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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=220560014-30072001>Good
Morning,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=220560014-30072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN class=220560014-30072001>During a sampling
for our coral reef monitoring project at Long Reef in St. Croix, we noticed that
about 50% of the Siderastrea siderea colonies we encountered showed mild
bleaching (turning from their normal coloration to a light blue). A small
portion of those colonies were more intensely bleached, showing patches of
bright blue. A few isolated Palythoa seem to be starting to bleach as
well.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=220560014-30072001></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN
class=220560014-30072001>Paige</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P align=left><FONT face=Arial>Paige Rothenberger<BR>University of the Virgin
Islands<BR>Center for Marine & Environmental Studies<BR>VI Marine Advisory
Service<BR>(340) 692-4043 voice<BR>(340) 692-4047 fax<BR><A
href="mailto:prothen@uvi.edu">prothen@uvi.edu</A></FONT></P>
<P align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff>See VIMAS on the web at <A
href="http://rps.uvi.edu/vimas"
target=_blank>http://rps.uvi.edu/vimas</A></FONT> </FONT></P></BODY></HTML>