Coral Bleaching in the Keys

[Prof Alan E Strong]

I am not surprised to hear of bleaching in the Keys....we just announced
from observations on our NOAA/NESDIS HotSpot product that extremely high
temps [SSTs] were developing this past week...possibly over some of the
Bahamas as well.

You can link to this experimental product from URL below:

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http://wesley.wwb.noaa.gov/eileen/orad/const1.html

Thru experimental products...and coral reefs...

Let us know what you think....the next update is 8/9/97 [Sat]

Cheers,
Al Strong
NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD & US Naval Academy


On 8 Aug 1997, Causey, B. wrote:

> Greetings to Coral Listers:
> 
> I apologize up front for a widely broadcasted message, but the problem we have
> observed may become wide spread in geographical scope.
>  
> While diving in the inshore waters of the Florida Keys over the past two days
> (August 6 & 7), I have observed scattered bleaching of many species of head
> corals.  Some of the colonies are partially bleached while others are
> extremely mottled or blotched. Small colonies are often entirely bleached. 
> The inshore water temperature is very warm..... and we will be reporting the
> exact temperatures at a later posting.
> 
> Additionally, I just got off the telephone with Captain Bill Wickers, a past
> member of our Sanctuary Advisory Council and a local native (Conch), who
> reported extensive bleaching to large coral heads in the Gulf of Mexico area
> of the Keys.  He was diving in Boca Grande Channel, between Boca Grande Key
> and the Marquesas Keys, to the north or on the Gulf side  of the Keys in the
> channel.  He observed large coral heads that were bleached to varying degrees.
>  He said the small colonies were completely bleached and the larger colonies
> varied from mottled to heavily bleached.  He said the problem is wide spread
> in the area.  Captain Wickers is a reliable source of information and an
> excellent source for personal observations.
> 
> I will keep you posted as new observations are recorded. Billy
> 
> Billy Causey, Sanctuary Superintendent
> Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
> P.O. Box 500368
> Marathon, FL 33050
> 305.743.2437
> 305.743.2357 fax 
>