fish and species, and the biomass of fish at Eden Rock, Don Fosters, Fish Point, and Wharf from 2020-2022. This study provides unprecedented insights to the impacts of human activity and the resilience of reef fish populations.

CCMI’s research team found that the abundance and biomass of fish populations near the main harbour of Grand Cayman were lowest when the study began near the start of lockdown, in July 2020, and continued to increase through 2021 to early 2022 in the absence of cruise ships.

It is likely that these increases are due to shifts in fish behaviour, where they re-enter areas of previously high activity, and improved fish fitness, leading to more reproduction. Research has found that reductions in stress from water-based activities, such as noise and boat waste, improve fish feeding, sociality, reproduction, and overall healthy functioning. 

When compared to data from 2018, CCMI’s results showed a three-fold significant increase in reef-fish biomass during the lockdown. These benefits were also seen in individual fish species, such as parrotfish, which are crucial for maintaining healthy coral reef systems.

CCMI’s Postdoctoral Researcher, Dr Jack Johnson, explains what these results mean: 

“CCMI’s findings are exciting because they prove that both immediate and long-term changes in fish communities can occur when human water-based activities are limited. Given the role of fish for coral reef health, these findings should be considered in future coral reef management strategies.”

Similar studies have documented the short-term effects on Covid-19 lockdowns on biodiversity. However, CCMI’s study is unique that these effects were examined over a two-year period and showed substantial benefits to fish populations in Grand Cayman over a longer duration with the reduction of stress from water-based activities. 

These findings could have implications for future planning decisions in the marine environment of the Cayman Islands. Society relies on healthy fish populations for many services, food provision, fisheries and tourism are well known supporting functions of reef fish. However, additional benefits such as grazing algae and maintaining ecosystem balance are also crucial to the healthy functioning of coral reefs and the wider marine environment. 

In addition to the economic and dietary benefits, a healthy marine environment can also support climate change mitigation, provide coastal protection from storm surge, and regulate climate and weather. 

Coral reefs are an essential ecosystem that underpin societal well-being, supporting health, the economy and coastal security. 

These ecosystems are under threat, and the more scientists understand what impacts their health, the better we can protect them through planning and management. CCMI’s research shows how reef fish populations can bounce back when stresses such as noise and pollution from shipping activity is reduced.  

CCMI presented the findings from this research to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations to ensure that the results are disseminated to managers and decision makers for consideration during planning decisions around development and marine activities. 

As the world has re-opened after Covid-19, this study demonstrates that key lessons can be learnt from this time about the impacts of human activity on nature and how this can inform management for a sustainable and resilient future.

Read the full paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-49221-y

ABOUT CCMI

CCMI is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1998 to protect the future of coral reefs, envisioning a world with vibrant oceans and healthy coral reef ecosystems. We seek to be the Caribbean’s premier marine research institute by delivering cutting edge research, transforming conservation strategy and developing education programmes of excellence – discovering and promoting real solutions to declining ocean health. Our plan is to invigorate key species and understand key ocean processes that drive reef resilience. We support early career scientists who are INNOVATING ways to improve coral reef health. We are TRANSFORMING conservation strategy and work to inspire the CHANGE that is needed to achieve our mission. CCMI are PIONEERS in the region working to reverse the declines of coral reefs. 

CCMI is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (ID# 22-3609293). CCMI is also a UK charity (#1104009) and Cayman Islands nonprofit (NP-03) with satellite offices in both the United Kingdom and on Grand Cayman. To deliver our mission, we also have a range of outstanding international partnerships and collaborators, all with a clear, simplistic goal to protect oceans for the future.

CCMI has a 2023 Candid. (formerly Guidestar) Platinum Seal of Transparency.

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Results from Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz Underscore Urgent Need to Address Single-Use Plastic in National Parks

SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA (January 31, 2024) — The 5 Gyres Institute published findings from Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz, an annual community science project that tracks waste trends in U.S. national parks. According to data submitted by volunteers, plastic is the most prevalent material polluting national parks and federal lands for the second year in a row.

Single-use plastic items made up the bulk of waste found, with food wrappers, cigarette butts, wipes, bottles and bottle caps, film, and bags included in the top 10 identifiable items. Notably, plastic fragments made up 25% of the entire study, exhibiting plastics’ tendency to break up into smaller and smaller pieces once in the environment. 

The top brands identified primarily represent tobacco and food & beverage companies, including Marlboro, Camel, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Starbucks, and Budweiser. For the first time, this year’s report also tracked brands to their respective parent corporations, finding Philip Morris International as the top corporate polluter in the study.

Project partners mobilized volunteers across the country to participate at national parks and federal lands like urban parks, forests, and monuments managed by the National Park Service. From April through November, hundreds of volunteers participated in 199 data collection and clean-up hauls across the country, inputting more than 8,000 pieces of trash into the TrashBlitz research platform. TrashBlitz volunteers also sampled data at Yosemite Facelift, an annual cleanup event in Yosemite National Park during which 1,476 volunteers collected 10,432 pounds of trash.

The data from Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz underscores an urgent need to address single-use plastic in national parks. In addition to passing legislation like the Reducing Waste in National Parks Act, which would ban several of the top items found, parks can take steps like increasing access to refill stations and implementing reusable foodware for on-site dining.

The report also recommends expanding TrashBlitz audits across the National Parks Service next year to better track trends. This year’s audit had plastic making up 66% of material recorded, compared to last year’s 81%, but with limited data, it’s unclear if this represents a trend across all parks. Notably, many park units have taken steps to reduce single-use plastic in the past year, like Yosemite Hospitality’s removal of single-use plastic bottles.

