In September 2014, researchers noticed that certain stony corals along the Florida Reef Tract weren’t doing so well. The Florida Reef Tract stretches approximately 360 miles in an arc along the Florida Keys and southeastern Florida. It’s currently the world’s third largest reef.
In Miami-Dade County, of Virginia Key, corals were showing “small circular or irregular patches of white, exposed skeleton devoid of tissue,” explains Dr. Andy Bruckner, research coordinator for Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. From there, the tissue would slough off, leaving the stark white skeleton exposed until algae colonized it. The disease, he explains, “radiates across the colony and outward.”
Click the image to watch the sad progression of stony coral tissue disease along Florida’s East Coast.
And spread outward it did—the stony coral tissue loss disease has since been found in the Lower Florida Keys.
This spells trouble for the reefs, and for the creatures and people who depend on them. The reefs of the Florida Keys provide food and recreational opportunities for residents and vacationers alike, and they can protect coastal communities since they serve as a buffer for hurricanes and other storms.
Worldwide, coral reefs support approximately 25 percent of all known marine species. Reefs provide homes for more than 4,000 species of fish, 700 species of coral, and thousands of other plants and animals.
The architects of coral reefs are hard corals. Unlike soft corals, hard corals have stony skeletons made out of limestone that are produced by coral polyps. When polyps die, their skeletons are left behind and used as foundations for new polyps. An actual coral branch or mound is composed of layer upon layer of skeletons covered by a thin layer of living polyps.
Scientists believe the disease is likely caused by a bacterial infection carried by currents, but little else is known.
As Joanna Walczak, southeast regional administrator at the Florida Department of Environmental Protection puts it, “this is an all hands on deck situation, requiring an unprecedented effort and response.”
Partners from universities, nonprofits, and government agencies have joined the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to understand the disease and how it can be stopped.
What can we do?
To stop the spread of contamination from one dive site to another, experts have a few recommendations for divers/snorkelers and swimmers.
Dos
Inspect dive gear equipment and remove any debris between each dive
ALWAYS Sanitize non-sensitive gear with a bleach solution
For sensitive gear, wash with copious amounts of fresh water
Move from “healthiest” site to “dirtiest” site
Always decontaminate regulators, gauges and computers
Use a reef-healthy sunscreen
Don’ts
Never leave any debris on dive/snorkel gear
Don’t move from a diseased site to a healthy site
Don’t dispose of disinfectant or waste into the ocean or a storm drain
“This collaborative response effort is vitally important,” says Sarah Fangman, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary superintendent. “The broad knowledge provided by all our partners working together has resulted in the development of a variety of interventions.” Together, these partners hope to develop an effective treatment.
Time will tell whether artificial reefs can replace some of the millions of acres of reefs that have already been lost.
Reefs, especially coral reefs, are an integral part of the undersea world. They are the most biodiverse regions of the ocean. Many species of fish utilize reefs for food, protection and even breeding sites, so they are crucial to the fishing industry. Today, unfortunately, they are facing a challenging environment. Overfishing and destructive fishing procedures have depleted fish populations in many locations and in others, pollution has destroyed the reefs that serve as their habitat. Climate change has also played a part in damaging our planet’s reefs. All told, millions of acres of natural reefs have been lost.
Yet man has been inadvertently establishing reefs for as long as he has traversed the oceans. Over a period of time, shipwrecks—the remains of sunken ships—attract marine
life and become their own form of reefs. It was just a matter of time before the thought of doing this deliberately came about. The idea was simple enough. Where the ocean floor was featureless, just put something down there with surfaces that algae, barnacles and, especially, coral polyps can attach to. In time, an artificial reef forms.
The first “official” artificial reef (AR) was established in the U.S. off the coast of South Carolina in the 1830s, when log huts were sunk to the ocean floor in order to attract marine life. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the idea of making ARs took off. Initially, there was no science involved. People just started dumping things into the ocean: old ships, railroad cars, rocks, cinder blocks, old tires, and various debris. They believed they were achieving two goals: forming new reefs and also getting rid of things that had outlived their usefulness. But without scientific observations, the success of such endeavors was questionable. In fact, damage to the undersea environment was sometimes the result.
One of the worst cases occurred with the Osborne Reef, an artificial reef made up of 700,000 old tires off the coast of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Initially tied together, the tires soon broke loose due to the shifting tides. As a result, they proceeded to destroy the marine habitat, including the natural reefs they were trying to protect and enhance. The project to retrieve these tires has cost taxpayers millions of dollars.
