DR's Reefs Threatened?

[Keith R]

Quoted following "fair use" rules in copyright law:

WILMA'S DESTRUCTIVE PATH
Warm Oceans Threaten Caribbean Coral Reefs
'Bleaching' may kill up to 90% of the colorful undersea polyp colonies in
some areas.
By Kenneth R. Weiss and Usha Lee McFarling
Times Staff Writers

October 25, 2005

The extremely warm ocean waters fueling this season's record hurricane
season are stressing coral reefs throughout the Caribbean and may kill
80% to 90% of the structures in some areas, scientists reported Monday.

These colorful undersea landmarks — homes for tropical fish and magnets
for divers and snorkelers — are turning white, or "bleaching" in an area
extending from the Florida Keys to Puerto Rico and Panama because of
warmer-than-usual water that has persisted in the Atlantic for months.

"These levels are like nothing we've ever seen" in 20 years of satellite
monitoring, said Al Strong, coordinator for the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch. "It's twice the thermal
stress that we've ever seen for corals. We are talking extremely high
percentage of bleaching and what seems to be extreme mortality."

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[NALs]

Originally Posted by Keith R

Quoted following "fair use" rules in copyright law:



To read the entire article, follow this link:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedi...news-a_section

I don't know if you scuba dive, but in many reefs around the country, particularly along the Caribbean coast, have evidence of bleaching. This becomes obvious when you scuba dive anywhere along the southern coast and then scuba dive off La Isabela in Puerto Plata, where the reefs appear to be healthier with more fishes and less bleaching, but bleaching is apparent there.

-NAL

[canadian bob]

Many of the Dominican reefs have been damaged in the recent past by sewage & garbage polution and from boat anchors and scuba activity. Also from silting by fine sand dust originating from sand storms in the Sahara and carried to the DR by winds in the stratosphere. The thermal bleaching is an extra alarming effect. Thanks for bringing this up. Canadian Bob.