Friday, June 8, 2007
Thursday, June 7, 2007
News Release from Conservation International and IUCN
Caribbean Corals in Danger of Extinction,
Climate Change, Warmer Waters Cited as Leading Cause
Arlington, Virginia, USA, 7 June 2007 (Conservation International/IUCN) – Caribbean coral species are dying off, indicating dramatic shifts in the ecological balance under the sea, a new scientific study of Caribbean marine life shows.
The study found that 10 percent of the Caribbean’s 62 reef-building corals were under threat, including staghorn and elkhorn corals. These used to be the most prominent species but are now candidates to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
"One of the Atlantic Ocean's most beautiful marine habitats no longer exists in many places because of dramatic increases in coral diseases, mostly caused by climate change and warmer waters," said Dr. Michael L. Smith, director of the Caribbean Biodiversity Initiative at Conservation International.
A gathering of 23 scientists in Dominica in March 2007 analyzed data on Western Tropical Atlantic corals, seagrasses, mangroves and algae, which are fundamental components of marine ecosystems providing food and shelter for numerous other organisms and local communities. The study was funded in part by the Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Ocean Fund.
This was the first in a series of Global Marine Species Assessments (GMSA) of key marine primary-producers on a global scale. The GMSA is headquartered at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, and is a partnership between Conservation International (CI) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). It aims to dramatically increase the number of marine species assessed under the rigorous criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to provide up-to-date information for marine policy and conservation efforts.
After a final review, the species assessed during the Dominica workshop will be added to the 2008 IUCN Red List.
“Coral reefs support some of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. When the coral reefs disappear, so will many other species which rely on reefs for shelter, reproduction and foraging,” said Dr. Suzanne Livingstone, GMSA program officer.
The threats to corals and other marine species include coastal pollution and human development; increased sedimentation in run-off water; thermal stress and heightened severity of hurricanes from climate change; and shifts in species dynamics due to over-fishing, according to the study. Scientists explained that the Caribbean has undergone the longest and most sustained impacts from human development since the colonization of the Americas.
Next to corals, mangroves appear to be the hardest hit. Mangrove cover in the region has declined by 42% over the past 25 years, with two of the eight mangrove species now considered Vulnerable to extinction and two more in Near Threatened status.
“Mangroves protect shorelines, shelter fish, and filter pollution,” said Aaron Ellison of Harvard University. “The Caribbean was blessed with an abundance of these useful plants, but the consensus of this workshop is that mangroves are in trouble everywhere and need to be protected and restored,” he added. Mangrove forests are being cut down to make way for coastal housing, tourism, and aquaculture development.
Beds of sea-grasses in shallow coastal waters, like mangroves, provide a vital nursery habitat for fish, including many commercially important species and are subject to similar threats. They are in equal need of protection to safeguard the wealth of marine life they support.
Unlike corals, seagrasses and mangroves, Caribbean algae appear to be surviving well and perhaps are taking advantage of the corals’ demise. Algae thrive on dead or dying coral reefs and can overgrow and smother newly settled corals. In addition, the fishes that feed on algae are being overexploited and their reduced populations enable algae to form dense growths that prevent corals from re-colonizing.
The scientists noted that some healthy Caribbean coral reefs still exist in well-managed marine protected areas such as Bonaire Marine Park in the Netherlands Antilles. Direct human impacts are reduced in these areas allowing most corals to thrive; however, thermal stress from global warming affects all corals in the Caribbean and must be reversed if these refuges of Caribbean beauty are to survive, they added.
“The Caribbean tourism industry relies heavily on the beauty and health of its sea life,” said Dr. Kent Carpenter, GMSA Director. “Concentrated marine conservation and a global effort to halt man-induced climate change are necessary to preserve this vital economic engine in the region.”
Climate Change, Warmer Waters Cited as Leading Cause
Arlington, Virginia, USA, 7 June 2007 (Conservation International/IUCN) – Caribbean coral species are dying off, indicating dramatic shifts in the ecological balance under the sea, a new scientific study of Caribbean marine life shows.
The study found that 10 percent of the Caribbean’s 62 reef-building corals were under threat, including staghorn and elkhorn corals. These used to be the most prominent species but are now candidates to be listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
"One of the Atlantic Ocean's most beautiful marine habitats no longer exists in many places because of dramatic increases in coral diseases, mostly caused by climate change and warmer waters," said Dr. Michael L. Smith, director of the Caribbean Biodiversity Initiative at Conservation International.
A gathering of 23 scientists in Dominica in March 2007 analyzed data on Western Tropical Atlantic corals, seagrasses, mangroves and algae, which are fundamental components of marine ecosystems providing food and shelter for numerous other organisms and local communities. The study was funded in part by the Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Ocean Fund.
