[Coral-List] Take care in making attributions on the trigger for SCTLD

[International Coral Reef Observatory]

Thanks Leslie for your caution that adds perfectly to the necessary
discussion. Let me take the opportunity to greet all female coral listers
on the International Women's Day.

Great to underline the courage that some conservationists have shown.
Perhaps calling them "environmental crusaders" is a compliment to the
people that care about coral reef conservation. Some people need to walk
the extra mile to improve it, even if money is not buying their
consciences.

Optimistic or Pessimistic perspectives separately will not improve
conservation effectiveness if the "real enemy" is not acknowledged, ALL the
potential causes should be addressed as a precautionary principle. We can
look at a coral colony being infected by SCTLD in the first stages and say
that it is half healthy or half sick but the fact is that it is in a
process of degradation that compromises the integrity of the whole
ecosystem !!  https://www.instagram.com/p/B_AC_Qvj5vt/

Nine years from the appearance of SCTLD in the reports with a specific
location in the Caribbean Sea and multiple scientists dedicated to study of
SCTLD, but interesting enough, the "right enemy" has not been identified
within the dates (2013- 2015 Dredging operation), perhaps exactly the
enemy, it is the $$$ that funds megaprojects on coral reef areas and hires
with confidential contracts to deviate attention from potential local
causes that justify outbreak factors and epidemics pathways.

Of course, it is vague to blame Climate Change so it is convenient. I
agree, it always has a component to influence outbreaks too. Thus, there is
nothing to stop specifically anywhere or change specifically as it is a
global problem and the blue economy is funding coral restoration to "save
coral reefs".

Overpopulation in a coral reef area, leaking of pollution e.g. sewage,
import of aquaria, silting and destruction of coral reefs have become
scientifically accepted...with the good news that genetically, someday will
be possible to create super corals that will survive any kind of local or
global threats without any need for changing human behavior or
improving decision making!!

All the best,
Nohora Galvis
Expert in Transdisciplinary research to improve coral reef conservation
effectiveness
ICRO, International Coral Reef Observatory.
Follow us on Facebookcom/ICRObservatory
Instagram, Twitter and Twitter  ICR_Observatory



El mar, 7 mar 2023 a las 7:20, Kaufman, Leslie S via Coral-List (<
coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov>) escribió:

> > Regarding the origin of SCTLD, it is important to keep things in
> perspective.  The notion that sediment disturbance could have triggered the
> coral disease syndrome SCTLD is a valid if yet unproven hypothesis.  For
> Port of Miami, so is the possibility of SCTLD being launched by the Miami
> sewer outfall and Miami River.  There may be other hypotheses as well.  The
> evidence is not nearly conclusive as yet in support of any particular
> hypothesis.  The real issue in Florida is the overall overdevelopment of
> the Kissimee ecosystem from Orlando to Key West, plus the failure to
> adequately consider the environment and marginalized people in development
> plans. There  may even be no plan other than get in, suck profits, get out.
> Environmental crusaders should stick with rigor to the data and be careful
> to choose the right enemy, unless the intent is really just to raise money
> to keep crusading.  That of course requires a simple story and a singular
> target to make funders feel good.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
> https://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/mailman/listinfo/coral-list