- Messages
- 5,026
- Reaction score
- 7,001
- # of dives
- 200 - 499
On a recent trip I noticed one or two small pieces of white coral.
They were very white and noticable.
I asked the DM and he said that he also was noticing bleached coral here and there.
These might have been individual corals that were damaged somehow or corals that are sensitive to changing ocean climate.
There were three articles recently addressing the issue.
One article says there is significant bleaching on the East side where there is little pressure from diving and hotels.
Another article says it is due to the pollution from the southern hotels and beachclubs.
The third article talks about sunscreen, treating the "sick" corals with antibiotics, and CLOSING THE REEFS TO DIVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile 7 cruise ships dock each day, dumping 40,000 people on the island.
Here are the news clips, translated.
If you want the original go to Por Esto, select Quintana Roo, then click Cozumel and scroll through the list.
Detect "white syndrome" in Paradise reef
March 10, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Gabriel Aguilar
COZUMEL, March 9 .- Coralline bodies of the eastern area of Cozumel have the "white spot" or "white syndrome" epidemic, this affectation also occurs in the "Paradise" reef, almost "entrance door" to the barrier of most important reefs of the destination. In less than three months more concrete actions must be started and the action plan goes to no more than a year.
Cristopher González Baca, Regional Director of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), described that coral bodies within the marine ecosystem on the eastern coast of Cozumel present the problem of "white spot", especially in specimens known as "brains" "Or columnar corals.
He stressed that this eastern region does not have the pressure of urban developments, hotel, much less diving, but on the contrary, the activity of diving is almost zero in its almost 30 kilometers from end to end.
Although not only in that area does the problem exist, because in the "Paradise" reef, which would be the access to the Marine Park and with daily pressure of tourist pressure, it has this problem, in this regard it cited "also in the part of Paradise; Paradise is already very affected the problem with this is that it goes very fast. "
He mentioned that these are not manchones, but that in several structures in reef colonies this epidemic has been detected, "practically the entire eastern coast," he said.
Of the microatolons near Punta Molas lighthouse, he explained that these are reef formations based on marine algae, and that the problem only occurs in coral bodies.
He recalled that last Friday there was a meeting between the private sector, authorities, academics, researchers, and various sectors of fishing and tourism linked to water activities, seeking to have a synergy to address this problem, which says "affects us and corresponds to us to all".
At the meeting last Thursday and Friday in the continental mass, the creation of the action plan for the steps to be followed between the private sector and authorities was being defined, noting that "we also have an academic agenda that is maintained, whose purpose is detect the causes and what can be done, but at the same time, the action plan that was created was exclusively to reduce stress factors, what does this mean? decrease pressure for tourism, pressure for urban development, water quality, see the issue of fishing if there are species that can directly affect, but it is not the case of Cozumel, but in other places where the fishing pressure is higher and take care of it that way".
He was asked when they will start doing all that, responding "before three months we have to start and the action plan goes to no more than a year".
Next Article:
Coral bleaching has guilty
March 11, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Karina Carrión
COZUMEL, March 10 .- The problem of "white syndrome" or "white spot" in the corals of the eastern coastal, is not a virus that came from Miami, rather it is the result of the lack of vigilance of environmental authorities to corroborate that hotels and beach clubs in the south zone, stop polluting with their sewage discharged into the sea.
Such signaling came from Guadalupe Álvarez Chulim, president of the environmental group Cielo, Tierra y Mar (Citymar) in the locality, considered that it should not be forgotten that from Punta Sur different commercial, hotel and housing developments begin, and most of these it has been throwing for years its black waters to the sea, since there is no federal instance to corroborate that these comply as is due to the elimination of sewage in an appropriate manner, causing then said affectation, he said.
The environmentalist added that "for several decades I have been insistent that there be a presence of personnel of a Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) in the locality and not a state representation because the latter does not help us at all. Actually only the federation could carry out operations and operate as it should be properly and today we have a serious problem with our reefs, they begin to say that it is because of a virus that came from Miami when in fact they are other things from here - from Cozumel- that is affecting marine life, "he said.
In the same sense, he added that "the white spots that the reefs have are not something new. It is something that had happened a few years ago and it was known, it was due to the spills of sewage in the south, so now it is not worth blaming our neighbors that we have problems when we have not taken care of what we have in home".