In 1984, the National Fishing Enhancement Act brought science into the artificial reef business by way of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A year later, the National Artificial Reef Plan was developed. The goal was to enhance fishery resources but minimize environmental risks. State and local program managers were provided guidelines on siting, construction, development, and assessment of ARs. Officially, the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS) must issue a permit for an AR to be established on their grounds. States have similar procedures for offshore areas they control.
In fact, every state from North Carolina through Florida and around the Gulf Coast to Texas has an AR program. With more than a thousand miles of coastline, Florida leads the way in AR establishment with over 3,000 manmade reefs. In the Gulf of Mexico, hundreds of oil and gas platforms have been converted into ARs. Apparently, the bases of marine wind turbines will also suffice. Probably the best-known ARs have been made from sinking now-obsolete ships. The largest of these was the U.S.S. Oriskany, a 44,000-ton aircraft carrier sunk in 200 feet of water some 24 miles off the coast of Pensacola, Florida, in 2006.
In addition to “pre-existing objects,” ARs can now be made of materials specifically designed for that purpose. One of the most successful material categories has been “reef balls.” Made from concrete specially formulated to resist disintegration for many years but still be ecologically safe, the “balls” are the most effective way to create a sustainable reef habitat. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes; many look like igloos and can range in size from 1½ feet and 30 pounds to 6 feet and 6,000 pounds. The Reef Ball Foundation has deployed more than half a million balls in 60-plus countries around the world making them the most widely used AR component. There are also economic benefits to ARs since successful ones are prime fishing grounds and attract fishermen both amateur and professional. Snorkelers and divers will come to view the reef and its marine life. Tourism will increase, and overall, ARs can have a positive effect on local economies.
On the downside, there are risks associated with ARs. Since fish are attracted to ARs, illegal dumping to produce fishing “hot spots” has become a problem. According to Kathy Broughton, marine ecologist with the ONMS, there is also potential contamination of the underwater environment by toxic chemicals. This means any pre-existing object to be used must be carefully inspected with any potential contaminants removed.
For the U.S.S. Oriskany, $20 million was spent to make the ship environmentally safe before sinking. For new materials such as reef balls, their initial composition must be carefully selected. Broughton also says, “They (ARs) may facilitate invasive species introductions and increase disease frequency in fish and invertebrates. ”Noting these concerns, the ONMS emphasizes protecting and, where appropriate, restoring and enhancing natural habitats, populations, and ecological process as opposed to constructing human-made habitats.
On a Mission: Heroes plant 500 corals in a single day assist in coral restoration.
Stellar scientists, hero veterans and future leaders recently planted 500 corals near Looe Key in the Florida Keys, marking the sixth year of a unique partnership involving science, conservation and coral restoration.
Members of the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge (CWVC) and SCUBAnauts International joined forces with scientists from Mote Marine Laboratory on June 27th for the record-breaking mission on the reef. The number of corals planted marked the most-ever the groups have planted in a single day since they began working together in 2012.
In total, they have planted more than 1,600 corals in an area unofficially named “Hero’s Reef” honoring all current and former members of the U.S. Armed Forces.
CWVC improves the lives of wounded and injured veterans through rehabilitative, high-adventure and therapeutic outdoor challenges while furthering the physiological, biomedical and pathological sciences associated with their injuries. The veterans who participate in the outdoor challenges have suffered from traumatic brain injuries, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or have lost limbs.
SCUBAnauts International involves teens in the marine sciences with intensive dive and science training. Through its partnerships with universities and research organizations, SCUBAnauts learn to take charge as they work on innovative projects that positively impact our oceans, such as this coral restoration.
Combined efforts from Mote, Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge, and the SCUBAnauts, planted 500 Stagorn Coral on Hope Reef on Tuesday, June 27th, 2017.
Ten years ago, Mote established an underwater coral nursery where scientists grow colonies of the threatened staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis) for replanting and coral restoration on decimated or damaged sections of reef within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
When the colonies reach a suitable size, small fragments (nearly 2 inches long) are snipped off and used to create a new colony—similar to the way new plants are grown from cuttings of existing plants. These cuttings are then mounted on the reef so they can grow and develop into new colonies.
Mote has more than 10,000 colonies of staghorn coral in its underwater nursery, including more than 85 genotypes, allowing researchers to determine which corals have the heartiest genetic makeup and the best chances of survival. To date, Mote has planted more than 40,000 reef-building coral fragments to help restore Florida’s reef. Mote is also working on a new coral micro-fragmenting technology that is enabling the organization to regenerate larger reef-building boulder corals on the reefs. Mote’s goal is to continue working in partnership with these and other groups to plant more than a million corals.
