========================= Bleaching Report =========================== *************************************************** ***** Bleaching in Northern Mariana Islands ***** *************************************************** Report from: John Starmer Coral Reef Monitoring Biologist Coastal Resources Management Office Date: 5 August 2001 "We've only carried out surveys in Rota and Saipan since the bleaching occured. The effects seem similar on the fore reefs. Saipan is probably worse overall due to having a large enclosed lagoon." ------------------------------ Report from: Georgina Bustamante Date: 7 August 2001 "I spent the entire July in Rota, Northern Mariana Island and I saw alot of bleached coral, particularly Acropora in the very shallow lagoonal reef of Teteto Beach, western coast of the island. Many corals are already overgrown by algae. Reefs got completely exposed during low (very low) tides, and during long hours at the hottest time of the day. I experienced the strong flow of hot water from the lagoon out through the fringing reef, but I saw very little bleached coral in the deeper (4-10m) part of the reef. "I snorkeled in the same sites last year in June and there was no bleaching at all, and very little algae overgrowth." ======================================================================== Alan E. Strong NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Project NOAA/NESDIS 7 August 2001