Protect the Discovery Bay fish sanctuary

THE EDITOR, Sir:

AS A member of the Discovery Bay community, I am deeply concerned and very angry that the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has approved yet another dolphin cove in Jamaica to be placed in Discovery Bay. This most beautiful stretch of white-sand beach, unspoilt by hotels, is one of the island’s treasures. The beach is located in a cove and the water is always very calm. This is important to note because dolphin excrement will not be easily washed out to sea.

The Fisheries Department declared the bay a fish sanctuary and, according to Professor Mona Webber of The University of the West Indies marine lab, the water quality in the bay has since improved a lot. It is, therefore, quite baffling and mindboggling that NEPA would now approve a facility that will destroy the bay. Marine experts (some have written to the Government) agree that the added nutrients from dolphin excrement will have a negative impact on the ecology of the bay. The proposed placement of the dolphin cages in the water would be only a few feet from swimmers. Visitors to the beach will be swimming in bacteria from dolphin excrement.

What is also surprising is that Mr Kenny Benjamin, executive chairman of the Guardsman Group, who has invested so much in the development of Puerto Seco Beach, does not appear to understand the threat to the bay that a dolphin cove would pose. I am urging the Government to withdraw approval of the dolphin cove immediately. I am also urging the Fisheries Department to support our campaign to protect the fish sanctuary in Discovery Bay. SHARON LEWARS Concerned resident

‘Visitors to the beach will be swimming in bacteria from dolphin excrement.’