Satellites & Bleaching What can be done?

Once people learn about the NOAA Coral Reef Watch bleaching monitoring and alert products, they commonly ask these questions: Is there any way to stop coral bleaching from happening? If reef managers know that bleaching is coming, is there anything they can do to help their corals survive?

NOAA, together with the Australian Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), worked with over 50 experts in coral bleaching and coral reef management from 30 organizations to answer those very questions. The result is a handbook called A Reef Manager’s Guide to Coral Bleaching, published in 2006. The Reef Manager’s Guide offers practical advice to help local and regional reef managers reduce the impact of this threat to coral reef ecosystems.

Here are some examples of direct actions that reef managers can take:

• restrict potentially stressful activities on the reef during and after the bleaching event, such as construction, diver access, and fishing
• artificially shade or cool selected reefs to lessen the bleaching impacts
• remove coral predators from the area to allow corals to recover
• help new corals recruit to bleached reefs or transplant new corals
• enhance the overall health of the corals by reducing pollution, coastal runoff, and overfishing; a healthy reef ecosystem is more able to recover

In addition, there are some areas that may be naturally protected from the conditions that cause bleaching or where corals have adapted to very warm conditions. It is especially critical to identify and protect these areas.

Most importantly, researchers are still learning about this danger to coral reef ecosystems. The most valuable action we can take right now is intensive monitoring during and after bleaching events, so that we can learn more about the causes and consequences of coral bleaching. This knowledge will be critical for the long-term survival of the world’s beautiful and valuable coral reefs.

To find out more about this Guide and to download a copy: www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/reef_managers_guide/welcome.html.

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