[Coral-List] coral disease in the Caribbean

[Steve Mussman]

Hi Doug and Listers,

Can anyone shine additional light on the this SCTLD (Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease)?
Based on the article you posted there are many at work trying to figure out the dynamics involved, so I was hoping there might be at least some preliminary information available. 
Cozumel recently decided to (at least temporarily) shut down a number of reefs along the southernmost tract of their marine park, so I was wondering what their rationale was. The reefs in the affected area (especially Colombia and Palancar) are among the most popular dive spots in the region. Perhaps they are trying to reduce stress on the reefs that might be caused by high diver traffic in those areas. Another article I read claims that they suspect that it is caused by a bacterial infection. The famous currents in Cozumel generally run south to north, so I suspect all the reefs there are at risk. I saw examples of the disease back in July while diving there and at the time they were experimenting with a gum-like substance which they were applying as a barrier in an attempt to stop the progression of the disease. I have pictures if anyone is interested and any more information would be greatly appreciated.  

Thanks,
Steve Mussman 


Sent from my iPad

> On Sep 30, 2019, at 12:50 AM, Douglas Fenner via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
> 
> As new disease wipes out Caribbean coral, scientists tear up reefs to stop
> the spread
> O 
> https://www.reuters.com/article/us-environment-corals-idUSKBN1WB24D?fbclid=IwAR2wrhPCGLyiUmf7ZBicchXCQpPN2kM6bJtSdChSCTrOK2jiHAkUIY1gGKU
> 
> 
> Cheers,  Doug
> 
> -- 
> Douglas Fenner
> Ocean Associates, Inc. Contractor
> NOAA Fisheries Service
> Pacific Islands Regional Office
> Honolulu
> and:
> Consultant
> PO Box 7390
> Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799  USA
> 
> "Global warming is manifestly the foremost current threat to coral reefs,
> and must be addressed by the global community if reefs as we know them will
> have any chance to persist."  Williams et al, 2019, Frontiers in Marine
> Science
> 
> A call to climate action  (Science editorial)
> https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6443/807?utm_campaign=toc_sci-mag_2019-05-30&et_rid=17045989&et_cid=2840296
> 
> New book "The Uninhabitable Earth"  First sentence: "It is much, much worse
> than you think."
> Read first (short) chapter open access:
> https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/read-a-chapter-from-the-uninhabitable-earth-a-dire-warning-on-climate-change
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