Acropora palmata discussions/coral nursery

[Reef Relief]

Reef Relief has released the first year report on the Coral Nursery
Project at Western Sambo Reef in the Florida Keys.  The report outlines
the efforts to stabilize loose fragments of Acropora plamata onto
"Acropora rosettes", a design by restoration biologist Harold Hudson, in
this cooperative project with the Florida Keys National Marine
Sanctuary.  Storm-damaged fragments of Acropora palmata were secured
with hydraulic cement onto concrete landscaping pads.  

The effort was launched to save Acropora palmata that was becoming
increasingly rare in Keys waters after substantial damage to populations
at Western Sambo Reef as a result of the Ground Hog Day Storm of
February 1998.

The rosettes were not cemented down at first because the plan was to
move them to a boat grounding site.  As a result, they were damaged
during Hurricane Georges but quickly re-established by a Reef Relief
team led by Craig Quirolo.  This time, they were cemented to the ocean
floor and survived through Tropical Storm Mitch.  Unfortunately,
Acropora palmata colonies at Western Sambo, Rock Key and other Keys
reefs suffered substantial losses as a result of these successive
storms.

REEF RELIEF recommends and encourages the inclusion of all corals in the
Acropora genus found in the Caribbean Basin for further protection,
including listing through the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The health
and abundance of Palmata colonies we have photo-documented in Cuba,
Jamaica, and Honduras are being compromised as well. 

For a copy of the 70-page color report, contact Reef Relief by e-mail,
telephone (305) 294-3100, fax (305) 293-9515, or write P.O. Box 430, Key
West, Fl. 33041.  

The report is available on our website, located at www.reefrelief.org.