[Coral-List] Reminder - Sign On: Science Community Letter for Florida Keys Restoration

Tue Jan 28 16:52:44 UTC 2020

Hi all,
I must say this is probably one of the most important conversations on this
forum.  It goes to the heart of the issue of conservation (speaking
domestically).  Steve is right in unfortunate ways.  All the great science,
all the great testimony, all the great expert panels, all the many many
publications read by the 'choir', are very hard pressed to move the
political establishment that ultimately has to listen to that science (this
includes NOAA as a federal agency).  Not that NOAA scientists don't care,
but they are caught in the same system.  We have discussed the need to
interface more effectively with voters as well as politicians, but its very
difficult, and most scientists aren't trained to do that (and
importantly most do NOT get rewarded for doing so). This really does
leaven us in a rough place.

We will move this environmental protection needle too slowly to make the
difference that is needed unless we can get people to understand and care,
and relay that to their politicians.  I dont have the answer here.  But I
can clearly see the problem (at least one big one).  One way is to get a
big and important voting block to turn their attention to it.  I submit
that one such block are the young people.  And they are aware and angry.
But they aren't voting. If we can somehow make that connection for them to
direct their concern at their political system, I imagine that politicians
may start paying more attention. Teachers, faculty, people who interface
with the public: Maybe our message needs to be less about the details of
the problems and more about how to solve them?  Or at least that clear
message about the power of the vote and action behind it?

We need a leader here!!!  To all those foundations out there: if we put
some real money behind a youth campaign (connected of course to the wise
elders out there...:) to change policy and start listening to science and
scientists about environmental impacts I'll bet we can more that needle a
bit faster and farther...oh and it needs to be bipartisan (or non partisan)
Nicole

Nicole L. Crane
Faculty, Cabrillo College
Natural and Applied Sciences
www.cabrillo.edu/~ncrane

Senior Conservation Scientist, Project co-lead
One People One Reef
onepeopleonereef.org

