Educational Presentation on the challenges coral reefs are facing in the Caribbean

1. The Plight of Coral Reefs in Trinidad & Tobago: What are we doing? Presentation by Barry Lovelace, MSc b.lovelace@buccooreef.org 365-4557

2. A Non-Profit Company established in 1999 www.buccooreeftrust.org

3. Our Vision The Buccoo Reef Trust envisions a Trinidad and Tobago that has an environment, well conserved so as to allow for the maximization of current opportunities for sustainable livelihoods that enhance the quality of life while protecting the same for the benefit of future generation.

4. Keeping the Balance Right The BRT Strategy RESEARCH, EDUCATION & CONSERVATION

5. Keeping the Balance Right The BRT Strategy Acquiring accurate and reliable data, information and knowledge on marine/coastal resources. Research

6. Keeping the Balance Right The BRT Strategy Educating ‘Trinbagonians’ to understand their impact on the environment and hence motivating informed decisions/actions for sustainable use of resources.(one can only love what one knows) Research + Education

7. Keeping the Balance Right The BRT Strategy Research and Education causes positive changes in human behaviour and guides innovations and policies toward sustainable living - Conservation Research + Education Conservation

8. Our Amazing Coral Reefs

9. Our Amazing Coral Reefs Value of reefs Understanding corals Threats!! What can we do?

10. Our Amazing Coral Reefs Geological structures built by living organisms Made of calcium carbonate (commonly called limestone)

11. Our Amazing Coral Reefs Among the most diverse and complex ecosystems in the world (submarine cities) Among the most heavily utilised and economically valuable resources to humankind Among the most beautiful and fascinating places on earth

12. Largest brain coral in the Western Hemisphere at Speyside, Tobago

13. Coral Reefs Largest brain coral in the Western Hemisphere at Speyside, Tobago

14. Coral Reefs Collage of colourful soft corals

15. Coral Reefs Diving between barrel sponges at Speyside, Tobago

16. Coral Reefs Manta ray at Speyside, Tobago

17. Coral Reefs Feather duster worm, Tobago

18. Coral Reefs Yellow tube sponge, Tobago

19. Why areCoral Reefsimportant?

20. Why areCoral Reefsimportant? In 2006 the World Resource Institute (WRI) presented the estimates of an economic valuation of several Caribbean reefs, Tobago included.

21. Why areCoral Reefsimportant? Coral reef-associatedTourism and Recreation contributedbetween US$100 and $130 millionto the national economy in 2006

22. Divers at Speyside

23. Glass bottom boat tours at Buccoo Reef

24. Why areCoral Reefsimportant? Coral reef-associatedFisheries provided annual economic benefits estimated between US$ 0.8 and $1.3 million In 2006

25. Important source of protein in the Caribbean snapper parrot fish Spanish hogfish parrotfish grouper grunt

26. Why areCoral Reefsimportant? Shoreline Protection Services of Coral Reefs avoided erosion and storm damage from waves valued between US$18 and $33 million per year

27. Buccoo Reef Tobago’s largest fringing reef on the way to becoming a small barrier reef Reef dissipates wave energy and prevents coastal erosion

28. Tourism and recreation Fisheries Shoreline Protection US$ 100 – 130 US$ 0.8 – 1.3 US$ 18 – 33 US$ 119 – 164 Why areCoral Reefsimportant? These are significant compared to Tobago’s GDP, which was US$286 million in 2006. Coral reefs provide other important values not captured in study (beaches, cultural, pharmaceuticals).

29. Understandingthe threats to coral reefs Optimum conditions for survival

30. Found worldwide in tropical waters….. ….warm, clear shallow water.

31. Coral Polyps build reefs

32. Coral Polyps build reefs Most corals consist of many small animals (polyps) living together in a large group or a colony.

35. Filter feeding nematocyst zooplankton At night, polyps feed on tiny floating animals(zoo-plankton). They paralyse prey with stinging cells callednematocyst. Tentacles pass food to the mouth which then gets digested in the stomach. Waste is expelled through mouth.

36. sunlight Inner cells zooxanthellae Energy from sunlight Coral polyps retreat into their coralite cups during day. Single-celled plants in skin (zooxanthellae), produce food (sugars) from sunlight (photosynthesis).

38. Polyp expels zooxanthellae

39. colony appears brilliant white

41. OCTOBER 2005 Bleaching spread to most coral species Coral Bleaching

42. OCTOBER 2005 Buccoo Reef Trust and Coral Cay Conservation Team up to survey main reefs for severity and extent of bleaching… Coral Bleaching

43. Financial assistance from Tobago House of Assembly and Travel Foundation Coral Bleaching

44. Method 25 Sites were surveyed using Point Intercept Transect Report available at www.buccooreeftrust.org Coral Bleaching

45. Results Overall 66%of hard coral bleached!! Report available at www.buccooreeftrust.org Coral Bleaching At some sites over 85% bleached

46. NOVEMBER 2005 - SEPTEMBER 2006 Buccoo Reef Trust continue to monitor reefs for recovery/mortality Coral Bleaching

47. Method 8 stations were established from previous survey sites Coral Bleaching

48. At each station, 20 discrete colonies were tagged, photographed repeatedly, and analyzed over the period the 10 month period

49. Results 66% Bleached colonies: November 2005 A Bleached colony

50. Results Partial Mortality: 32.5% Some areas died: Sept. 2006 A Bleached colony: Nov. 2005

51. Results November 2005 A Bleached colony

52. Results Total Mortality: 6.6% Sept. 2006 A Bleached colony: Nov. 2005

53. What next?

54. How do we deal with Coral Bleaching? Reduce stress from human activities

55. Reef Walking…

56. …prevents small corals…

57. …and boat anchors…

58. …kill live corals.