This was the first in a series of Global Marine Species Assessments (GMSA) of key marine primary-producers on a global scale. The GMSA is headquartered at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, USA, and is a partnership between Conservation International (CI) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). It aims to dramatically increase the number of marine species assessed under the rigorous criteria of the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species to provide up-to-date information for marine policy and conservation efforts.
After a final review, the species assessed during the Dominica workshop will be added to the 2008 IUCN Red List.
“Coral reefs support some of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world. When the coral reefs disappear, so will many other species which rely on reefs for shelter, reproduction and foraging,” said Dr. Suzanne Livingstone, GMSA program officer.
The threats to corals and other marine species include coastal pollution and human development; increased sedimentation in run-off water; thermal stress and heightened severity of hurricanes from climate change; and shifts in species dynamics due to over-fishing, according to the study. Scientists explained that the Caribbean has undergone the longest and most sustained impacts from human development since the colonization of the Americas.
Next to corals, mangroves appear to be the hardest hit. Mangrove cover in the region has declined by 42% over the past 25 years, with two of the eight mangrove species now considered Vulnerable to extinction and two more in Near Threatened status.
“Mangroves protect shorelines, shelter fish, and filter pollution,” said Aaron Ellison of Harvard University. “The Caribbean was blessed with an abundance of these useful plants, but the consensus of this workshop is that mangroves are in trouble everywhere and need to be protected and restored,” he added. Mangrove forests are being cut down to make way for coastal housing, tourism, and aquaculture development.
Beds of sea-grasses in shallow coastal waters, like mangroves, provide a vital nursery habitat for fish, including many commercially important species and are subject to similar threats. They are in equal need of protection to safeguard the wealth of marine life they support.
Unlike corals, seagrasses and mangroves, Caribbean algae appear to be surviving well and perhaps are taking advantage of the corals’ demise. Algae thrive on dead or dying coral reefs and can overgrow and smother newly settled corals. In addition, the fishes that feed on algae are being overexploited and their reduced populations enable algae to form dense growths that prevent corals from re-colonizing.
The scientists noted that some healthy Caribbean coral reefs still exist in well-managed marine protected areas such as Bonaire Marine Park in the Netherlands Antilles. Direct human impacts are reduced in these areas allowing most corals to thrive; however, thermal stress from global warming affects all corals in the Caribbean and must be reversed if these refuges of Caribbean beauty are to survive, they added.
“The Caribbean tourism industry relies heavily on the beauty and health of its sea life,” said Dr. Kent Carpenter, GMSA Director. “Concentrated marine conservation and a global effort to halt man-induced climate change are necessary to preserve this vital economic engine in the region.”
Monday, June 4, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 26
Caribbean Explorer II celebrated two anniversaries during the week! They also saw two seahorses at Monkey Shoals.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 19th
Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a manta (manta birostris) at the Gullie on Monday!
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Imagine a World Without Corals
The recent article in the May 4, 2007 edition of Science is a good overview of current scientific research going on today. Richard Stone gives a comprehensive summary of the threats facing coral reefs today and focuses on the more recent concern: that of changing ocean chemistry. I would definitely recommend reading the article. However, I want to focus on the title, “A World Without Corals.” What would “ A World Without Corals” mean to us as divers?
Many of us spend a year or longer in anticipation of our next dive trip. If you are like me, you spend that time dreaming of floating through the water and listening to the sound of your breathing mixed with the clicking sounds of a healthy reef – or if you are lucky the far-off sounds of cetaceans. Perhaps you dive in local lakes between dive trips, to keep skills sharp and because it is better than not diving at all. However, very little can compare to the feeling we all get when we jump into the ocean and descend into the world of coral reefs.
Non-divers can see the underwater world in pictures or in movies and documentaries, and they can even see reef fish (and even whale sharks) in aquariums. But unless you have been diving, or to a certain extent snorkeling, you cannot really appreciate the joy of becoming a part of the reef. Whether you enjoy the big creatures or the small, one cannot help but appreciate the beauty and complexity of a coral reef.
At first it is easy to take reefs for granted – to someone who doesn’t know better, they look very much like rocks. Of course as divers, we know better than that – we know that the reefs were built by living organisms. We learned that in our Open Water classes! But still, living or not, coral aren’t really all that interesting to most people: they don’t really move, you can find them everywhere. The interesting things to see on a dive are the bigger things. But take a moment to really think about it.
In the article, Stone writes that “although reefs cover a minuscule fraction (0.1%) of seabed, they are second only to rainforests in biodiversity, sheltering or nourishing up to 9 million species--a third of all known marine life forms--including 4000 kinds of fish.” Without the coral, there wouldn’t be reef fish or any of the other nine million species depend on those tiny organisms called coral. They have built the Great Barrier Reef which can be seen from space! That’s amazing!
