Info SCTLD closures on Bonaire

[SoccerDad]

The CARMABI report for Curacao focusses on corals that are "susceptible" to SCTLD, but is a bit disingenuous as to what fraction of their corals species will be affected. for example, in one report it is stated that "The disease destroys the soft tissue of at least 22 species of reef-building corals and kills them within weeks or months of becoming infected. That’s a third of all coral species on the island of Curacao, and the cause is still unknown." Nonsense. The number 22 comes from the Florida Reef Tract work; in contract, Bonaire has found only 6 species actually affected, and they are not even the dominate species on the island. So even if 10% of the species are affected, the coral coverage reduction is a lot less than 10%.

Do you think it's doing any good? If so, please elaborate exactly on how and why you think so.

It seems very trendy these days, to take the position that anything is helping, and anything is worth doing 'for the cause'. To tell me that rinsing the gear, when there are ocean currents, fish, and cruise ships that are not doing the same thing, is beyond laughable.

edit: This feels alot like covid...

Please, if you feel that way just do not go to Bonaire - end of story.

 

[tursiops]

Status Update for Bonaire, as of Sept 18 (it will change soon):

All sites north of Weber's Joy/Witches' Hut are GREEN, except Tolo/Ol' Blue, which is ORANGE.
All sites from Witches' Hut/Weber's Joy south to Petries Pillar are ORANGE, except Barkadera which is GREEN.
All sites from Small Wall south to The Lake are RED, except Bari Reef, Front Porch, Lighthouse Point, and Punt Vierkant, which are ORANGE.
All sites from the Hilma Hooker south to Atlantis are ORANGE.
In the far south, Vista Blue through Willemstoren Lighhouse are all GREEN.

On Klein:
All sites are ORANGE except:
Ebo's Reef, Just a Nice Dive, Forest, and Ebo's Special are all RED.
Bonaventure, Monte's Divi, Joanne's Sunchi, Capt Don's Reef, South Bay are all GREEN.

Klein is closed to diving after 2pm each day.
The sites north of Karpata are officially closed to diving, although is is reported that you can drive into the park, get decontaminated at the entrance, and dive the sites.

 

[tursiops]

Status Update for Bonaire, as of Sept 18 (it will change soon):

All sites north of Weber's Joy/Witches' Hut are GREEN, except Tolo/Ol' Blue, which is ORANGE.
All sites from Witches' Hut/Weber's Joy south to Petries Pillar are ORANGE, except Barkadera which is GREEN.
All sites from Small Wall south to The Lake are RED, except Bari Reef, Front Porch, Lighthouse Point, and Punt Vierkant, which are ORANGE.
All sites from the Hilma Hooker south to Atlantis are ORANGE.
In the far south, Vista Blue through Willemstoren Lighhouse are all GREEN.

On Klein:
All sites are ORANGE except:
Ebo's Reef, Just a Nice Dive, Forest, and Ebo's Special are all RED.
Bonaventure, Monte's Divi, Joanne's Sunchi, Capt Don's Reef, South Bay are all GREEN.

Klein is closed to diving after 2pm each day.
The sites north of Karpata are officially closed to diving, although is is reported that you can drive into the park, get decontaminated at the entrance, and dive the sites.

Sept 27 STINAPA Report:
No change from above except Barkadera is now ORANGE.

 

[Diver-6873]

Status Update for Bonaire, as of Sept 18 (it will change soon):

All sites north of Weber's Joy/Witches' Hut are GREEN, except Tolo/Ol' Blue, which is ORANGE.
All sites from Witches' Hut/Weber's Joy south to Petries Pillar are ORANGE, except Barkadera which is GREEN.
All sites from Small Wall south to The Lake are RED, except Bari Reef, Front Porch, Lighthouse Point, and Punt Vierkant, which are ORANGE.
All sites from the Hilma Hooker south to Atlantis are ORANGE.
In the far south, Vista Blue through Willemstoren Lighhouse are all GREEN.

On Klein:
All sites are ORANGE except:
Ebo's Reef, Just a Nice Dive, Forest, and Ebo's Special are all RED.
Bonaventure, Monte's Divi, Joanne's Sunchi, Capt Don's Reef, South Bay are all GREEN.

Klein is closed to diving after 2pm each day.
The sites north of Karpata are officially closed to diving, although is is reported that you can drive into the park, get decontaminated at the entrance, and dive the sites.

While those are correct ... sadly, there are no sites on island without some degree of SCTLD. The amount, the depth. and the spread varies. We are also now experiencing annual bleaching events which will further stress hard corals.

 

[tursiops]

While those are correct ... sadly, there are no sites on island without some degree of SCTLD. The amount, the depth. and the spread varies. We are also now experiencing annual bleaching events which will further stress hard corals.

I was unable to find any evidence of SCTLD at Karpata, Rappel, or Bloodlet. "Absence of evidence is not proof of absence."
Here is a picture of a healthy maze coral at Karpata on Sept 8; this is the first species to show infection on Bonaire, according to STINAPA.

Bleaching typically begins at 30 degC, which was barely reached -- if that -- and is now slowly decreasing.

 

[Diver-6873]

I was unable to find any evidence of SCTLD at Karpata, Rappel, or Bloodlet. "Absence of evidence is not proof of absence."
Here is a picture of a healthy maze coral at Karpata on Sept 8; this is the first species to show infection on Bonaire, according to STINAPA.
View attachment 803768
Bleaching typically begins at 30 degC, which was barely reached -- if that -- and is now slowly decreasing.

I disagree with your comment the temps are currently decreasing. At depts they are increasing and will continue for about another month. If you aren’t seeing it - fortunately it just means it’s still minimal.

 

[tursiops]

I disagree with your comment the temps are currently decreasing. At depts they are increasing and will continue for about another month. If you aren’t seeing it - fortunately it just means it’s still minimal.

Yes, on average, October is slightly warmer than Sept.
My statement was based on the temperatures this year during Sept...they were slightly decreasing toward the end of the month.
The warming of the surface waters comes first, and that diffuses downward so the deeper waters lag behind a bit....but are not as warm as the surface waters.

 

[Diver-6873]

Yes, on average, October is slightly warmer than Sept.
My statement was based on the temperatures this year during Sept...they were slightly decreasing toward the end of the month.
The warming of the surface waters comes first, and that diffuses downward so the deeper waters lag behind a bit....but are not as warm as the surface waters.

I’ll disagree with your assessment of the september temperatures. We dive on island 8-10x per week year round and record the temps from surface to 30+ meters each dive - they continue to increase as they did all month. RRFB is actually seeing bleaching on their hard coral growths at shallow depths this year…. Hopefully the waters will cool sooner rather than later, but I’m afraid each year it’s going to get worse and continue to put stresses on the reefs.

 

[tursiops]

Klein will be open after 2pm as of Oct 1.

SCTLD Restrictions Adjusted as of October 1, 2023

As of October 1, 2023, restrictions surrounding Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) will be slightly relaxed on Bonaire.

infobonaire.com

 

[rmorgan]

Klein will be open after 2pm as of Oct 1.

Not much point to it, I suppose, when all but a few of the Klein sites are affected.