[Coral-List] Seen any Sea Star Wasting in the Caribbean?

[Mark Eakin - NOAA Federal]

As some of you are probably aware, there is a major wasting disease outbreak among sea stars along the US Pacific coast and to a lesser extent in the northeast.  A friend of mine was just cruising in the US and British Virgin Islands and noted to me that he didn’t see any of the big Oreaster sea stars — normally a common sighting. 

Has anyone run across wasting of sea stars in the Caribbean?

As an FYI, here’s a recent news story on the Pacific outbreak: http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2023950088_seastarwastingxml.html

Thanks,
Mark

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C. Mark Eakin, Ph.D.
Coordinator, NOAA Coral Reef Watch
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Center for Satellite Applications and Research
Satellite Oceanography & Climate Division
e-mail: mark.eakin at noaa.gov
url: coralreefwatch.noaa.gov

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