Assessment and conservation of Cayman Islands’ deep-water reefs and fishes
Key Facts
FUNDING SCHEME Darwin Plus Main
VALUE £207,681
WHERE Cayman Islands
Summary
The Cayman Islands lie adjacent to deep ocean trenches, yet little is known of its marine life below 50m, or whether its deep reefs offer a refuge from climate change. The project will undertake surveys of Cayman seabed habitats down to 2000m and evaluate connectivity between shallow-water and deep-reef communities. The work will focus on threatened and commercial fish species, including sharks, and map the distribution of deep-water coral and other biotopes with a view to designating additional protected areas.
