News regarding Stingray City Tours

[crimmper]

I don't know if this has been posted already. The following report comes from Cayman NETNEWS.

 

Commercial licence required for Stingray City

 

Monday, June 18, 2007

 

Under new regulations recently passed in the Legislative Assembly, all commercial boat operators are now required to have a licence to visit the Sandbar and deep Stingray City, which have been designated as Wildlife Interaction Zones.

The Marine Conservation Board is now accepting applications for tourist boat licences, which can be obtained at the Department of Environment. All commercial operators are urged to have their applications in before 11 July, in order to continue visiting the above areas in compliance with the new Regulations.

Applications will be reviewed during July, and licences will be issued within 30 days of 13 July – the day on which the Board will meet to review applications. Licences are valid for three years and will cost $300 for vessels 50 ft. or shorter in length and $600 for vessels longer than 50 ft.

An initial non-refundable application fee will also be charged with vessels 50 ft. or longer in length paying $200 and those shorter in length paying $100. Although valid for three years, licences may be revoked by the Marine Conservation Board at any time if conditions are not met.

“These Regulations will help to control the number of passengers that may be carried to any of the designated zones,” noted the Minister of Tourism, Environment, Investment and Commerce, the Hon Charles Clifford.

“They will also regulate the mooring or anchoring of boats, and will require boats to be marked or to display visible evidence that they are licensed to be in the zone,” he said.

 

The following are specific conditions to be met by each applicant. If these criteria are not satisfied, applications will not be approved.

1.) Applications must be made to the Marine Conservation Board.

2.) Applicants must be 18 years or older.

3.) The vessel owner must apply for the licence, which is specific to the vessel, not the captain.

4.) Applicants for companies must be associated with the company.

5.) Each commercial vessel entering the Wildlife Interaction Zone must be licensed.

6.) Proof of a Trade and Business Licence for watersports.

7.) Proof of Port Authority registration, and all required annual fees must be up to date.

Another condition for licence approval is that each commercial vessel using the Wildlife Interaction Zone must have a holding tank (if the vessel has a head). Vessels 50 ft or longer in length have one year to install a holding tank; vessels 50 ft. or shorter in length have 18 months to comply.

“Any vessel that has a head but is too small to have a holding tank is required, under the regulations, to install a portable one,” said Marine Conservation Board Secretary Phil Bush.

Department of Environment Chief Marine Enforcement Officer, Ladner Watler, reminds all commercial operators wishing to use the Wildlife Interaction Zones that entry into these areas without a license could result in prosecution under the Marine Conservation Law.

For more information on the Wildlife Interaction Zones Regulations, visit the Department of Environment at 580 North Sound Way or call 949-8469.

 

[crimmper]

So, does anyone think this will reduce the number excursions (tours) going to stingray city?

[crimmper]

So, does anyone think this will reduce the number excursions (tours) going to stingray city?

 

 

Anybody, Anybody.... Bueller.....Bueller.......Bueller......:D

[margincall]

danke shcoen(sp?)

[twinkletoes4445]

Anybody, Anybody.... Bueller.....Bueller.......Bueller......:D

 

 

LOL....I loved that movie!!

 

No, I don't think it will reduce the numbers of boats at Stingray Sandbar. But this will probably keep Joe Schmoe from showing up at the dock and snagging unsuspecting tourists for an excursion on his boat that may not be up to snuff.

[boowaaccaa]

...and probably increase the cost to the tourist.

[twinkletoes4445]

...and probably increase the cost to the tourist.

 

I could be wrong, but I don't think that will happen. We go to Cayman for land visits, and the government likes to keep a handle on what's going on with the tourists. I think this is mainly to prevent somone from plucking tourists from the port and taking them out on a boat that's not in the best of shape.

[232271]

what about the wave runner tours and snuba in the Stingray that Carnival is offering? Wonder how this will affect those tours? How do they regulate these type of watercrafts?

 

I guess I wont book these at this time.

[twinkletoes4445]

what about the wave runner tours and snuba in the Stingray that Carnival is offering? Wonder how this will affect those tours? How do they regulate these type of watercrafts?

 

I guess I wont book these at this time.

 

I think this is just an effort to control who and how many tourists are at Stingray Sandbar on a given day. There are just so many ships in port these days, that I'll bet there are people who are showing up at the dock and offering to take tourists for excusrions. The tourist have no way of knowing if this person has a license or not, nor if their boat is seaworthy. If they are required to be licensed, then they would have to meet certain specifications to be granted a license, which will make things safe for the tourists.

 

If you want to do the snuba and wave runner tour, I'd book them.

 

It's a zoo these days in Cayman, and I just think they're trying to get a handle on how many people visit Stringray Sandbar. What they really need to do is limit the number of ships they allow in port on any given day. Six and up (to ten) is too many.

[moencat]

May or may not be true, but in May we were told by our cab driver in Grand Cayman that there is a plan to begin reducing the number of cruise ships in port by 3 per day.

[twinkletoes4445]

May or may not be true, but in May we were told by our cab driver in Grand Cayman that there is a plan to begin reducing the number of cruise ships in port by 3 per day.

 

That's good to know about the possible reduction of ships. I sure hope they do something because it is just too crowded. The last time we were there, we were the only boat at Stingray Sandbar (for a little bit). It was so nice. But there were no ships in port that day, so that does make a difference.