Category Archives: Reef Health

Recent AGRRA Webinars examine Coral Bleaching, Invasive Soft Coral, Restoration Efforts, Acropora Heat Mortality 6Jun2024

The Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) website at www.agrra.org offers a large suite of educational materials and regional databases/interactive maps related to coral reefs in the Caribbean. A few of the resources are highlighted below. Cited as New … Continue reading

Posted in Acroporoids, Extreme Warming/Coral Bleaching, Invasive Species, Reef Health, Reef restoration | Comments Off on Recent AGRRA Webinars examine Coral Bleaching, Invasive Soft Coral, Restoration Efforts, Acropora Heat Mortality 6Jun2024

“TRADEWINDS: Canadian Navy goes underwater in reef research dive” – Barbados Today 12May2024

An article in Barbados Today highlights “a joint exercise between the non-profit Coral Reef Restoration Alliance (CORALL) Barbados and the Canadian Armed Forces” to map coral reefs on the West Coast of Barbabdos. Dr Elon Cadogan is the scientific leader … Continue reading

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AGRRA on New Caribbean Coral Restoration Efforts 3May2024

“New Caribbean Coral Restoration Efforts” was the subject of the Caribbean Cooperation Team Network Meeting on April 8, 2024. A webinar recording of the full proceedings is now available, courtesy of AGRRA (Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment). From a … Continue reading

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“Corals in danger, coastal protection chief warns” – Barbados Today 17Apr2024

“Barbados’ coral reefs are in serious trouble, even as officials try to restore their health and protect them from a deadly heat wave that has decimated them worldwide. “Director of the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU) Leo Brewster said his … Continue reading

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On Vauxhall Reef (Barbados) Millepora complanata but not M. alcicornis succumb to 2023 coral bleaching

Tom Goreau cited the Acropora and Millepora species as tho reef-building species most affected by extreme warming in the fall of 2023. Both the “true” coral A prolifera and the coral-like hydrozoan  M. complanata occur, with the colonial  zoanthid  Palythoa caribeana, in the “A. … Continue reading

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Complete dieback of Acropora prolifera (hybrid acroporoid coral) on Vauxhall Reef, Barbados in 2023 16Feb2024

The photos at left illustrate two A colonies by a large Diploria clivosa on the Reef Flat at Vauxhall. In the top photo, taken on Mar. 30, 2023, both colonies are entirely healthy. In the bottom photo, taken on Jan … Continue reading

Posted in Acroporoids, Extreme Warming/Coral Bleaching, Reef Health, Vauxhall Reef | Comments Off on Complete dieback of Acropora prolifera (hybrid acroporoid coral) on Vauxhall Reef, Barbados in 2023 16Feb2024

AGRRA confirms presence of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in Barbados 10May2023

UPDATE 30 May, 2023: McGill students release their final report: Occurrence of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on Vauxhall Reef and a Breakwater in the Folkstone Marine Protected Area of Barbados (28.7 MB) —————– “Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is … Continue reading

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Causative agent for die-off of long-spined sea urchin in 2022 identified 2May2023

The long-spined sea urchin (Diadema antillarum) is an important herbivore on Caribbean reefs. In 2022, there was a mass die-off of this sea urchin all over the Caribbean, echoing a similar die-off in the early 1980s. A paper reporting on … Continue reading

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Presumptive Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease on Vauxhall Reef & Environs (Barbados) 25Jan2023

UPDATE Feb 16, 2023: SCTLD or White Plague Disease? – we don’t yet know. Based on some discussion I had recently with an authority on this disease, it’s not clear right now whether SCTLD is present in Barbados or whether what … Continue reading

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Disturbing news about cruise ships’ damage to coral reefs 23May2021

From Barbados Today, for May 21, 2021

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