Enjoy Little Cayman Diving at its Best!

Summer 2002

Those who knew him will agree that he was the most extraordinary grouper that ever lived in the Cayman Islands. 

He was everybody's friend, loved interacting with divers, sometimes escorting them for entire dives. He enjoyed being stroked gently on his forehead and jaw, but more than anything else, he adored being led into a squirrel fish pursuit, just for the fun of it.
He had appeared on the Travel Channel and was even featured in a Cayman-o-War exclusive interview.

But Ben is gone. 

He never came back from the last grouper spawning aggregation that took place last February. Why would he not come back? Most likely because he was finally caught by fishermen. The fishermen were allowed this year an unlimited number of catches per boat, no restrictions, while diving was prohibited!!!

Thousands of groupers were slaughtered in just a few weeks, and while most resorts refused to buy grouper for their restaurant, there were a few who did, justifying the shameful massacre. Finally, when the season was over, it was decided that next year there would be a total ban on fishing grouper, and every other year thereafter a limited number of catches would be allowed per boat, per day.

Let's hope this law will be enforced since groupers are thought to travel hundred of miles to spawn, and the over-fishing in Little Cayman might affect much more than our own reefs.

 We'll miss you, Ben.

Underwater images taken here in Little Cayman were featured on Rodale's Scuba Diving Online in July. We invite you to have a look at the Photographer of the Week Gallery.

The staff at Paradise Divers