High temperatures in the ocean off Florida are creating a vast coral bleaching event, and massive rescue initiatives are being enacted.The NOAA has determined that coral reefs bring an economic advantage of between $678.8 million and $1.3 billion to Florida.Verification of coral bleaching in the Eastern Tropical Pacific off the coast of Columbia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, and Panama and in the Atlantic off of Belize, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands has been confirmed by experts.
Record high ocean temperatures are causing a mass bleaching event off the coast of Florida, which has led to suggestions of a global mass bleaching event. Derek Manzello, the coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch Program, stated on a conference call with reporters Thursday that "This is a very serious event." He further noted that it is especially severe in the oceans off the coast of Florida, where permanent damage to the reefs could have notable economic impacts.
The economic benefits to Florida, derived from coral reefs, are estimated to be between $678.8 and $1.3 billion, including $577.5 million in recreational diving and snorkeling and $31.2 million in commercial fishing. Reefs provide protection against stormy conditions, act as a home for a quarter of marine life, and are important for coastal communities.
Currently, most of Southeast Florida and the Florida Keys are under a level two alert, meaning that bleaching and significant mortality is likely. According to Manzello, "Florida is just the tip of the iceberg," as coral reef scientists have identified heat stress symptoms in waters stretching from Columbia to Cuba.
Coral reefs require temperatures of between 73 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit in order to thrive. Unfortunately, sea surface temperatures broke the previous record of 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit in the Florida Keys on July 9 and have stayed at this level for 28 of the last 37 days, as per Manzello. This heat stress is causing corals to expel the zooxanthellae algae they need to survive, known as coral bleaching. There have been eight mass coral bleaching events impacting the entire Florida Keys since 1987, and this year the heat stress is earlier and expected to last into the fall. Corals may be able to recover from the effects of bleaching if temperatures moderate quickly, although reproduction capability and increased susceptibility to disease may occur for some years afterwards. In parts of the Florida Keys, the heat stress is twice the amount the corals can take, according to Manzello.
The use of "unprecedented" is no understatement when it comes to Florida's corals - Manzello noted that this heat stress has reached higher temperatures, earlier in the year, and could last for far longer than ever before. The impacts of such heat stress is dependent on both the temperature and the duration, making this summer a formidable one for Florida's coral ecosystems. There have also been reports of coral bleaching in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Columbia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama) and Atlantic (Belize, Cuba, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands), with thousands of miles of coral reefs affected.
Manzello also noted that this year's heat stress could be compounded by an imminent El Niño weather event, which would bring even higher temperatures and more extreme weather events. If the current situation is compared to the start of the last global bleaching event in 2014, the situation is already worse.
In Florida, a massive and coordinated effort is being carried out to save some of the corals that are facing a dire situation. Some species have been taken to tanks on land, and others have been shifted to deeper, cooler areas. As per Andy Bruckner, a research coordinator at the NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, about 150 elkhorn coral and 300 staghorn coral fragments have been saved. He added that this "represents every remaining unique genotype or genetic strain of these species that's known to exist in the reefs in Florida". Jennifer Koss, director of the NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, said in Thursday's call with reporters that it is a heart-rending experience for the scientists and preservers, yet, they are putting up a fight. She said, “People are anxious and depressed, yet, they are doing what they can because we cannot afford to lose coral reefs”. She remarked that coral reefs provide multiple ecological and societal values to the coastlines of Florida, southeast and the Keys, and are instrumental for the safety and economies of the people living there. “This is a terrible thing, but we are in it and will put up a fight to make sure the corals buy enough time to survive this event”, she concluded.
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