On Tue, Jan 28, 2020 at 6:54 AM DeeVon Quirolo via Coral-List <
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Thank you Phil for speaking out.  If enough of us do, maybe it will turn
> the tide just a little toward spending available funds to clean up the
> water.
> All the best, DeeVon Quirolo
> reefrelieffounders.com    reefreliefarchive.org
>
> On Mon, Jan 27, 2020 at 10:41 AM Phil Dustan via Coral-List <
> coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> > Dear Shannon and Coral Listers,
> >  I finally decided to add my two cents, not that I think it will change
> any
> > of the wheels that are turning towards another attemp to manage a coral
> > reef system. I think echos of Clive Wilkerson are appropriate here, "We
> > can't manage reefs, only people".
> >   Phil
> >
> >
> >                                             January 24, 2020
> >
> >
> >
> > Sara Fangman
> >
> > Sanctuary Superintendent
> >
> > Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
> >
> > 33 East Quay Road
> >
> > Key West, FL 33040
> >
> > And
> >
> >
> >
> > Shannon (Yee) Colbert
> > Policy and Conservation Director
> > National Marine Sanctuary Foundation
> > 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 510
> > Silver Spring, MD 20910
> >
> >
> >
> > Re: Docket Number NOAA-NOS-2019-0094
> >
> >
> >
> > Dear Ms. Fangman and Colbert,
> >
> >
> >
> > As a research scientist who has studied the ecology of the Florida Keys
> > since 1974, one of the creators of the USEAP Florida Keys Coral Reef
> > Monitoring Project in 1994-2000, former Science Advisor of the Cousteau
> > Society, and an academician for 38years, I would like to add my
> scientific
> > opinion to the discussion.
> >
> >
> >
> > The plan to restore some of the most well-known reefs is the Florida Keys
> > is a failed project before it begins.  It will generate millions of
> dollars
> > in funding for programs, and will generate a lot of publicity, but it
> will
> > not accomplish the fundamental task of coral reef restoration in the
> > Florida Keys. This is because the ecological conditions necessary for
> > vibrant coral reefs do not exist in the Keys anymore This is why they
> have
> > receded and are now less than 1-2% of what they were in the 1970’s when
> we
> > began to track their change. The simple fact of the matter is that the
> > ecological condition that enable reefs to flourish make them vulnerable
> to
> > humans including: low nutrients, high sunlight, low sediments, high rates
> > of herbivory, low rates of removal, high fish biomass, low rates of human
> > physical destruction. From a systems point-of-view both terrestrial and
> > marine systems must be operating at peak efficiency with respect to
> > nutrient cycling and retention.  They are biologically accommodated
> > communities of the highest order and cannot be “restored” by simply
> adding
> > coral. This is hubris of the highest order, a brash form of scientific
> > malpractice.
> >
> >
> >
> > Land development in the Florida Keys, South Florida, and much or the
> United
> > States that drains into the Gulf of Mexico also inhibits the development
> of
> > reefs in the Florida Keys as well as South Florida. Land-based effluent
> is
> > a toxic mix of metabolic inhibitors, poisons, oxygen-sucking BOD,
> > microorganisms, and geological sediments so as to preclude healthy
> > conditions for reefs in the region. People point to the Dry Tortugas as a
> > success story but in fact, those reefs, since monitored in the 1970’s,
> have
> > probably lost 25-50% of their living coral.
> >
> >
> >
> > The heterotrophic structure of the water column now supports higher
> levels
> > of bioerosion to the extent that the reef substrate is decreasing in
> > volume! Reefs require oligotrophic condition for long term vitality.
> Water
> > quality must be improved before any serious long-term restoration should
> be
> > considered. Much of the degradation is a product of local, regional, and
> > national land development. The State of Florida exudes hundreds of
> millions
> > of gallons of polluted runoff and sewage with various level of treatment.
> > This nutrient and carbon laden watershed effluent preclude the
> development
> > of healthy reefs along the coastlines of Florida and the Florida Keys. To
> > be sure, the technology exists to clean it up, but the political will
> > refuses to understand the importance over commerce and profit.
> >
> >
> >
> >  Furthermore, the “conservation practices” that have been instituted by
> the
> > Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuaries have mostly failed.  No-take
> zone
> > were so small as to be useless; spearfishing and commercial fishing is
> > still allowed throughout much of the entire Keys; commercial sport diving
> > operations have resulted in reef trampling that eclipses the damage done
> in
> > many national parks on land. Commercial interests have reigned supreme
> with
> > merely mild lip service granted to the ecological rights of reefs.
> > Sanctuary Programs have done almost nothing to curtail the downward
> spiral
> > of reefs since the 1970’s. The management programs allowed commercial
> > interests to swamp ecological concerns, the expensive sewer system may
> have
> > improved nearshore bacterial counts but has not stopped the flow of
> > nutrients to the reef as treated effluent is being pumping into the path
> of
> > tidal pumping as noted by the work of Gene Shinn and his colleagues.
> >
> >
> >
> > This list of ecological issues could go on and on but I feel that I have
> > made my point without even bringing up increasing atmospheric carbon
> > dioxide levels. To think that it is possible to reestablish a coral reef
> > community in the midst of the catastrophic environmental degradation
> still
> > underway in the Keys is fallacy. To throw tens of millions of critical
> > dollars in to mix is near criminal. The funds could be used to further
> > restore water quality, curtail land-based sources of pollution, and begin
> > to move commerce out of the Florida Keys. Were the requisite ecological
> > conditions met, the reefs would initiate their own restoration faster,
> > stronger, and more widespread than humanly possible. But this requires a
> > nature-based approach, not the *glorious, shining top-down, plant it and
> > they will grow approach* being proposed.  Just like any farmer planning a
> > crop, the planting conditions must be prepared beforehand before the
> > seedlings are set.
> >
> >
> >
> > While I like the idea of restoring the Florida Keys Reefs and would,
> almost
> > more than anything else, love to see the reefs once again attain their
> > luxuriance, I am sorry to say that this project will not begin accomplish
> > that task.
> >
> >
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> >
> >
> > Phillip Dustan PhD FLS, College of Charleston, SC
> >
> > Phil.dustan at gmail.com
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Tue, Jan 21, 2020 at 5:29 PM Shannon Colbert <
