Bleaching

Mary Power MaryP at sprep.org.ws
Fri Mar 2 20:31:00 EST 2001


Talofa from Samoa

In answer to your request we are now experiencing widespread bleaching here
in Samoa - visual surveys of about 10 different sites show bleaching ranging
from 15% at  some to up to 90% at others. Acropora (formosa, hyacinthus
mainly) Massive Porites and Millepora - depth range to about 10M. Started
about end of January and ongoing - calm seas and clear skies for most of
that time but now overcast and raining which may help. Difficult to assess
level of mortality yet. Also signs of disease which precluded the signs of
bleaching but that was only from one site. I will fill in reporting form on
over the weekend with more details. Would like to hear whats happening
elsewhere?

Regards

Mary
	Original Message --------
	> Subject: FIJI - Bleaching Alert
	> Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2001 10:34:20 -0500
	> From: "Alan E Strong" <Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov>
	> To: Coral-list <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>, Robyn Cumming
	> <cumming_r at usp.ac.fj>,Jerry Wellington <wellington at UH.EDU>,Bruce
Carlson
	> <carlson at soest.hawaii.edu>
	> CC: "Dr. Marguerite Toscano" <Marguerite.Toscano at noaa.gov>
	> 
	> FIJI - POTENTIAL BLEACHING NOTICE:
	> 
	>    http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/dhw_news.html
	> 
	> Now that we have gotten one week's worth of new, improved SSTs
from our
	> new polar orbiting satellite (NOAA-16), indications from our
comparisons
	> to SSTs expected at this time of year around Fiji are that
bleaching may
	> be underway.  SSTs (see link above) are nearly +1.5 deg C ABOVE
the
	> maximum expected during the warmest time of the year...what we
have seen
	> to date is even more elevated than what had occurred last year at
this
	> time when extensive bleaching was reported (mostly to the south).
	> 
	> Confirmation info is sought...please use our reporting form:
	> 
	>    http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/icg/newform.html
	> 
	> Regards,
	> Al
	> 
	> --
	> **** <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< ******* <>< *******
	> Alan E. Strong
	> Phys Scientist/Oceanographer
	>   NOAA/NESDIS/ORA/ORAD -- E/RA3
	>   NOAA Science Center -- RM 711W
	>   5200 Auth Road
	>   Camp Springs, MD 20746-4304
	>         Alan.E.Strong at noaa.gov
	>              301-763-8102 x170
	>       FAX: 301-763-8108

Mary Power
Coastal Management Officer
South Pacific Environment Program (SPREP)
Apia, Samoa
Ph (685) 21929	Fax: (685) 20231
Email: MaryP at sprep.org.ws
http://www.sprep.org.ws

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