Saving Seafood

‘Sticky questions’ raised by study on coral reefs

August 12, 2021 — A new UBC study on the impact of climate change on coral reefs is raising sticky questions about conservation.

It found coral in more polluted and high traffic water handled extreme heat events better than a more remote, untouched reef.

The new study, conducted with researchers from the Republic of Kiribati’s Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resource Development, focused on two atolls in the Central Pacific, located 59 kilometers apart.

“Because of El Niño-Southern Oscillation, which causes ocean temperatures to fluctuate along the equator from year-to-year, these  experience heat stress more often than reefs in other parts of the world,” says the study’s lead author Sara Cannon, a Ph.D. student at UBC’s Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries and the department of geography.

Read the full story at PHYS.org

ASMFC Releases Update to Profiles of State Artificial Reef Programs and Projects

July 8, 2021 — The following was released by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission:

The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission announces the release of the Update to ASMFC’S Profiles of State Artificial Reef Programs and Projects. This document provides a summary for each state’s artificial reef program and features highlights that have occurred since the release of the first edition of this publication in 1988. Since then, many Atlantic states have expanded their programs; deployed a variety of artificial reefs using best management practices for construction, materials, and siting; and have monitored sites for use – both by fishers and divers, as well as by marine life.

Artificial reefs have been used for centuries to enhance fishery resources and fishing opportunities by creating habitat for fish and invertebrate species through the use of man-made materials. They also provide underwater structures for SCUBA divers and facilitate reef-related research. Artificial reefs are typically constructed from dense materials, such as decommissioned ships and barges; concrete and steel demolition debris; and dredge rock. When properly constructed and strategically sited, artificial reefs can enhance fish habitat and total biomass, increase access to quality fishing grounds that benefit coastal economies, and provide managers with another option for the conservation and management of fishery resources.

The publication identifies more than 335 permitted artificial reefs spanning 11 Atlantic coast states. It also provides a brief history of each program; highlights specific projects; provides details on state funding; and includes maps of reef locations. Over the past 30 years, artificial reef programs have implemented new technologies to designate sites, mapped existing materials, and evaluated established reef habitats. There are many examples of state programs collaborating with universities to study reef impacts, as well as examples of partnerships across state agencies, with the federal government, and with NGOs and private companies to secure reefing materials. Update to ASMFC’S Profiles of State Artificial Reef Programs and Projects is available at http://www.asmfc.org/files/Habitat/ArtificialReefs/ASMFC_Profiles_StateArtificialReefPrograms_Projects_July2021.pdf.

For more information on artificial reefs, visit the Commission website at http://www.asmfc.org/habitat/artificial-reefs or contact Dr. Lisa Havel, Habitat Committee Coordinator, at lhavel@asmfc.org.

Large-scale coral restoration beginning in Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

April 20, 2021 — The following was released by NOAA:

In the spirit of this year’s Earth Day theme “Restore our Earth,” NOAA and partners are beginning a three-year effort to outplant more than 60,000 fragments of nursery-raised coral at Eastern Dry Rocks Sanctuary Preservation Area off the coast of Key West, Florida. This is the first large-scale endeavor dedicated to Mission: Iconic Reefs, the unprecedented effort to restore seven coral reefs within Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

“Outplanting at this unprecedented scale is one of many immediate actions needed to address the rapid decline in our treasured coral reefs,” said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA Administrator. “The Florida Keys has become a world leader in coral restoration with new techniques for addressing threats and accelerating coral growth, thanks to an unprecedented collaboration between NOAA, our partners, and a community of stewards.”

Eastern Dry Rocks contains a concentration of bank reef habitats that are ecologically and economically important to the Florida Keys. The elkhorn and staghorn corals that are being transplanted across more than nine acres include a high number of distinct genetic strains representing the historical diversity found on these reefs, and genotypes that have exhibited the highest survival and growth rates. Practitioner partners that will assist in the outplanting grew the corals in their respective nurseries over six to eight months.

NOAA and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awarded a $5 million grant through the National Coastal Resilience Fund to the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, in partnership with Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and Coral Restoration Foundation™ to restore Eastern Dry Rocks. The grant is the largest one-time investment since the initiative was announced in December 2019.

Scott Winters, CEO of Coral Restoration Foundation, said “Coral Restoration Foundation has already begun a massive expansion of our Coral Tree Nursery in Key West to support the restoration of Eastern Dry Rocks. Since January 2021, we have now replenished the site with more than 1,085 genetically diverse staghorn and elkhorn corals and are well on our way to hitting our target of 7,350 by the end of the year. Knowing that we are not doing this alone, that this work is part of a much larger, coordinated effort, gives us a renewed sense of hope for the future of the Florida Keys.”

