Preventing Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease in the North East Caribbean and Florida

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Maybe this has been covered before, but surely it’s worth covering again: prevention of the possible spread of this coral-killing disease by divers’ equipment being infected after diving at an infected site.

The link mentions how to prevent the spread by cleaning gear a specific way:

“Divers and snorkelers can reduce their likelihood of transferring stony coral tissue loss disease through proper buoyancy, avoiding touching marine organisms and sanitizing equipment between dives and before and after each dive excursion, especially when travelling between countries or between infected and uninfected locations.

General Guidelines

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  • Remove debris and sediment following each dive.
  • Between dives, sanitize gear that contacts corals with a bleach solution. Other gear should be washed in freshwater with an antibacterial soap.
  • Use quaternary ammonium solutions to decontaminate dive gear after return to shore.
  • Properly dispose of disinfectant solutions and rinse water in a sink, tub or shower. Never pour into the ocean or a storm drain.

Gear-specific Guidelines
Non-sensitive equipment – After each dive, soak equipment (weight belts, tools, etc.) for 10 minutes in a 1% bleach solution (1/2 cup bleach per 2 gallons water). Rinse with fresh water; air dry.

Wetsuits, Buoyancy Compensation Devices (BCDs), mask and fins – After each dive, soak for 10 minutes in one of the following: 0.5% RelyOn (four 5 g. tablets/gal. water), 1% Virkon S (1.3 oz./2 gal. water), 6.6% Lysol (1 qt./gal. water), or an equal concentration of another quaternary ammonium disinfectant. Soak in fresh water for 10 minutes; air dry.

BCD internal bladders – Pour approximately ½ liter disinfecting solution into the mouthpiece of the exhaust hose while depressing the exhaust button, inflate BC, and gently rotate in all directions. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Flush twice with fresh water.

Regulators, computers, gauges, underwater cameras and other sensitive scientific equipment – Soak for 20 minutes in a solution of warm water and antibacterial dish soap or OdoBan (5 oz./gal.). Rinse in fresh water; air dry. Additionally or alternately, thoroughly wipe with isopropyl alcohol”


Citizen Participation | Florida Reef Tract Coral Disease Outbreak | Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

 

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Locations:

“Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a new lethal disease first reported in Florida in 2014. The cause of the disease is unknown but it is affecting >30 species of corals especially brain, pillar, star and starlet corals. The disease spreads quickly causing high coral mortality. Since then, outbreaks of SCTLD have been confirmed in the Caribbean off Jamaica, Mexico, Sint Maarten, the US Virgin Islands, Dominican Republic, Turks & Caicos Islands, Saint-Martin, Belize, Sint Eustatius, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia, Honduras and Martinique.”


Coral Disease Outbreak - AGRRA