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Topic Title: Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.
Topic Summary: Worst coral coverage in the Caribbean
Created On: 05/19/2017 05:16 AM
Linear : Threading : Single : Branch
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - ww - 05/19/2017 05:16 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - Greensleeves - 05/19/2017 06:32 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - Karma - 05/19/2017 10:41 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - ww - 05/19/2017 03:50 PM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - somebodyelse - 05/20/2017 04:29 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - stevea - 05/20/2017 05:29 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - pompano - 05/20/2017 05:31 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - ww - 05/20/2017 09:33 AM  
 Florida Keys reefs have gone down the tubes.   - paddleout - 05/20/2017 07:53 PM  
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 05/19/2017 05:16 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

WPTV.  And things were far better in 2004.  

 05/19/2017 06:32 AM
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Greensleeves

Posts: 20478
Joined Forum: 07/22/2003

Tipping points being reached faster than we imagined.
 05/19/2017 10:41 AM
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Karma

Posts: 8028
Joined Forum: 01/26/2005

Baaaah, science...psssshhh, environment....liberals. oh wait, this is NPNR. Good post ww...Godspeed Corals!

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If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.
 05/19/2017 03:50 PM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

A huge amount of effort went into getting rid of "septic tanks" (actually cesspits) and cleaning up the canals in the Keys.  It's terrible to see the reefs collapse, regardless.  

 

 05/20/2017 04:29 AM
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somebodyelse

Posts: 6770
Joined Forum: 06/29/2006

 She's made the trip to Looe Key every day for four years, and barring weather has taken nearly 25,000 divers and snorkelers a year.

 

A boat load of tourists every day for 4 years...

25,000 a year for 4 years and yet you wonder what is happening to the reef?

 



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 05/20/2017 05:29 AM
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stevea

Posts: 906
Joined Forum: 11/20/2009

DA, since the late 80's!! keys have gone to sh....

 05/20/2017 05:31 AM
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pompano

Posts: 5804
Joined Forum: 01/06/2005

"without diving, what else is there to do in the Keys?"  Woah Nellie, what a loaded question.  

 05/20/2017 09:33 AM
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ww

Posts: 16088
Joined Forum: 08/17/2007

Much longer term, someone studied fishing boat catch photos, the ones with customers in front of the biggest fish of the day hanging from a rack.  Back in the 1930s the fish were huge.  They kept shrinking. 

 05/20/2017 07:53 PM
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paddleout

Posts: 11810
Joined Forum: 07/31/2003


Propagating and Growing new coral seems like the right move, along with efforts to improve water quality.

Creating "no snorkel" areas and rotating every 5-10 years might also be a good idea. The tourists definitely takes their toll between hitting/standing on the reefs and their sunscreen.

But growing and planting new coral could be the future. Over time, methods to speed up the growing process in the lab/nursery may be discovered, allowing bigger specimens to be placed in habit at a faster rate.

I think about this the same as I would a depleted area of rainforest or jungle. If I wanted to bring it back, I'd start replanting the big stuff, try and get some canopy going again and while that is growing, I would start propagating the understory stuff so it would be ready to go when the time is right. With any luck it all gets put back in place and takes hold.

Could be a whole new profession for some.. and possibly some hope for the world's reefs.

We need to actively try to undo what we have done and reverse course.
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