You are here: Home › News ›Weekly Items
Weekly News Items

 

Coral Mortality Event Will Result in Increased Monitoring in the U.S. Virgin Islands

The Center for Coastal Monitoring and its partners estimated a coral cover decline of 25% on a deep reef in the U.S. Virgin Islands based on photos taken using a remotely operated vehicle during a sea floor mapping mission in 2005. Deeper coral colonies were more affected than shallower colonies on the same reef. This is the first discovery of such a pattern of coral loss on a deep reef in the Caribbean . The extensive loss of deep reef coral is especially noteworthy as they could serve as a source of future recruits for shallow reefs during times of stress. NOAA and its partners are continuing their research efforts to fill critical information gaps about the condition of deep coral reefs and the possible ecological linkages with shallow reefs. NCCOS and their partners from the U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service reported these findings in the October 1 st issue of the journal Continental Shelf Research . For more information contact Charlie Menza at (301) 713-3028 x107 or Charles.Menza@noaa.gov .

NOAA HAB Forecast System Serves as a Model for Similar Capabilities in Mexico

The Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessmentpresented NOAA's HAB Forecasting System at the 2 nd Bi-national Meeting of the U.S. and Mexico in Campeche , Mexico on October 18-19 and discussed mechanisms for establishing a similar capability in Mexico . Scientists engaged in oral presentations and additional discussions to further the collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico for development of the sampling and modeling tools necessary to establish a HAB forecast system. Other meeting participants included NOAA's National Data Buoy Center , the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Naval Research Laboratory, Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and several Mexican state, academic, and government institutions, including the Mexican Navy and the Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risk (COFEPRIS). For more information contact Michelle Tomlinson at (301) 713-3028 x225 or Michelle.Tomlinson@noaa.gov .