Jamaica to Get First Underwater Sculpture Park, Creating Habitat For Marine Life

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Plans are in the works for Jamaica’s first underwater sculpture park that will create a habitat for marine life and serve as a new tourism attraction in Montego Bay.

Executive Director of the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust in St. James, Hugh Shim (left) and Lecturer of Philosophy in the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Khimaja Connell. (via AVAIR NEMBHARD/JIS)The project is being jointly developed by the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust in St. James and Smilozone Waste Management Limited, to further promote awareness about the marine and coastal environment.

Addressing a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’, on Tuesday, Executive Director of the Marine Park, Hugh Shim, said the underwater attraction will entail a village depicting “Jamaican-type mermaid” sculptures made of glass.

A 500-pound mermaid figure has already been crafted and will be the first sculpture installed.

“The sculpture park has two real purposes. One, these sculptures become coral reefs eventually or they become habitats for marine life. The other part is the tourism aspect. It would be a new attraction and there wouldn’t be any other like it in Jamaica,” Shim said.

He has invited individuals and organizations to be part of the initiative which he said is poised to enhance the health of the reef and ecosystem over the ensuing years.

“We try to be as creative as we can on volunteerism. So, anybody who can swim, you’re welcome to come and be one of our live mermaids,” he said.

Lecturer of Philosophy in the Department of Language, Linguistics and Philosophy at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, Khimaja Connell, said the creation of an underwater sculpture park will be a welcome addition to Montego Bay’s marine environment.

“Having a sculpture park with a mermaid story is a creative way to bring attention to the environment. I really commend the marine park for embarking on this [initiative] that helps us to think more about what is happening, especially in the ocean,” she said.

The Montego Bay Marine Park encompasses nearly 16 square kilometers of mixed-use marine protected area.