[Coral-List] The Spread of SCTLD

[Steve Mussman]

Hi Tom,

I’ve been diving Cozumel (almost) every year since 1985 and can attest to the overall decline. Definitely related to widespread development and growth of the island’s tourism industry including all the divers on their reefs. However, my experiences there are somewhat different. The Divemasters on Cozumel are very much in tune with protecting the reefs. Having said that, you are correct to point out that there are just too many divers and many lack the necessary buoyancy skills. Paradise reef added a few large cruise ship docks several years ago. It was a controversial move at the time especially among those concerned about impacts on the popular dive spot. I just recently returned from there and there were two or three huge cruise ships docked right there on the reef everyday.

I’m not claiming to have any evidence of a direct relationship between cruise ships and SCTLD, but I have my suspicions. As for divers, I just don’t believe that they are the primary vectors and can’t even find any science-based evidence to support the concept. However, in this case it seems like divers are the low hanging fruit. It is easier to take them on by imposing restrictions than to confront the more powerful economic forces at play. Similarly, we are quick to call out sunscreen manufacturers and promote restoration, but hesitant to take on the primary sources of water pollution and climate change.

Regards,

Steve

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On 5/24/23, 4:34 PM, <tomascik at novuscom.net> wrote:

Hi Steve,

I am following these interesting exchanges and after reading your

response and comment on the "Paradise Reef" in Cozumel I have to share

my experience and observations. I dove on the Paradise Reef in 1984 and

even at that time corals were already showing a signs of stress. At that

time there were few cruise ships docking at the port (maybe Cunard?),

but the dive boat that we took to the reef had 16 divers. We decided to

enter the water last and follow the horde. I still have vivid memories

of going through a sediment storm. Based on the diver behavior and

skills sets, most of the divers were novices with few dives behind their

belts, and it showed because they stirred up an enormous amount of

sediments. I do recall the dive master telling divers to stay off the

bottom and not touch the coral, but once they hit the water those

instructions went out the window. I was one of my worst dives ever!

Since that time there must have been thousands of these type of dives on

Paradise Reef. We knew in 1984 that the reef had little time left. I

hope we were wrong. I have not been back for years, but it would be

interesting to hear how the reef and corals are doing.

Cheers,

Tom

On 2023-05-24 11:46 am, Steve Mussman via Coral-List wrote:

> Dear Rupert,

>

> I still have not been able to find any studies (beyond the questionable

> one I mentioned earlier) that substantiate the concept of divers as

> vectors of coral disease. I’m not attempting to defend the diving

> industry’s environmental impacts or policies as I’ve been an outspoken

> critic of their lack of leadership on these issues for years. But in

> this case, divers are being singled out while what seem to be more

> obvious, potential spreaders are given a pass. Consider the fact that

> in Cozumel, Mexico SCTLD was first identified on Paradise Reef, an area

> where cruise ships (and cargo ships) dock daily. Same holds true for

> where the disease was first found more recently on Bonaire. As for

> Grand Cayman, I just received information indicating that SCTLD has

> been found on sites generally inaccessible to divers. By the same

> token, I was told that the disease has not yet found its way to Cayman

> Brac and Little Cayman, smaller, sister islands that are popular dive

> spots, but never visited by cruise ships. In light of these revelations

> it seems like a knee-jerk reaction to place restrictions on divers.

> Beyond that, these policies serve to strongly suggest that divers are

> the primary vectors all the while conveniently deflecting attention

> away from other, perhaps more “inconvenient” potential spreaders of

> coral disease.

>

> Regards,

>

> Steve Mussman

>

> Sent from EarthLink Mobile mail

>

> On 5/22/23, 9:25 AM, Rupert Ormond via Coral-List

> wrote:

>

> Steve,

>

> My understanding is that there is quite good evidence from the Cayman

>

> Islands that SCTLD is being spread by divers and / or diveboats (in

>

> ballast tanks?). I believe the main evidence is that they are mainly

>

> finding SCTLD at dive sites (which are designated with mooring buoys

>

> etc.) but not or very little on the stretches of reef in between where

>

> diving is not permitted.

>

> I believe a report on this is due, but at this stage you should

> probably

>

> contact the Dept of Environment there for more information, if

> required.

>

> sincerely,

>

> Rupert

>

> Rupert Ormond

>

> Co-Director, Marine Conservation International

>

> Hon. Professor, Centre for Marine Biodiversity & Biotechnology,

>

> Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

>

> Editor REEF ENCOUNTER (news journal of the International Coral Reef

> Society)

>

> On 27/04/2023 13:09, Steve via Coral-List wrote:

>

>> Recent developments related to the spread of SCTLD throughout the

>> Caribbean have resulted in a number of dive destinations placing

>> restrictions on scuba divers in an attempt to contain the spread of

>> the disease. While some locations have taken an approach requiring

>> disinfection of equipment as well limitations on specific dive sites,

>> others have imposed no restrictions at all. From everything I can

>> gather, SCTLD is known to be water-borne and fast spreading and likely

>> bacterial. All of which raises a few questions for the coral disease

>> experts here.

>

>>

>

>> Does anyone know of any study that actually concluded that

>> divers/diving equipment (used under normal circumstances) can carry

>> and or transmit coral disease pathogens? Put another way, Is there

>> actual hard evidence of divers as vectors of this or any other coral

>> disease?

>

>>

>

>> I did find evidence of one study that showed that wetsuit material can

>> hold and transfer bacteria, but it was a lab experiment and did not

>> seem to me to replicate what occurs in situ.

>

>>

>

>> And what about marine life? Theoretically, could a bacterial pathogen

>> be carried about by turtles, rays, crustaceans and such?

>

>>

>

>> Thanks in advance for your help.

>

>>

>

>> Regards,

>

>>

>

>> Steve Mussman

>

>>

>

>> Sent from EarthLink Mobile mail

>

>>

>

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