[Coral-List] Fwd: Parrotfish

Quenton Dokken qdokken at gulfmex.org
Mon Aug 4 09:25:44 EDT 2014


I was just on the Flower Garden Banks and was excited to see Diadema
returning.  Still not at numbers of 20 years ago, but moving in the right
direction.

Stetson Bank, in the more temperate coastal waters, was covered with
Diadema!  I don't recall ever seeing that density.  Interestingly, when
Diadema died off the Flower Garden Banks, they did not die off of Stetson
just 40 miles to the west of the West Flower Garden Bank.

Quenton Dokken, Ph.D.
President/CEO
Gulf of Mexico Foundation, Inc.

361-882-3939 o
361-442-6064 c
qdokken at gulfmex.org

www.gulfmex.org 

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Delbeek,
Charles
Sent: Sunday, August 3, 2014 5:14 PM
To: Douglas Fenner; coral list
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] Fwd: Parrotfish

I think Marin Moe has stated here on more than one occasion that the real
control on seaweeds in the Caribbean is Diadema not parrotfish, many species
of which won't even touch macroalgae. More effort and resources should be
directed towards reestablishing this keystone invertebrate herbivore to
Caribbean reefs and less on discussing what might help. It has already been
shown that Diadema, when in sufficient numbers, reduce algal cover and
increase frequency of coral recruits. In my personal opinion, there is
already a solution identified, resources just needed to implemented into
putting it into action.

If some billionaire is looking to leave a legacy, then what better way than
supporting Diadema culture and reintroductions to save Caribbean coral reefs
from becoming algal reefs?

J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.


-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Douglas Fenner
Sent: Saturday, August 02, 2014 3:13 AM
To: coral list
Subject: [Coral-List] Fwd: Parrotfish

Some may find this interesting.  Any discussion?

Protect parrotfish, protect the reef?

http://m.blog.nature.org/science/2014/07/31/parrotfish-caribbean-coral-reef-
iucn-report/



--
Douglas Fenner
Contractor with Ocean Associates, Inc.
PO Box 7390
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA

phone 1 684 622-7084

"belief in climate change is optional, participation is not."

belief in evolution is optional, use of antibiotics that bacteria have not
evolved resistance to is recommended.

website:  http://independent.academia.edu/DouglasFenner

Blog:
http://cctus.org/conservation-science/2014-expedition-scholar/2014-expeditio
n-scholar-douglas-fenner-ph-d/2014-expedition-scholar-blog/
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