“This is really a wonderful annual event,” said Dr. Michael P. Crosby, Mote president and CEO. “I don’t know of any other partnership like this involving really innovative science, young citizen scientists and veterans who are sharing their leadership skills. But this event has broader impacts beyond just doing great science. Coral reefs are on the way toward extinction because of decades of human impacts. They were already stressed, and now we have increasing temperatures, increasing acidity and more diseases that are pushing them past their tipping point. If we lose coral reefs, we’ll lose the oceans and if we lose our oceans, we’ll lose the very oxygen we need to survive.”
Could acidifying oceans actually slow down coral disease?
Coral reefs face intensifying struggles as greenhouse gases warm and acidify the ocean, but new research suggests a potential silver lining: Some coral diseases might also dwindle amid environmental change. A controlled lab study led by Mote Marine Laboratory and published in the journal
A controlled lab study led by Mote Marine Laboratory and published in the journal PLOS ONE revealed that black band disease was less deadly to mountainous star coral (Orbicella faveolata) as water acidified, or decreased in pH. Scientists from Mote and the University of South Carolina, and students from the University of Rhode Island, University of New Hampshire, University of Hawaii, and Unity College in Maine conducted the research with funding from the Dart Foundation and the Protect Our Reefs grants program supported by sales of the Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate. Student contributions were backed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates program and Mote College Internship Scholarships.
Scientists from Mote and the University of South Carolina, and students from the University of Rhode Island, University of New Hampshire, University of Hawaii, and Unity College in Maine conducted the research with funding from the Dart Foundation and the Protect Our Reefs grants program supported by sales of the Protect Our Reefs specialty license plate. Student contributions were backed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates program and Mote College Internship Scholarships.
The ocean’s pH is decreasing through the process of ocean acidifi cation (OA) driven by excess carbon dioxide, the same greenhouse gas that’s triggering temperature increases worldwide. OA may weaken or dissolve corals’ hard skeletons and bring on other changes in multiple marine species. Warming water stresses corals, causing them to lose the vital algae in their tissues. Coral diseases, another major threat, may worsen in stressed corals, but few studies have examined how these conditions could change amid low pH levels expected with OA.
The new study is the first to examine how low pH water affects black band—a fast-progressing, often deadly, worldwide coral disease affecting at least 42 coral species in the Caribbean. Black band, a variable group of multiple bacteria species, forms a dark circle that spreads across a coral and kills it. Under attack is mountainous star coral, a major contributor to the reef system of the Florida Keys and listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
“Mountainous star coral only grows a couple of millimeters a year, and black band can kill a 100-year-old coral within weeks,” said Dr. Erinn Muller, lead author and manager of Mote’s Coral Health and Disease Research Program.
At a very small scale, black band produces a lower pH environment than its surroundings—localized acidifi cation. “In the lab, we thought that exposing an infected coral to acidifi ed water would accelerate the virulence of this disease, but to our surprise, the opposite happened,” Muller said.
During 2013 lab work at Mote’s Summerland Key campus, the researchers inoculated 32 mountainous star coral fragments with black band disease. Some were placed in tanks with temperature and pH similar to present-day ocean water, while others were put into tanks with elevated temperature, lowered pH or both. They used year-2100 projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fifth Assessment Report.
“These experimental studies in the lab are extremely important; they give us a glimpse into the potential future for our reefs,” said Mote’s Ocean Acidifi cation Research Program manager Dr. Emily Hall, who oversees research in Mote’s Ocean Acidification Flow-through Experimental Raceway Unit on Summerland Key, which was established due to an NSF grant. “With ocean acidification, not every organism is affected the same way. It’s important for managers of marine protected areas to know how the impacts might vary.”
The researchers carefully monitored the water conditions and photographed and measured the coverage of black band for 16 days. By then, some coral fragments had perished completely from the disease. The team sampled black band bacteria and the corals’ natural resident bacteria—some of which contribute to the coral immune system—and sequenced their 16S rRNA gene, which helps classify bacteria into scientific categories. Their analysis revealed a surprise.
“Though warmer temperatures didn’t significantly affect the progression of black band disease in this time period, the low pH treatment did—it slowed the progression rate of the disease by 25 percent,” Muller said. “It took us awhile to believe it.” Skeptical, Muller and her colleagues ran similar tests with other coral species apart from the mountainous star coral in the current study. The mountainous star coral showed the clearest trend, but data from other species suggested similar patterns.
How might acidification slow down black band disease?
