[Coral-List] Threatened coral reef in Colombia

[Observatorio Pro Arrecifes Coralinos]

Dear Colleagues,

Fortunately, in Colombia there was not recently a massive coral bleaching
event. The major threats of the Colombian Coral Reefs are related to local
unsustainable development either in protected or not protected areas. This
fact is not just the result of the peace project, it has more to do with a
long-term political development priorities of the Government (mining and
massive tourism).

The Observatory in Pro of Coral Reefs created by the Foundation Colombia in
2008, wrote a recent report to the Procuraduría which is the public
ministry that judge the decisions made by the Government to advise them to
stop the threats. However, the decisions ultimately rely upon colombian
government officers.

The super corals found in the Cartagena Bay have 80% Live Coral Cover
http://download.springer.com/static/pdf/455/art%253A10.1007%252Fs00338-014-1246-y.pdf?originUrl=http%3A%2F%2Flink.springer.com%2Farticle%2F10.1007%2Fs00338-014-1246-y&token2=exp=1460403907~acl=%2Fstatic%2Fpdf%2F455%2Fart%25253A10.1007%25252Fs00338-014-1246-y.pdf%3ForiginUrl%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Flink.springer.com%252Farticle%252F10.1007%252Fs00338-014-1246-y*~hmac=aa4ecb3155011f05d04d2edef8e5f07baaed2f02336732f27732ad34686614b9

According to what is happening in many countries with this kind of threats,
the 9000 Coral Listers should join efforts to keep writing formal
statements to the top decision makers at least to show them their huge
responsibility at present of what can happen in the near future.

It is time for the Coral-List to move a step ahead to show that coral reef
science really matters.

Cordial saludo,

Nohora Galvis

Directora Observatorio Pro Arrecifes,

Coordinadora Red Nacional de Observadores Voluntarios del Arrecife (RENOVOS)

Fundación ICRI Colombia

Siguenos https://www.facebook.com/ICRI.COLOMBIA

(Español) https://twitter.com/ArrecifesCoral

(Inglés)    https://twitter.com/ICRIcolombia

2016-04-08 15:43 GMT-05:00 Monica Medina <mum55 at psu.edu>:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> I would like to point out a News article that came out in Science Magazine
> today regarding the effect that coastal development is having on Colombian
> marine ecosystems with a particularly interesting reef in Cartagena Bay as
> an example.
>
> http://science.sciencemag.org/content/352/6282/129
>
> The country is experiencing unprecedented mega engineering projects all
> over its geography. This infrastructure growth is tightly linked to the
> imminent peace accord to be signed in Havana between the Colombian
> government and the armed rebels from FARC.
>
> I hope people on this list will join in expressing their concern to
> relevant parties that development should be sustainable for this long
> awaited peace to have the effect all Colombians and the world have hoped
> for.
>
> Mónica
>
> -------------------------------------------------------
> Monica Medina
> Associate Professor
> Department of Biology
> Pennsylvania State University
> office:         814-867-2958
> cell:           814-321-5684
> email:  monicamedina at psu.edu
> web:    medinalab.org
> -------------------------------------------------------
>
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