Reduce the spread of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease

March 2021 - If you are diving or snorkeling anywhere in the Cayman Islands, and before traveling between Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands, please disinfect your gear before diving or snorkeling in a new location.

Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) was confirmed in the Cayman Islands in June 2020 and poses a significant threat to our coral reefs. In response to this threat, the Cayman Islands Department of Environment has launched the SCTLD Response Project in the hope of slowing down the disease spread.

Divers and snorkelers can reduce their likelihood of transferring stony coral tissue loss disease through proper buoyancy, avoiding touching marine organisms and sanitizing equipment between dives and before and after each dive excursion, especially when traveling between countries or between infected and uninfected locations. Pathogens on dive gear may survive for extended periods and can be transferred among reefs.

PhDivaDiver Coral Foundation has donated 15 bins and cleaning solution placed at most dive locations on both Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac Islands. Thank you to our generous funders who allow us to support this initiative which was pulled off in less than one week. Thank you to the entire crew on Cayman, and at the Department of Environment, for protecting our corals. This is a true partnership.

For more information on SCTLD, visit: http://doe.ky/marine/sctld/