Grand Cayman Corals In Serious Trouble

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Recent storm activity from Hurricanes Ivan and Wilma have caused damage, but increasing temperatures from global warming and coral diseases brought about by pollution are compounding the underwater landscape’s problems. Coral bleaching, she believes, is one effect of rising water temperatures from global warming. Coral bleaching is where coral expel their symbiotic algae due to extreme stress, such as unusually hot water. The bleached corals die if the stress is extreme or prolonged. Ms Church said, “Even in between the ice ages we’ve never had temperature changes happen so fast. This leaves the coral reefs with no time to adapt.”

The avid diver has seen large coral heads that have been badly hit by diseases. “Anything we know that hurts coral needs to be contained. We know that poisoning the waters kills things,” she said, pointing out offenders that may include increased sewage, seeping groundwater from the unsealed landfill site, fertiliser run–off, detergent used to pump bilges and the destruction of mangroves. "We need to study water samples to find out what pollutants originate in Cayman that we can control,” she said.

Ms Church first noticed coral diseases springing up back in the early ’90s. “We’re dealing with a reef under tremendous stress and any little thing we can do to reduce this is a help,” she said. She asserted that the proposed dolphin facility will also be problematic for the reefs because bacteria from the fish–eating mammals’ faeces has been linked to coral loss in other destinations. “It’s just another nail in the coffin,” she said.

Recent Ministry of Tourism honouree for his contribution to the local dive industry, Peter Milburn believes that overall the coral reefs are in good shape. But some are becoming overwhelmed and suffocating, he said. Mr. Milburn, who has been diving here for 36 years, is convinced that a large part of this problem stems from algae blooms caused by too much fresh water and dirty water getting into the sea.

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http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1009275

We can not afford to lose it.

is unconscionable. We will only wake up AFTER it is too late and ALL of these natural treasures and resources are gone FOREVER!!!!!! What can YOU do to STOP the destruction of the planet's resources????