The full report from Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz can be found at 5gyres.org/PlasticFreeParks.

Nonprofit and brand partners supporting Plastic-Free Parks TrashBlitz include 5 Gyres, Accenture, Active San Gabriel Valley, Adventure Scientists, Azulita Project, Bee’s Wrap, Break Free From Plastic, BYOBottle, Center for Environmental Health, ChicoBag & To-Go Ware, Culture of Cleanliness, Epson America, Inc., Grove Collaborative, Habits of Waste, Heal the Bay, Heirs To Our Ocean, Inland Ocean Coalition, Klean Kanteen, Last Plastic Straw, LIDSOFF.org, Liquid Death, Mission:Clean Beaches, Moore Institute, No Trace Trails, Oceana, Parks Project, Pepperdine University, Plaine Products, Plastic Free Future, Plastic Pollution Coalition, Preserve, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, Ray Brown’s Talkin’ Birds radio show, Save Our Shores, Sea Save Foundation, Shark Stewards, Student PIRGs, Sway, The Bay Foundation, The Last Beach Cleanup, Toad&Co, Upstream, and Yosemite Climbing Association.

About The 5 Gyres Institute

The 5 Gyres Institute (5 Gyres) is a leader in the global movement against plastic pollution with more than 10 years of expertise in scientific research, engagement, and education. With the original goal of answering a few key scientific questions about ocean plastics, co-founders Marcus Eriksen and Anna Cummins led 19 research expeditions in all five subtropical gyres, as well as many of the world’s lakes and rivers. 5 Gyres continues to lead with scientific research to drive upstream solutions through education, advocacy, and community building. Learn more at 5gyres.org and @5gyres.

About TrashBlitz

TrashBlitz is a data collection platform and community-focused research project created by The 5 Gyres Institute. The community-based project is designed to engage local stakeholders in measuring plastic pollution and other trash across various cities – from shorelines to riverbeds to urban neighborhoods – and utilizing data to generate relevant action plans. TrashBlitz provides robust research protocols, a web-based platform that identifies problem products and brands, and a network to bring diverse stakeholders together to co-create solutions to stop plastic pollution at the source.

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Tasmania, an isolated island state of Australia, is a bastion of rare and unique biodiversity, a living showcase of ancient ecological history. This verdant, mountainous island, separated from mainland Australia by the tempestuous Bass Strait, has evolved over millions of years into a distinct ecological niche. Its geographical isolation, combined with diverse topographical features ranging from rugged coastlines to highland moorlands, has fostered the development of a rich tapestry of flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to the island.

The island’s varied vegetation is a testament to its ancient Gondwanan legacy. From the dense, wet eucalypt forests in the south, west, and northwest to the drier eucalypt woodlands of the east, Tasmania’s forests are some of the most extensive and well-preserved temperate rainforests in the world. Among these ancient forests, the Huon pine stands out, some individual trees of which are more than 2,000 years old, making them among the oldest living organisms on Earth. These forests are remnants of the vegetation that covered much of Earth’s tropics millions of years ago, with many species being direct descendants of the flora that thrived on the supercontinent Gondwana.

Tasmania’s unique flora is complemented by its diverse fauna. The island is a haven for wildlife, with many species having evolved in isolation, free from the predatory pressures present on the mainland. This isolation has led to the evolution of species found nowhere else. The Tasmanian devil, the world’s largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, is perhaps the most famous of these. Other notable species include the Tasmanian pademelon, eastern quoll, and the shy Tasmanian bettong. The island’s avian population is equally fascinating, with species like the endangered orange-bellied parrot and the Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle calling the island home.

Tasmania’s aquatic ecosystems are no less remarkable. The island’s rivers, lakes, and surrounding seas are teeming with life. Its freshwater systems are home to unique species like the Tasmanian giant freshwater crayfish, the world’s largest, and the spotted handfish, a critically endangered species found only in the Derwent River estuary. The surrounding seas are rich in marine life, including the Australian fur seal, the common dolphin, and various whale species that migrate along its coast.

The biodiversity of Tasmania is not only of ecological and scientific significance but also of immense conservation importance. Tasmania’s environment has faced challenges, including habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change. The state has implemented various conservation initiatives to protect its unique ecosystems. The Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, covering about 20% of the island, is one of the largest conservation reserves in Australia. This area includes renowned national parks like Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair and the Southwest National Park, safeguarding a variety of habitats and species. Conservation efforts extend beyond government initiatives, with private land conservation programs playing a vital role in protecting biodiversity on private properties.

Tasmania’s ecological story is one of resilience and adaptability. From the ancient Huon pines to the elusive Tasmanian devil, the island’s biodiversity is a window into both the past and the potential future of ecosystems under changing environmental conditions. The ongoing efforts to preserve and understand this unique biodiversity underscore the global importance of Tasmania as a natural laboratory for studying evolution, ecology, and conservation.

As a microcosm of the planet’s ecological diversity, Tasmania offers invaluable insights into the complex interplay between species and their environments. It stands as a beacon of ecological richness, reminding us of the delicate balance that sustains life on our planet. The preservation of Tasmania’s biodiversity is not just a regional concern but a global imperative, essential for maintaining the ecological integrity of our world.

Tasmania’s biodiversity, shaped by millions of years of isolation and unique geological history, presents a remarkable case study in the resilience and adaptability of life. Its ancient forests, endemic wildlife, and diverse marine ecosystems form a mosaic of life that is as scientifically fascinating as it is crucial to preserve. As the world grapples with environmental challenges, Tasmania’s story of conservation and ecological diversity serves as both a cautionary tale and a source of hope for the future of our planet’s biodiversity.