[Coral-List] Caribbean corals and IUCN Red List

[David Obura]

Hi Caroline, just answering you online as well,

why yes … we are currently re-assessing all reef-building corals with a champion team of remote-assessors, quite a challenge and effort during Covid without the standard workshop processes to get all people on the same page.

The Caribbean corals are nearing completion of the assessment, and yes, the effects of SCTLD have been included, along with other species traits following discussions by our group of expert assessors. Traits are used to indicate higher or lower susceptibility of a species to threats, against a background estimate of decline we get from coral cover trends to be released shortly by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. In terms of timing of release of the results we’ll have to get all the Atlantic species assessments compiled (mid-year), and then decide on timelines with the Indo-Pacific species.

We’ll also use this as an opportunity to welcome any new assessors for Indo-Pacific species - a daunting task with some 800 species on our list, up from the number assessed in 2008. It requires going through an online Red List course and good familiarity with a group of coral species!

all best, on behalf of the Red Listing team,

David Obura || Chair, IUCN Coral Specialist Group

CORDIO East Africa, #9 Kibaki Flats, Kenyatta Beach, Bamburi Beach, P.O.BOX 10135 Mombasa 80101, Kenya
Email: dobura at cordioea.net  --  davidobura at gmail.com
Websites: www.cordioea.net  --   www.wiofutures.net  --  www.coralspecialistgroup.org
Mobile: +254-715 067417; skype dobura; Twitter @dobura
On 27 Apr 2021, 19:32 +0300, coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov, wrote:
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2021 19:43:29 +0000
> From: Caroline Pott <caroline.pott at dpnr.vi.gov>
> To: "coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov" <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>
> Subject: [Coral-List] Caribbean corals and IUCN Red List
> Message-ID:
> <BN6PR06MB232465696E830CDE7AE91B2DB3429 at BN6PR06MB2324.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Good day,
>
> Can I ask if anyone on coral-list is involved in the Red List Specialist group/process relative to coral species? Is there any consideration for urgent reassessment of species, particularly in light of SCTLD?
>
> Reading about some recent reassessments of terrestrial (elephants) and marine species (elasmobranchs most notably) has made me wonder about the Red List timeline for Caribbean coral species.
>
> I imagine reassessments of Caribbean species will show dramatic category leaps as many formerly common species which are still listed as Least Concern (e.g. Meandrina meandrites, Diploria labyrinthiformis last assessed in 2008) are rapidly become locally extinct with the progression of SCTLD.
>
> Feel free to contact me off-list with details.
>
> >From the front lines in the Virgin Islands,
> Caroline
>
> Caroline Pott
> East End Marine Park (STXEEMP) Coordinator
> Department of Planning & Natural Resources/Coastal Zone Management
> 5005 Estate Great Pond
> Christiansted
> St Croix, USVI 00820
> office: +1 (340) 718-3367 || Mon-Fri 8am-5 pm
> cell: +1 (703) 314-4889
> https://dpnr.vi.gov/coastal-zone-management/
> Get to know your marine park: http://arcg.is/295Hzbx
>