The leader of the environmental group said that the excrement is poison for the reefs, so it considered that a real operation should be made by environmental authorities to corroborate what has been replicating, as he assured that it will have a more severe impact. in the economic, since the coral bodies are the main attraction of the millions of tourists who visit the destination to meet them, he said, so he hopes that they will take action on the matter, he concluded.
Third article:
Limit visitors to reefs
March 14, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Karina Carrión
COZUMEL, March 13.- The Reefs of Cozumel Marine Park will implement immediate measures in the traffic conditioning of visitors to the Protected Natural Area of the southern zone, since the affectation of the different coral bodies could be considered as a contingency that requires actions ready for the care of marine life.
This was announced by Brenda Hernández Hernández, director of the Marine Park, who reiterated that the "white spot" in corals is not a normal whitening or as in other times in which "patches" appeared and over time the same coral, but on the contrary, the loss of coral tissue is being recorded, killing large community of these bodies.
In this sense, he recalled that "this case is quite critical and that is why it is being addressed in a regional manner," he said, adding that he recently participated in a workshop that was offered to generate an action plan to give him attention, because they consider "it is already a contingency and it is already quite alarming. "
The biologist mentioned that in the participation with the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology (focused on the study of aquatic ecosystems) in the municipality of Puerto Morelos, she formulated an action plan regarding tourism within the marine park.
Among the possible causes could be the sargassum, the traffic and impact of visitors, pollution, mismanagement and others still undefined, but in the case of tourism, the same is because they do not have good practices on the use of blockers -in the understood that they are asked to be biodegradable-, or by other pollutants that are still being analyzed.
That is why he indicated that they are waiting for approval or not the conditioning of the number of boats and people entering the park, since about 2,000 tourists visit it in a little over 200 vessels that have permits. However, it could be urgent to temporarily vent certain areas while continuing to apply antibiotics to sick corals in hopes of having an improvement that does not impact much more marine life, he concluded.
Stay tuned for more info.
Christi or Dave, can you provide some additional info.
P.S. Thank you Gordon for my new sig line.
They were very white and noticable.
I asked the DM and he said that he also was noticing bleached coral here and there.
These might have been individual corals that were damaged somehow or corals that are sensitive to changing ocean climate.
There were three articles recently addressing the issue.
One article says there is significant bleaching on the East side where there is little pressure from diving and hotels.
Another article says it is due to the pollution from the southern hotels and beachclubs.
The third article talks about sunscreen, treating the "sick" corals with antibiotics, and CLOSING THE REEFS TO DIVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Meanwhile 7 cruise ships dock each day, dumping 40,000 people on the island.
Here are the news clips, translated.
If you want the original go to Por Esto, select Quintana Roo, then click Cozumel and scroll through the list.
Detect "white syndrome" in Paradise reef
March 10, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Gabriel Aguilar
COZUMEL, March 9 .- Coralline bodies of the eastern area of Cozumel have the "white spot" or "white syndrome" epidemic, this affectation also occurs in the "Paradise" reef, almost "entrance door" to the barrier of most important reefs of the destination. In less than three months more concrete actions must be started and the action plan goes to no more than a year.
Cristopher González Baca, Regional Director of the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (Conanp), described that coral bodies within the marine ecosystem on the eastern coast of Cozumel present the problem of "white spot", especially in specimens known as "brains" "Or columnar corals.
He stressed that this eastern region does not have the pressure of urban developments, hotel, much less diving, but on the contrary, the activity of diving is almost zero in its almost 30 kilometers from end to end.
Although not only in that area does the problem exist, because in the "Paradise" reef, which would be the access to the Marine Park and with daily pressure of tourist pressure, it has this problem, in this regard it cited "also in the part of Paradise; Paradise is already very affected the problem with this is that it goes very fast. "
He mentioned that these are not manchones, but that in several structures in reef colonies this epidemic has been detected, "practically the entire eastern coast," he said.
Of the microatolons near Punta Molas lighthouse, he explained that these are reef formations based on marine algae, and that the problem only occurs in coral bodies.
