[Coral-List] Leading By Example

[Hafeez Jamal]

Hi Nohora,

Thank you for this email.  Refreshing to refocus on the real issue at hand
for coral health, namely anthropogenic sources of pathogens and pollution.

I was recently in the BVI, and was delighted to see that amidst the reefs
smothered in algae and sediment there were scattered colonies of healthy
looking corals, surrounded by many fish - little pockets of hope.  The same
thought occurred to me - if we could just leave them alone, they will
recover.  I believe this means re-envisioning our design of human habitat
to consider and support the habitat for all species - encompassing little
things like plastic straws, and big things like municipal and industrial
effluent.

wishing you all the best - and success for all of us in this fight.

Hafeez

On Tue, Jan 30, 2024 at 12:18 PM International Coral Reef Observatory via
Coral-List <coral-list at coral.aoml.noaa.gov> wrote:

> Dear Colleagues,
>
> Now that it is a scientific consensus that current restoration projects
> based on breaking coral colonies have not solved the climate change impact,
> or local coral reef degradation in the Caribbean Sea due to local threats
> that have worsened the resilience of coral reefs, we all the coral listers
> should lead by example and act now to avoid further coral reef degradation.
>
> In 2000, I started to organize sessions at the International Coral Reef
> Symposium to share the evaluation of coral reef management effectiveness in
> different case studies (Countries) while I was developing my
> transdisciplinary research. Unfortunately the results were that even coral
> reef protected areas have dredged and enlarged ports to promote massive
> tourism and overfishing which has hampered the objectives of protection. On
> the other hand there was an increase in restoration projects that justified
> the unsustainable development, hence the degradation of coral reefs.
>
> Innovative ideas will not be to take coral reefs to Mars!! but to finally
> get global and local effective management, meaning stopping any sources of
> global and local pollution and other causes of coral reef degradation.
> Corals will recover their resilience quality more effectively in their
> natural environment when removing pollutants and avoid
> destructive anthropogenic activities.  Please do not give up, it is still
> possible.
>
> During the Pandemic it was possible to reflect on the priorities of
> protection of Life. We need to protect effectively Life Below Water. Lead
> by example !! It is possible that we improve our lifestyles by adopting
> ways to be more environmentally friendly, stopping confidential contracts
> that will favor projects that destroy coral reefs with fake promises that
> the coral reef will be saved by transplanting them to other places, while
> distracting the attention to address the causes of diseases and mortality
> of coral reef organisms.
>
> Let us advise and look immediately for alternatives to transportation means
> and Widespread environmental degradation due to breakneck economic growth.
> Advising the governments to take steps to curb pollution, if we are part of
> a stronger scientific coral reef society, this is not sitting passively in
> front of a computer or a phone to spread the word to your students,
> communities, media, policy makers.
>
> Nohora Galvis
> International Coral Reef Observatory, ICRO
> ICRS World Reef Award
> Facebook ICRObservatory
> Twitter / Instagram / Youtube ICR_Observatory
> _______________________________________________
> Coral-List mailing list
> Coral-List at coral.aoml.noaa.gov
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>


-- 
Hafeez L Jamal
hBSc MD CCFP(FPA) FCFP MES DTMH LEED-AP IIWCC

Family Practice-Anesthesia, Hyperbaric & Dive Medicine, Wound Care
Specialist
Marine and Coastal Ecology, Participatory Development