[Coral-List] 20 newly listed coral species
Eugene Shinn
eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu
Tue Sep 23 15:22:19 EDT 2014
Mussman and CBD are correct in a Machiavellian sort of way. Listing
corals as threatened is an effective way to bring attention to dying
coral reefs. As Machiavelli pointed out 500 years ago in his classic,
The Prince, creating a frightening outside threat helps control the
masses. As I observed in the Florida Keys this summer the major reefs
are mostly dead and there were no live Acroporid corals in the usual
places. However, the ever-increasing masses of tourist divers clearly
did not know the difference between a live coral reef and a dead one. I
guess it doesn't matter as long as the keys economy is flourishing.
Tourist divers are mesmerized by all the multi colored Parrot fish that
ironically are part of the problem. The Jeremy Jackson NYT op-ed piece
Mussman quotes may apply elsewhere but does not apply to Florida Keys
reef areas.Parrotfish are nibbling the dead corals away so fast coral
larvae can't gain a foothold. I can't speak for Pacific reefs but the
thrust of the op-ed clearly does not apply in the Florida Keys. Gene
--
No Rocks, No Water, No Ecosystem (EAS)
------------------------------------ -----------------------------------
E. A. Shinn, Courtesy Professor
University of South Florida
College of Marine Science Room 221A
140 Seventh Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
<eugeneshinn at mail.usf.edu>
Tel 727 553-1158
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