59. Simple solutions to preventing anchor damage - Install moorings and reef demarcation buoys - Avoid reef walking and contact with corals

60. Algae Coral Drain Wastewater

61. Runoff from cleared lands results in sedimentation of water… Sediment kill reef

62. Introduction Sediment kill reef www.buccooreef.org

64. 10m depth

65. 20 permanent transects each

66. Video captured

67. CPCe software analysis

68. Sediment traps

69. Water quality testingwww.buccooreef.org

71. 10m depth

72. 20 permanent transects each

73. Video captured

74. CPCe software analysis

75. Sediment traps

76. Water quality testingwww.buccooreef.org

78. 10m depth

79. 20 permanent transects each

80. Video captured

81. CPCe software analysis

82. Sediment traps

84. Results: Sediment loading (grams of dry weight) at selected reef stations around Tobago www.buccooreef.org

85. Live Hard Coral Cover Trends at 13 stations Increase No change Decrease North Point Sister’s Rock Black Jack Hole Eng’man Bay Spiny Colony Colloden Arnos Vale Plymouth Mt Irvine Buccoo Reef Kariwak Bulldog Reef Cove

86. Results: Slow but steady progression of yellow band disease 2007 January April July October

87. Conclusions The total percent cover of live hard coral on Tobago’s reefs is low, at an average of 17.55% with no significant change over the three years of study. Both Bulldog and Cove Reef have the lowest amount of live coral (5%) and high macroalgal cover (over 40%), while dead coral composes the rest of the reef. These two sites are down current from Scarborough, the main town in Tobago, and are affected by land-based sources of silt and pollution.

88. Conclusions The sediment that settles on the study reefs is coming from land. Monitoring stations situated far away from the coast such as Sisters Rocks, had a low sedimentation rate, less than 0.5 gram of dry weight per month, while other study sites like Little Englishman’s Bay had over 60 grams per month. Three reefs showed increase in live hard coral such as Spiny Colony in Speyside, Plymouth and the Buccoo Reef.

89. Conclusions Six reefs had no change over the three year study: Bulldog Reef (off Scarborough), Sisters Rocks, Arnos Vale, Mount Irvine, Blackjack Hole (Speyside), and Little Englishman’s Bay. Four reefs lost live coral cover: Cove reef close to Scarborough, North Point off Charlotteville and Culloden. Kariwak lost more than half of its live coral in 3 years. The most prevalent coral disease is Yellow Blotch Disease (YBD), which was found in 9 of the 13 monitoring stations infecting Montastraea faveolata

90. Recommendations We recommend the implementation of policies that address coastal sediment by minimizing soil erosion from agriculture, deforestation and construction. These should include more rigorous procedures for planning and the issuing of Certificates of Environmental Clearance that require the applicant to take steps to prevent mud from entering coastal waters (e.g. the use of sediment traps on construction sites, seeding exposed soil with grass). All domestic and industrial wastewater should be treated before reaching the sea, or if this is not feasible, diverted to outfall pipes that discharge far from the coastline, in deep water with strong currents.

91. Recommendations We also recommend the creation of new marine protected areas (MPAs) around Tobago. These MPAs should focus on areas of healthy coral and include areas where fishing activities are restricted, in order to increase populations of herbivores (e.g., parrotfish) which are critically important to the recovery and resilience of coral reefs after bleaching or disease outbreaks (Mumby et al., 2006). MPAs are also known to benefit fisheries and tourism, as they act as fish replenishment reserves where commercially important species of fish and shellfish (e,g, groupers, snappers, lobster) are allowed to grow and reproduce while also providing an attraction for divers and snorkelers.

92. Recommendations Monitoring programs on coral reefs provide information about the status of these ecosystems and can help to observe changes over time. They can also indicate the factors that have negative impact on the reefs and make suggestions on how to solve them. With this information, policymakers can take action to solve the issues before is too late. Therefore, it’s recommended to continue monitoring coral reefs in Tobago so everyone can be informed about what happens afterwards, and if there is any improvement in the ecosystem. The Reef-check protocol is a very simple and economic way to keep gathering valuable data and should be adopted and applied indefinitely in Tobago.

93. What YOU can do!

94. Protecting our sea of lifemust be our way of life! EDUCATE SELF www.buccooreeftrust.org

95. Protecting our sea of lifemust be our way of life! SPEAK OUT!! www.buccooreeftrust.org

96. Protecting our sea of lifemust be our way of life! Thank you www.buccooreeftrust.org