Now think about what would happen if the coral were to disappear. You might think that reefs have survived for thousands of years and they will continue to do so. Unfortunately, we do have to worry about whether future generations will be able to experience the same underwater world that we see today.
Coral reefs are threatened in many ways, and as Stone writes, “the main menaces are largely human-wrought.” Everything from pollution, clumsy divers, overfishing and destructive fishing practices to invasive species, damage from hurricanes and a change of ocean chemistry have negative effects on coral reefs. And unfortunately these different threats act synergistically – the sum of the whole is larger than the parts.
The article states that “surveys suggest that 20% of the reefs on Earth, the largest living structures on the planet, have been destroyed in the past few decades. Another 50% are ailing or verging on collapse.” The same article quotes coral specialist Camilo Mora of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada as saying “"Reefs are likely to witness a significant ecological crisis in the coming half-century--because of us."
Have you ever been diving in an area that has been negatively affected by humans? Perhaps it was just a gradual change over time - you noticed changes in a dive site that you revisited after several years – perhaps you noticed that there was more algae, perhaps the vis was a little worse, or perhaps there were fewer fish. Maybe the change was not enough to make you think about the causes, but enough to cross the destination off the list for your next dive vacation. You have to find somewhere better next time. What about when there is no better place left - then where will you go?
Have you ever seen an area that has been affected by dynamite fishing? I have. The physical structure of the reef remains, but it is only a grayish brown skeleton. There are no more hard corals, no more fish, and it is silent except for the sound of your breathing – no healthy clicking of shrimp and fish. It is like a nightmare.
If you were to ask me why I care so much about trying to make a difference, I will tell you it is because I have seen what a “World without Corals” looks like, and I cannot sit around and do nothing. I believe that my actions alone may not save the world, but together we can make a positive difference.
Next time you go diving on a coral reef, take a moment to really appreciate what it is that you are seeing. Consider how long it took to get that way – and think about what the world would be like if all of the coral were to disappear.
Many of us spend a year or longer in anticipation of our next dive trip. If you are like me, you spend that time dreaming of floating through the water and listening to the sound of your breathing mixed with the clicking sounds of a healthy reef – or if you are lucky the far-off sounds of cetaceans. Perhaps you dive in local lakes between dive trips, to keep skills sharp and because it is better than not diving at all. However, very little can compare to the feeling we all get when we jump into the ocean and descend into the world of coral reefs.
Non-divers can see the underwater world in pictures or in movies and documentaries, and they can even see reef fish (and even whale sharks) in aquariums. But unless you have been diving, or to a certain extent snorkeling, you cannot really appreciate the joy of becoming a part of the reef. Whether you enjoy the big creatures or the small, one cannot help but appreciate the beauty and complexity of a coral reef.
At first it is easy to take reefs for granted – to someone who doesn’t know better, they look very much like rocks. Of course as divers, we know better than that – we know that the reefs were built by living organisms. We learned that in our Open Water classes! But still, living or not, coral aren’t really all that interesting to most people: they don’t really move, you can find them everywhere. The interesting things to see on a dive are the bigger things. But take a moment to really think about it.
In the article, Stone writes that “although reefs cover a minuscule fraction (0.1%) of seabed, they are second only to rainforests in biodiversity, sheltering or nourishing up to 9 million species--a third of all known marine life forms--including 4000 kinds of fish.” Without the coral, there wouldn’t be reef fish or any of the other nine million species depend on those tiny organisms called coral. They have built the Great Barrier Reef which can be seen from space! That’s amazing!
Now think about what would happen if the coral were to disappear. You might think that reefs have survived for thousands of years and they will continue to do so. Unfortunately, we do have to worry about whether future generations will be able to experience the same underwater world that we see today.
Coral reefs are threatened in many ways, and as Stone writes, “the main menaces are largely human-wrought.” Everything from pollution, clumsy divers, overfishing and destructive fishing practices to invasive species, damage from hurricanes and a change of ocean chemistry have negative effects on coral reefs. And unfortunately these different threats act synergistically – the sum of the whole is larger than the parts.
The article states that “surveys suggest that 20% of the reefs on Earth, the largest living structures on the planet, have been destroyed in the past few decades. Another 50% are ailing or verging on collapse.” The same article quotes coral specialist Camilo Mora of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada as saying “"Reefs are likely to witness a significant ecological crisis in the coming half-century--because of us."
Have you ever been diving in an area that has been negatively affected by humans? Perhaps it was just a gradual change over time - you noticed changes in a dive site that you revisited after several years – perhaps you noticed that there was more algae, perhaps the vis was a little worse, or perhaps there were fewer fish. Maybe the change was not enough to make you think about the causes, but enough to cross the destination off the list for your next dive vacation. You have to find somewhere better next time. What about when there is no better place left - then where will you go?