“We are excited to press forward with the application of Mote’s innovative science-based coral restoration of genetically-resilient corals on such a broad scale at Eastern Dry Rocks,” said Michael P. Crosby, Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium President & CEO. “Mission: Iconic Reefs is one of the largest reef restoration efforts in the world, and the collaborative efforts of Mote, NOAA, and our partners is unprecedented in this field. Florida’s Coral Reef is vital to our environment and economy, so Mote will continue to maximize our restoration efforts in support of Mission Iconic Reefs whenever possible.”

In later stages of the project, students and faculty of College of the Florida Keys will also help reintroduce thousands of herbivores, like the Caribbean King Crab, to the site to serve as natural grazers that help sustain a healthy ecosystem.

“In many ways, Eastern Dry Rocks serves as a test case for the other six Iconic Reef sites—from research and development on grazers to refinement of methodologies for maintenance and preparation,” said Sarah Fangman, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Superintendent. “Lessons learned from Eastern Dry Rocks will form the basis for standard operating procedures and implementation plans of future Iconic Reef sites.”

Informed by years of research, successful trials, and expertise from dozens of coral scientists and restoration practitioners, NOAA believes this scientific and collaborative restoration plan will put Florida’s reefs on track for recovery and demonstrate how restoration can support a vibrant, sustainable, local economy and help buffer communities from coastal storms. The reef track in the Keys attracts millions of visitors per year, accounting for more than $2 billion of economic impact.

“Florida Keys’ iconic reefs, including Eastern Dry Rocks, are the basis for thriving ecosystems underwater and the critical tourism economy on dry land,” said Kris Sarri, president and CEO of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation. “This project will transform how we approach coral restoration.”

U.S. coral reefs’ health assessed for the first time on a national scale

November 11, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA:

Coral reefs in both the Pacific and Atlantic oceans received a “fair” score in the first-ever condition status report for U.S. coral reefs released by NOAA and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) today. While the overall scores were “fair,” the report highlights coral reefs are vulnerable and declining. This is the first time coral reefs in all U.S. states and territories have been assessed using standardized monitoring data, creating datasets that offer a baseline of coral health on a national scale.

The U.S. Coral Reef Condition Status Report was developed by NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program and UMCES’s Integration and Application Networkoffsite link using data collected between 2012 and 2018. The scores are denoted as “very good,” “good,” “fair,” “impaired,” and “critical.” The report was based on four categories when assigning a score: corals and algae abundance, reef fish populations, influence of climate on coral reefs, and human connections to reefs.

“Considering the more than $3.4 billion in annual economic benefits of coral reefs, these reports and the policy actions that they will inform are critical to our American Blue Economy,” said retired Navy Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, Ph.D., assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator.

Coral reefs near higher density human populations are degraded, which is likely due to local stressors including land-based sources of pollution and damaging impacts from fishing.

“To conserve and restore coral reefs, we need to understand the overall condition of these  ecosystems,” said Jennifer Koss, director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program. “This report represents a snapshot of reef condition and is a great resource for communities and decision-makers throughout the nation. We hope the report starts a dialogue about the various factors and potential solutions to the threats affecting coral reefs.”

Greatest among the threats to coral reefs is climate change, according to the report. Warmer, more acidic seawater is negatively affecting coral reefs globally, no matter how remote they are.

“These status reports clearly show the impacts people are having on coral reef ecosystems,” said Heath Kelsey, director of UMCES’s Integration and Application Network. “Our work in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans shows a dire outlook for coral reef ecosystem health, from warming ocean waters, fishing, disease, and pollution from the land. Of all of these, climate change is the single biggest threat to shallow water coral reefs in the U.S., and worldwide.”

Read the full release here

The Impacts of Ghost Nets on Coral Reefs

September 28, 2020 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

Ghost nets are silently drifting through the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, snagging on coral reefs and entangling wildlife. Scientists in the Pacific Islands have observed ghost nets tumbling across expansive coral reef environments. They break, shade, and abrade coral, preventing them from healthy growth. These lost or abandoned fishing nets are a persistent threat that accumulate over time, but we know little about the damage nets inflict upon corals.

In 2018, our marine debris team quantified the damaging effects of ghost nets on coral reefs of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands for the first time. They found that regardless of net size or algae growth, corals were lost. They recently published their findings in Marine Pollution Bulletin.

The Northwestern Hawaiian Islands stretch for more than 1,243 miles northwest of the main Hawaiian Islands. They contain 124 mostly uninhabited small islands, atolls, reefs, and submerged banks. They are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and are encompassed by the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Within these protected waters, far from human inhabitants, ghost nets are leaving their mark on reefs. But how much of an impact are these nets having on corals?