“Black band disease has a very distinct consortium of microbes, and it seems that lowered pH affected different microbes in different ways,” said study partner Dr. Kim Ritchie, associate professor at the University of South Carolina at Beaufort. “The abundance of one signifi cant member of the consortium went down.” Specifically, acidified water reduced the abundance of Oscillatoriophycidae, a class of cyanobacteria that often dominates black band disease. These bacteria carry pigments that give the disease its distinct color. Though these bacteria live in the already-acidified environment of black band, past studies by others suggest that cyanobacteria can decline if the water becomes acidified beyond their tolerance limits.
“There were also shifts in the corals’ own microbial community, but none that explained the change in the disease. What happened in the black band itself, a reduction in the main contributor to the disease consortium was likely a better explanation,” Muller said. “One of our next steps is to study how low pH influences the very small scale conditions in the microenvironment of black band disease as the outside environment changes.”
By Hayley Rutger, Mote Marine Laboratory for Southern Boating August 2017
Island hop this cruiser’s paradise in which scenery, characters and proximity appeal to novice and experienced boaters alike.
The dinghies approached us as if they had suddenly materialized on the water, before we even had a chance to grab onto a mooring. Time to pay up the mooring ball fee, we thought. Instead the men broke out singing. “Oh, what a beautiful morning,” belted out Sacko Sam under the high noon sun. That’s the kind of unforgettable welcome you get in the British Virgin Islands, where the serenity of the islands, majestic sceneries and colorful characters charm and invite you for a new adventure, no matter how many times you’ve cruised their turquoise seas.
In early August the Southern Boating crew composed of my family and friends took off for a seven day cruise aboard two powercats from The Moorings charter fleet, the 514PC and the 393PC. The trip was to give us quality time together, and while one cat would have accommodated all 10 of us, I had an ulterior motive: a learning experience for the younger generation (my children) to learn to navigate, read the waters and charts, monitor the onboard machinery, and master anchoring and mooring techniques. In short, they would man their very own vessel in unfamiliar waters. From the distance of my powercat, I watched (as a proud father, teacher and captain) as they gained confidence and at times took the lead, guiding them when necessary.
After a quick stop in Road Town on Tortola (The Moorings’ base) to pick up our powercats, we departed for this archipelago of 60 islands, where one seemingly hops from island to island—a boater’s cruising paradise (and an ideal learning ground).
First on our journey: an easy and short southeast cruise to Cooper Island less than 7 nm away—a perfect way for the crew to familiarize itself with the vessels, take the dinghies out and relax in the crystal waters.
Skip Allen at the helm of the Mooring powercat.
Majestic mountains and crystal waters await everyone at The Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda Island.
The colorful corals and sea life on the ocean floor of Virgin Gorda Island.
Our home for a week aboard one of The Moorings powercats.
Sacko Sam from Potter’s By The Sea on Anegada Island prepares a succulent dinner of monster lobster.
One of the Southern Boating crew member proudly showing off the large lobster he will eat later.
A typical afternoon on the white sandy beaches of the B.V.I.
On your next trip to Anegada Island, visit Potter’s By The Sea and see the many remembrances from our and other travelers.
The sign marks the spot of famed Foxy’s Bar on Jost Van Dyke’s Great Harbour.
This charter experience created great memories and a stronger bond among the crew.
A Southern Boating “mermaid” during one of the many snorkeling adventures.
A crew member enjoying a stroll through the gargantuan boulders of The Baths on Virgin Gorda.
The bewitching braided trees and stone stacking on George Dog.
A mechanical issue on the 51′ powercat—a fizzling air conditioner due to trapped seaweed in the intake—had us cruising uncomfortably under high temperatures for a bit, yet failed to derail our plans. One of The Moorings’ certified technicians—who are scattered throughout the islands and readily available—quickly met us at our next stop, immediately identified and fixed the common problem as we explored (our minds at ease) The Bath and its gargantuan boulders on the south end of Virgin Gorda Island. The dazzling granite boulders, reminders of the island’s volcanic origins, form natural sheltered pools and scenic grottoes. Take the dinghy around a bit before you pick a spot to start exploring or be prepared for a lot of swimming to go around the boulders. We spent the evening docked at Bitter End Yacht Club, where we feasted at its landmark Clubhouse Steak & Seafood Grille, a favorite rendezvous for visiting boaters for its sea-to-table approach.