He recalled that last Friday there was a meeting between the private sector, authorities, academics, researchers, and various sectors of fishing and tourism linked to water activities, seeking to have a synergy to address this problem, which says "affects us and corresponds to us to all".
At the meeting last Thursday and Friday in the continental mass, the creation of the action plan for the steps to be followed between the private sector and authorities was being defined, noting that "we also have an academic agenda that is maintained, whose purpose is detect the causes and what can be done, but at the same time, the action plan that was created was exclusively to reduce stress factors, what does this mean? decrease pressure for tourism, pressure for urban development, water quality, see the issue of fishing if there are species that can directly affect, but it is not the case of Cozumel, but in other places where the fishing pressure is higher and take care of it that way".
He was asked when they will start doing all that, responding "before three months we have to start and the action plan goes to no more than a year".
Next Article:
Coral bleaching has guilty
March 11, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Karina Carrión
COZUMEL, March 10 .- The problem of "white syndrome" or "white spot" in the corals of the eastern coastal, is not a virus that came from Miami, rather it is the result of the lack of vigilance of environmental authorities to corroborate that hotels and beach clubs in the south zone, stop polluting with their sewage discharged into the sea.
Such signaling came from Guadalupe Álvarez Chulim, president of the environmental group Cielo, Tierra y Mar (Citymar) in the locality, considered that it should not be forgotten that from Punta Sur different commercial, hotel and housing developments begin, and most of these it has been throwing for years its black waters to the sea, since there is no federal instance to corroborate that these comply as is due to the elimination of sewage in an appropriate manner, causing then said affectation, he said.
The environmentalist added that "for several decades I have been insistent that there be a presence of personnel of a Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (Profepa) in the locality and not a state representation because the latter does not help us at all. Actually only the federation could carry out operations and operate as it should be properly and today we have a serious problem with our reefs, they begin to say that it is because of a virus that came from Miami when in fact they are other things from here - from Cozumel- that is affecting marine life, "he said.
In the same sense, he added that "the white spots that the reefs have are not something new. It is something that had happened a few years ago and it was known, it was due to the spills of sewage in the south, so now it is not worth blaming our neighbors that we have problems when we have not taken care of what we have in home".
The leader of the environmental group said that the excrement is poison for the reefs, so it considered that a real operation should be made by environmental authorities to corroborate what has been replicating, as he assured that it will have a more severe impact. in the economic, since the coral bodies are the main attraction of the millions of tourists who visit the destination to meet them, he said, so he hopes that they will take action on the matter, he concluded.
Third article:
Limit visitors to reefs
March 14, 2019
In Cozumel
0
By Karina Carrión
COZUMEL, March 13.- The Reefs of Cozumel Marine Park will implement immediate measures in the traffic conditioning of visitors to the Protected Natural Area of the southern zone, since the affectation of the different coral bodies could be considered as a contingency that requires actions ready for the care of marine life.
This was announced by Brenda Hernández Hernández, director of the Marine Park, who reiterated that the "white spot" in corals is not a normal whitening or as in other times in which "patches" appeared and over time the same coral, but on the contrary, the loss of coral tissue is being recorded, killing large community of these bodies.
In this sense, he recalled that "this case is quite critical and that is why it is being addressed in a regional manner," he said, adding that he recently participated in a workshop that was offered to generate an action plan to give him attention, because they consider "it is already a contingency and it is already quite alarming. "
The biologist mentioned that in the participation with the Institute of Marine Sciences and Limnology (focused on the study of aquatic ecosystems) in the municipality of Puerto Morelos, she formulated an action plan regarding tourism within the marine park.
Among the possible causes could be the sargassum, the traffic and impact of visitors, pollution, mismanagement and others still undefined, but in the case of tourism, the same is because they do not have good practices on the use of blockers -in the understood that they are asked to be biodegradable-, or by other pollutants that are still being analyzed.
That is why he indicated that they are waiting for approval or not the conditioning of the number of boats and people entering the park, since about 2,000 tourists visit it in a little over 200 vessels that have permits. However, it could be urgent to temporarily vent certain areas while continuing to apply antibiotics to sick corals in hopes of having an improvement that does not impact much more marine life, he concluded.
Stay tuned for more info.
Christi or Dave, can you provide some additional info.
P.S. Thank you Gordon for my new sig line.