> > shannon at marinesanctuary.org>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not
> > > click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and
> know
> > > the content is safe.
> > >
> > > Hello again,
> > >
> > > I wanted to send a quick reminder, if you have not already done so...
> > >
> > > *Please consider signing on to this science community support letter to
> > > support the Florida Keys.* We need to have your voice heard!
> > >
> > > *To Sign On*: Send your first and last name, including degrees,
> > > affiliation, and organization/business name as it should appear on the
> > > letter signatures to Shannon Colbert (shannon at marinesanctuary.org).
> > *Deadline
> > > to Sign On: Wed, Jan 29. *
> > >
> > > If you have already signed on, please consider sharing this with other
> > > partners and colleagues for their support.
> > >
> > >   --
> > > Sincerely,
> > > *Shannon (Yee) Colbert*
> > > Policy and Conservation Director
> > >
> > > *National Marine Sanctuary Foundation*
> > > 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 510
> > > Silver Spring, MD 20910
> > > Office: 301-608-3040 x 304
> > > Cell: 202-870-0387
> > > Twitter: @MarineSanctuary | Facebook: /MarineSanctuary
> > >
> > > DISCOVER WONDER – learn more at www.MarineSanctuary.org
> > > <
> >
> https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinesanctuary-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com%2FRedirect%3Fukey%3D1vMT38NIZKcJAMcULW-3PRGfA5_w8FiCA4dkeFYB_ZAI-1775483685%26key%3DYAMMID-45757750%26link%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.MarineSanctuary.org&data=02%7C01%7Cdustanp%40cofc.edu%7C27d2e00a76204fa64a9208d79ec15d98%7Ce285d438dbba4a4c941c593ba422deac%7C0%7C0%7C637152425669056592&sdata=2M249GatSHf8Uc%2F2fTuI9jdnuwBcHz4dp4IHAwaSjm0%3D&reserved=0
> > >
> > >
> > > -------------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > Hello Phillip,
> > >
> > > Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary is a national treasure and a
> > > hotspot of marine biodiversity. But, the threats to the Florida Keys’
> > > marine environment are greater than ever. Sound science needs to be the
> > > foundation of decision-making for adaptive management and restoration
> of
> > > the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The Florida Keys
> Restoration
> > > Blueprint
> > > <
> >
> https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinesanctuary-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com%2FRedirect%3Fukey%3D1vMT38NIZKcJAMcULW-3PRGfA5_w8FiCA4dkeFYB_ZAI-1775483685%26key%3DYAMMID-45757750%26link%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Ffloridakeys.noaa.gov%252Fblueprint%252F&data=02%7C01%7Cdustanp%40cofc.edu%7C27d2e00a76204fa64a9208d79ec15d98%7Ce285d438dbba4a4c941c593ba422deac%7C0%7C0%7C637152425669056592&sdata=RkgW0sCjpMMgi%2BI2XvPy%2FT1osbOAI6PDg0L%2BmZbV9PM%3D&reserved=0
> > >
> > > offers an opportunity to address threats to the sanctuary, restore
> > > habitats, protect marine wildlife, and safeguard ecosystem services.
> > >
> > > *Sign our science community support letter (attached with some early
> sign
> > > ons) urging the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to
> ensure
> > > that sound science underscores management decisions to protect and
> > restore
> > > the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. *Public comment is open
> until
> > > Jan 31, 2020.
> > >
> > > Please take the following actions to speak up and amplify support for
> the
> > > Florida Keys.
> > >
> > >
> > > *1. Sign On to this Science Community Letter: *Send your first and last
> > > name, including degrees, affiliation, and organization/business name as
> > it
> > > should appear on the letter signatures to Shannon Colbert (
> > > shannon at marinesanctuary.org). *Deadline to Sign On: Wed, Jan 29. *
> > >
> > >
> > > *2. Use this Letter to Start Your Own Letter to Submit: *If you want to
> > > sign a letter of your own, please use this letter as a starting point
> and
> > > submit it directly to Regulations.gov (Docket Number
> NOAA-NOS-2019-0094)
> > > <
> >
> https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinesanctuary-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com%2FRedirect%3Fukey%3D1vMT38NIZKcJAMcULW-3PRGfA5_w8FiCA4dkeFYB_ZAI-1775483685%26key%3DYAMMID-45757750%26link%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.regulations.gov%252Fdocument%253FD%253DNOAA-NOS-2019-0094-0001&data=02%7C01%7Cdustanp%40cofc.edu%7C27d2e00a76204fa64a9208d79ec15d98%7Ce285d438dbba4a4c941c593ba422deac%7C0%7C0%7C637152425669066584&sdata=Z9ep%2FKlRa%2FxETdmwIaWUGqbim%2FnNN31Bg0GfUfBLYog%3D&reserved=0
> > >
> > > .
> > >
> > >
> > > *3. Share this Letter with Your Colleagues and Networks: *Share our
> > > letter in your own colleagues and partners and encourage them to sign
> on
> > > today. Feel free to use this email as a template.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Sincerely,
> > > *Shannon (Yee) Colbert*
> > > Policy and Conservation Director
> > >
> > > *National Marine Sanctuary Foundation*
> > > 8601 Georgia Avenue, Suite 510
> > > Silver Spring, MD 20910
> > > Office: 301-608-3040 x 304
> > > Cell: 202-870-0387
> > > Twitter: @MarineSanctuary | Facebook: /MarineSanctuary
> > >
> > > DISCOVER WONDER – learn more at www.MarineSanctuary.org
> > > <
> >
> https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fmarinesanctuary-dot-yamm-track.appspot.com%2FRedirect%3Fukey%3D1vMT38NIZKcJAMcULW-3PRGfA5_w8FiCA4dkeFYB_ZAI-1775483685%26key%3DYAMMID-45757750%26link%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.MarineSanctuary.org&data=02%7C01%7Cdustanp%40cofc.edu%7C27d2e00a76204fa64a9208d79ec15d98%7Ce285d438dbba4a4c941c593ba422deac%7C0%7C0%7C637152425669066584&sdata=jDtJBUzg4FDOaPmglmRcOkdl9NiK5tAs0i9DS6UELy4%3D&reserved=0
> > >
> > > [image: beacon]
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Phillip Dustan
> > Department of Biology
> > College of Charleston
> > Charleston SC  20401
> > Charleston SC
> > 843 953 8086 (voice)
> > 843-224-3321 (m)
> >
> > "When we try to pick out anything by itself
> > we find that it is bound fast by a thousand invisible cords
> > that cannot be broken, to everything in the universe. "
> > *                                         John Muir 1869*
> > _______________________________________________
> > Coral-List mailing list
> > Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> > https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list
>
>
>
> --
> DeeVon Quirolo
> 352 277-3330
> www.naturecoastconservation.org
>
> *Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift.  That's
> why they call it the present.*  Eleanor Roosevelt
>
>
> *Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't
> breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something.
> You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the
> history of our planet.   *
> *Carl Sagan*
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