It was right as we arrived on Anegada Island—the longest jaunt of our trip—that the serenading men in their dinghies met us, their songs meant to lure us to their eateries and the island’s specialty: lobster. Sam, the jubilant chef of Potter’s By The Sea won us over, and after making our dinner reservations arranged for a taxi to take us to Loblolly Beach on the north shore for an afternoon of snorkeling on the Eastern Caribbean’s third largest continuous reef—where baby octopi, monster lobsters and yellowtail fish inhabit the vibrant corals. We made a quick stop at Flash of Beauty Beach, an improvised shack-like bar with its self-service refrigerator—as if walking into someone’s back porch straight from the seas—where the owner, a woman from Trinidad and Tobago decked out in a muumuu, sandals and head wrap entertained us with tales from the island. Wild goats and cattle roamed the flat and dry terrain, interspersed by marshes, where hundreds of bright pink flamingoes gathered on the road back to Potter’s By The Sea. As the sun came down, the simple and colorful shack house with its wooden picnic tables came to life with strings of lights dangling from the tin ceiling. Sam danced and sang by the grill. T-shirts and flags from previous visitors hang on the roof. We added our own decór contribution and left a Southern Boating shirt behind.
While Great Dog Island was our next intended destination, the lack of available moorings led us to Kitchen Point on George Dog. There, the trees’ long branches shot out and seemingly braided with one another to form natural trellises, where visitors left balanced stacks of rocks behind—we added our own. We docked at Scrub Island Resort & Marina on Scrub Island, reveled in their salt water two-level infinity pool—the slide takes you from the top level with pool bar right to the bottom—and shopped at the many boutiques before enjoying a scrumptious dinner of fresh seafood at Tierra! Tierra! under the stars. Back at the docks, a real spectacle awaited us as jellyfish and tarpons glided in the waters lit by colorful underwater lights.
We encountered yet another character on Brewers Bay on the northern coast of Tortola. Miss Lou, a petite woman in her 70s with weathered skin and a knack for captivating anecdotes, owned yet another small bar along the white sandy beach. It was as we sat enjoying our drinks, taking in the view of the mountains and recounting Miss Lou’s stories that we almost lost one of our dinghies—not pulled nearly far enough on the sand, it gave in to the waves that took it hundreds of yards away. (It does happen to the most experienced of boaters.)
We moored on Jost Van Dyke’s Great Harbour and strolled along the waterside road with its bars, gift shops, dive shops, small markets, and a fresh drink at Foxy’s Bar. The next day we moved westward to White Bay, home of the famed Soggy Dollar Bar, where patrons linger to play a game of ring toss. We finished our cruise with a visit to Norman Island known for its legends and tales of pirates and treasures, where more snorkeling awaited us within the dark caves of Treasure Point.
The laid-back vibe of the B.V.I. and the proximity of the islands invite you to abandon your agenda and just go with the flow. Whether the lack of moorings, the weather, your crew’s change of heart—or their newly gained confidence—allow yourself to hop from islets to cays and coves, take in the scenery, and discover the B.V.I again and again through the eyes of its most colorful characters.
The Gulf of Mexico is a true tropical sea and one of the deepest bodies of water in the world. From the height of a cruise ship, one might not notice that the electric blue expanse is teaming with life from aquatic animals such as giant Kemp-Ridley turtles and recently discovered 55-foot-long Baleen whales. Stirred by the Great Loop Current that flies between Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula at over four knots, this current eventually becomes the Gulf Stream that affects the weather and ecology as far away as England. However, this warm current also throws off giant eddies into the Gulf and feeds one of the most unique ecosystems in North America—the Flower Garden Banks.
Located a little over 100 miles offshore of Galveston, Texas, the Flower Garden is the most unique and extensive coral reef system in all of North America and considered to be the most pristine in the entire Western Hemisphere due to its relative remote location. Designated a Marine Sanctuary in 1992 by the U.S., this flourishing ecosystem is made possible by giant underground salt domes that push up the deep, featureless seabed to within 60 feet of the surface and allow an undersea oasis of tropical life. The nearest coral reef is 400 miles south along the coast of Mexico and as such, it has become a secret scuba-diving magnet and cruising layover in the Gulf of Mexico by boat owners in the know.
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First discovered by fishermen in the late 1800s who suddenly noticed bright, vibrant colors beneath the waves, this marine sanctuary is now known to harbor more than 20 species of tropical corals and over 180 species of fish. Comprised of three separate salt domes that rise up and plateau, the largest expands out over 250 acres. As a designated marine sanctuary, fishing and anchoring are not allowed by law, however, there are three mooring fields that are available to transient cruisers in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico where the depths below them explode in color.
As a well-known overnight scuba-diving site, charters and private boats tend to visit on two- or three-day excursions primarily in the summer when the water is over 80 degrees. As such, mooring availability may get a bit tight. For cruisers who do not dive, it’s still a unique destination in the great expanse of the Gulf of Mexico to tie up and enjoy the blue waters where colors rise from the depths and the stars follow after sunset. February is also a heavily visited month due to the hordes of thousands of hammerhead sharks that transit the banks annually.
