[Coral-List] NEED ADVICE!! - ACTIVE MORTALITY EVENT AT FLOWER GARDENS!

[Quenton Dokken]

Good Day All,

This is indeed disturbing news.  I was on the FGB two weeks ago and there
was no indication of anything amiss.  Thoughts:

1) Spatial dimensions need to be established and monitored for change.
2) Water samples need to be taken and analyzed.
3) Semipermeable membranes need to be installed immediately to monitor water
quality.
4) Microbiologist need to be brought in to test for biological agents.
5) The East Bank needs to be "Out of Bounds" until the cause is known.  If
it is chemical, it could be dangerous to humans.  If it     	is
biological it could be spread by divers. 
6) How are the fish reacting?

Q

Quenton Dokken, Ph.D.
President/CEO
Gulf of Mexico Foundation, Inc.
qdokken at gulfmex.org
361-442-6064 c
361.882.3939 o
361.882.1262 f
www.gulfmex.org

-----Original Message-----
From: coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
[mailto:coral-list-bounces at coral.aoml.noaa.gov] On Behalf Of Vicki Nichols
Goldstein
Sent: Thursday, July 28, 2016 12:03 PM
To: James Hendee <jim.hendee at noaa.gov>
Cc: Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
Subject: Re: [Coral-List] NEED ADVICE!! - ACTIVE MORTALITY EVENT AT FLOWER
GARDENS!

So very sorry to hear this devastating news. FGB is a treasure.

Vicki Nichols Goldstein 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 28, 2016, at 6:30 AM, James Hendee <jim.hendee at noaa.gov> wrote:
> 
> Greetings,
> 
>    Dr. Gittings' message was incorrectly formatted (image was 
> attached), but due to the emergency nature of the message, I am 
> posting this for him.  Please note this is from him, and to contact 
> him for any feedback (i.e., not me).
> 
>    Thanks!
>    Jim
> 
> Subject:
> NEED ADVICE!! - ACTIVE MORTALITY EVENT AT FLOWER GARDENS!
> From:
> Steve Gittings - NOAA Federal <steve.gittings at noaa.gov>
> Date:
> 7/27/16, 5:08 PM
> 
> To:
> "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>, 
> Cheryl Woodley - NOAA Federal <cheryl.woodley at noaa.gov>, _NOS ONMS 
> Leadership Team <onmslt at noaa.gov>, _NOS ONMS Conservation Science 
> Division <onmscsd at noaa.gov>, nmsprc at noaa.gov, Ed Levine - NOAA Federal 
> <ed.levine at noaa.gov>, Lisa Symons <Lisa.Symons at noaa.gov>, Edward 
> Lindelof - NOAA Federal <edward.lindelof at noaa.gov>, Bill Goodwin - 
> NOAA Federal <Bill.Goodwin at noaa.gov>, Bill Precht 
> <bill.precht at noaa.gov>, "Boland, Gregory S" <Gregory.Boland at boem.gov>, 
> William Kiene <william.kiene at noaa.gov>
> 
> 
> I just got a call from Emma Hickerson, Research Coordinator for the 
> Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.  She's on the East 
> Flower Garden Bank and reports what appears to be an unprecedented 
> mass dieoff of numerous species of at least corals, sea urchins, 
> brittle stars, and sponges over a large area.  She says large mats of 
> tissue are sloughing off and there appear to be large bacterial mats 
> on the bottom.  Large amounts of material and haze in the water is 
> making for virtually zero visibility in some places.  Water 
> temperature is 86F.  She isn't certain of areal coverage, but believes 
> it to be affecting the areas containing at least three mooring buoys 
> (4, 5, and 6).  I believe these buoys are about 100 m from one 
> another.  She did not see it at Buoy 2 (the long-term monitoring study 
> site), which is on the east edge of the reef a similar distance away.  
> They will continue survey and do random drops to determine the extent.
> 
> 1) Emma would like advice on collection and preservation of materials. 
> They have ethanol, formalin, and freezer space on board, but I don't 
> know about other details (jars, etc.)
> 
> 2) Does anyone believe that an emergency closure is warranted to 
> reduce spread of the problem by divers, or for any other reason?
> 
> 3) They are disinfecting dive gear, I believe with a vinegar solution. 
> Any additional suggestions on better or additional protocols?
> 
> Thanks very much for any advice.  I can pass it along to the field 
> crew via sat phone.
> 
> Steve
> 
> --
> Dr. Steve Gittings, Science Coordinator NOAA Office of National Marine 
> Sanctuaries
> 1305 East West Hwy., N/ORM62
> Silver Spring, MD  20910
> (240) 533-0708 (w), (301) 529-1854 (c) 
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
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