[Coral-List] Coral restoration trashing

[Steve Mussman]

Hi Luiz,

First, let me get off my high-horse (if I appear to be on one) and say that I get it - it appears that at the moment everyone is piling on, but this debate (on the virtues of coral restoration) has been ongoing for a number of years now. I believe that everyone involved, both critics and proponents, recognizes that there are many aspects of coral restoration that are worthy of praise and that there have been significant advances made to our general knowledge of corals through these laudable and expansive efforts. Having said that, there are other aspects of (some) coral restoration projects that need to be closely scrutinized and held to account especially considering recent developments. To that end, I’m afraid that I have to take issue with your opening statement that “Not a single one of them has ever said that the solution for the coral reef crysis is coral restoration. This is hyperbole created either by the media and the critics of coral restoration”. If you would like, I can provide specific evidence to the contrary, but rather than caste aspersions, let’s just say that some of the criticisms of (some) restoration projects are clearly justified. Being on the cutting edge of science is sometimes a precarious position to be in I would think, but still, scientific advocacy that blurs the line between a groundbreaking and useful tool and a solution is to my mind, borderline indefensible. I still assert that coral restoration WITHOUT a commensurate and balanced emphasis on the need to address climate change (and other applicable major stressors) can convey a misleading and ultimately, even a completely counterproductive message.

As for what it will take to bridge the political divide on climate change, I don’t know, but I do believe that it would help if every restoration project made it clear that addressing climate change has to be a priority and that without that, we have little hope of saving coral reefs. As you mentioned in closing, what we really must do is help to develop the political will to take on climate change. Perhaps, if all the coral restoration projects (and I’ll add the scuba diving industry here too because of their strong advocacy for coral restoration) get on board and do their part to make this unequivocally clear - we stand a better chance of eventually turning the tide.

Sincere regards,

Steve Mussman

On 8/20/23, 11:07 AM, Luiz Rocha via Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

Alright, I've had it. I am sick and tired of the constant trashing and

criticism that coral restoration projects and that any science even

remotely related to restoration are getting. Even though I don't work on it

(directly or indirectly) I know a lot of scientists working on coral

restoration. And I also know a lot of restoration projects. Not a single

one of them has ever said that the solution for the coral reef crysis is

coral restoration. This is hyperbole created either by the media and the

critics of coral restoration.

Now more specifically about the critiques to every kind of science related

to restoration. If we put together all of the dollars that went into coral

restoration science, in all of human history, that adds up to (very

graciously) about half a billion dollars. For those that keep saying that

we can solve the climate crisis with coral restoration dollars, please,

please, tell me how 500 million dollars would solve climate change. If you

sit down and really think about it, I hope you realize that climate change

is not a money problem. We have the money and the solutions to do it. What

we do not have is the political will.

And for those that keep saying that corals in air conditioned aquaria are

not a solution, rhinos in zoos aren't either, so should we kill them all

and be done with it? The only surviving individuals of unique genetic

lineages of several species that used to be in Florida are now only alive

in aquaria. So let's use the few hundreds of thousands of dollars being

used to keep them alive to convince Ron De Santis and Donald Trump that

climate change is real. Yeah, that's gonna work. These dollars (even if

dollars could solve climate change, which they won't) are not competing

with climate change dollars. That's like asking to stop funding coral

taxonomy because giving coral species names is only rearranging the chairs

in the Titanic. That argument can be used for any branch of science that is

not fighting climate change. And it is not true.

So, get off your horses, fight climate change the best way you can, and

keep doing science, even if it's not related to climate change. Because it

will help.

Cheers,

Luiz

Luiz A. Rocha, Ph.D.

Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology

Co-Director, Hope For Reefs Initiative

California Academy of Sciences

p. 415.379.5370

LRocha at calacademy.org

Academic Website

55 Music Concourse Drive

Golden Gate Park

San Francisco, CA 94118

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