Have you ever seen an area that has been affected by dynamite fishing? I have. The physical structure of the reef remains, but it is only a grayish brown skeleton. There are no more hard corals, no more fish, and it is silent except for the sound of your breathing – no healthy clicking of shrimp and fish. It is like a nightmare.
If you were to ask me why I care so much about trying to make a difference, I will tell you it is because I have seen what a “World without Corals” looks like, and I cannot sit around and do nothing. I believe that my actions alone may not save the world, but together we can make a positive difference.
Next time you go diving on a coral reef, take a moment to really appreciate what it is that you are seeing. Consider how long it took to get that way – and think about what the world would be like if all of the coral were to disappear.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Caribbean Trip Reports - Week of May 12
Sightings in the Bahamas by Caribbean Explorer I included hammerheads, turtles and stingrays.
Despite uncooperative weather the group on Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a hammerhead at Driveaway.
A full list of critters seen by people on Caribbean Explorer II includes dolphins in Saba, yellow headed jawfish, flying gurnard, peacock flounders, sailfin blennies, nurse sharks, horse eye jacks, spotted morays, golden tail morays, stingrays, pipefish, mantis shrimp, green and hawksbill turtles, channel clinging crabs, wirecoral shrimp, reef sharks, cero, batwing coral crabs, spotted snake eel, juvenile/intermediate/adult French angel fish, juvenile/adult jackknife fish, juvenile/adult highats, spiny/ slipper lobsters, goatfish, sand tilefish, red lip blennies, juvenile/adult yellow tail damselfish, barracudas, tarpon, anemones, popcorn shrimp, banded coral shrimp red and golden variety, garden eels, hermit crabs, conch, octopus, remora, squirrel fish, cowfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, white spotted filefish (orange phase as well) parrotfish, porgy, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock beauty, banded butterfly fish, four-eye butterfly fish, arrowcrab, gobies, lots of different blennies. Grunts, seargeant majors, wrasses. Garden eels, cryptic tear drop crabs, grunts, fireworms, secretary blennies, white face pipefish, slipper lobster, Queen angelfish (juv. as well)
Despite uncooperative weather the group on Turks and Caicos Explorer II saw a hammerhead at Driveaway.
A full list of critters seen by people on Caribbean Explorer II includes dolphins in Saba, yellow headed jawfish, flying gurnard, peacock flounders, sailfin blennies, nurse sharks, horse eye jacks, spotted morays, golden tail morays, stingrays, pipefish, mantis shrimp, green and hawksbill turtles, channel clinging crabs, wirecoral shrimp, reef sharks, cero, batwing coral crabs, spotted snake eel, juvenile/intermediate/adult French angel fish, juvenile/adult jackknife fish, juvenile/adult highats, spiny/ slipper lobsters, goatfish, sand tilefish, red lip blennies, juvenile/adult yellow tail damselfish, barracudas, tarpon, anemones, popcorn shrimp, banded coral shrimp red and golden variety, garden eels, hermit crabs, conch, octopus, remora, squirrel fish, cowfish, trunkfish, trumpetfish, white spotted filefish (orange phase as well) parrotfish, porgy, tiger grouper, Nassau grouper, rock beauty, banded butterfly fish, four-eye butterfly fish, arrowcrab, gobies, lots of different blennies. Grunts, seargeant majors, wrasses. Garden eels, cryptic tear drop crabs, grunts, fireworms, secretary blennies, white face pipefish, slipper lobster, Queen angelfish (juv. as well)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
We believe that small actions can lead to big differences
We are happy to report that both the Operations Office in Wyoming and the USA Reservations Office in Texas have recycling programs.
Randy Harris is demonstrating his commitment to the environment in multiple ways. He has planted a garden with tomatoes, four kinds of peppers, onions, cucumbers, watermelons and 3 kinds of herbs. He and his family are already enjoying the home-grown produce in their dinners! Food scraps are collected for compost which will be used in the garden.
All of the lights on Randy’s porch are energy efficient and he is replacing the rest of his lights with energy efficient bulbs when they go out. Eventually he hopes to have solar powered lights in his outside bar, his fishing dock and his boathouse when they are completed.
Randy Harris is demonstrating his commitment to the environment in multiple ways. He has planted a garden with tomatoes, four kinds of peppers, onions, cucumbers, watermelons and 3 kinds of herbs. He and his family are already enjoying the home-grown produce in their dinners! Food scraps are collected for compost which will be used in the garden.
All of the lights on Randy’s porch are energy efficient and he is replacing the rest of his lights with energy efficient bulbs when they go out. Eventually he hopes to have solar powered lights in his outside bar, his fishing dock and his boathouse when they are completed.
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