Read full release here

Deep beneath the high seas, researchers find rich coral oases

September 15, 2020 — Aiming to bolster conservation on the high seas, a team of marine researchers today released the first comprehensive survey of coral reefs in the high seas–the roughly two-thirds of the ocean outside of national jurisdictions.

After combing through more than half a million observations of reef-building corals, the team identified 116 reefs located in the high seas. Most of these corals live between 200 and 1200 meters beneath the surface, the researchers found. But a handful are found more than 2 kilometers deep. And there are likely many more high seas corals still to be found, the authors note, as surveys have typically prioritized corals close to shore.

The study coincides with the launch of the Coral Reefs on the High Seas Coalition, a group of scientists and nonprofits that aims to support research cruises to survey the steep, deep-water slopes where many of the reefs sit. Eventually, the coalition hopes the data will help persuade policymakers to give these poorly understood ecosystems greater protection in global agreements currently under negotiation.

“Some of the first marine protected areas were specifically designed around coral reefs. … So much literature suggests these are the rainforests of the seas,” says co-author Daniel Wagner, the coalition’s coordinator and an ocean technical adviser at Conservation International. The coalition of nonprofits hopes to influence implementation of a United Nations pact, the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, which is expected to set rules for establishing marine preserves on the high seas. (A final meeting of the negotiators set for earlier this year was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.)

Read the full story at Science Magazine

Sharks are “functionally extinct” from many of the world’s reefs, new global survey finds

July 28, 2020 — Sharks are absent on many of the world’s coral reefs, suggesting that they are “too rare to fulfill their normal role in the ecosystem, and have become ‘functionally extinct,’” according to a new landmark study.

Conducted by Global FinPrint and published in the journal Nature, the study involved surveying 371 reefs in 58 countries. Sharks were not found on nearly 20 percent of reefs, “indicating a widespread decline that has gone undocumented on this scale until now,” Global FinPrint said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Feds Agree to Consider Protections for Hawaii’s Cauliflower Coral

March 5, 2020 — The Trump administration agreed Wednesday to determine by this summer whether it will extend federal wildlife protections to Hawaii’s cauliflower coral reef.

The agreement, filed in federal court in Honolulu, comes after the Center for Biological Diversity sued claiming the National Marine Fisheries Service fails to protect the coral under the Endangered Species Act.

In its federal complaint, the conservation group said Hawaii’s cauliflower coral has been devastated by ocean warming.

Warming oceans have caused widespread bleaching of the coral, whose populations declined by 36% between 1999 and 2012, according to the conservation group. A global coral-bleaching between 2014 and 2017 killed millions of coral on hundreds of reefs from Hawaii to the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia.

Read the full story at the Courthouse News Service

NOAA Researchers Study How Fish Use Artificial Reefs

January 8, 2020 — Shipwrecks and rocky reefs off the coast of North Carolina are home to many commercially and recreationally important fish species. Scientists with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science are researching how and when fish use these artificial and natural reefs. In the fall of 2019, aboard the NOAA ship Nancy Foster, the researchers used advanced technology to study how these reefs function as habitat.

The team used two kinds of sonar to survey the bottom and look for fish. The Foster’s multibeam echosounder registered the depth and physical properties of the reefs. Her splitbeam echosounder provided imaging that helps identify the size of fish and the location of the fish relative to the reefs.

Sonar gave the team the big picture, and NOAA divers also collected thousands of photos along the reefs. Using photogrammetry software, the team is stitching the photos together into three-dimensional models, which will provide detailed pictures of the reef structures and the plants and animals living on them.

Read the full story at The Maritime Executive

Runaway warming could sink fishing and reef tourism, researchers warn

December 9, 2019 — Countries from Egypt to Mexico could lose 95% of their income from coral reef tourism, and parts of West Africa could see their ocean fisheries decline by 85% by the turn of the century if planet-warming emissions continue to rise, oceans experts warned Friday.

“Action in reducing emissions really needs to be taken, or we will be facing very important impacts” on oceans and people, said Elena Ojea, one of the authors of a new paper looking at the potential impacts of climate change on ocean economies.

The study, released at the U.N. climate negotiations in Madrid, was commissioned by the leaders of 14 countries with ocean-dependent economies, and looked at ocean fisheries and seafood cultivation industries, and coral reef tourism.

It found that reef tourism, a nearly $36-billion-a-year industry today, could see more than 90% losses globally by 2100 under a high-emissions scenario.

Countries particularly dependent on coral reef tourism – Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and Australia – could see income cut by 95%, the paper noted.

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg, an ocean expert at Australia’s University of Queensland and one of paper’s authors, said his country’s Great Barrier Reef tourism industry – worth billions a year a year – was already seeing losses as corals bleached and died.

Read the full story at Reuters