=========================  Bleaching Report  ===========================


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******************  Bleaching in the Gulf of Oman **********************
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Report from:  Michel Claereboudt and Simon Wilson
              Sultan Qaboos University
              College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
              Dpt. Marine Science and Fisheries
              Sultanate of Oman
                         
Date:         24 September 2002

"A bleaching hot spot alert was posted on the coral list at the beginning 
of July when a pool of water 2 deg C above the long-term monthly average 
was centred near Muscat. Subsequently, some paling of Goniopora colonies 
was reported by divers at the Daymaniyat National Nature Reserve, 40km 
off the coast of Muscat in early August that had worsened by late August.
Observations at Kharabah Island (Most eastern Daymaniyat Island) made in
late August showed that the most affected corals were in water less than 
6m depth. The most severely affected species were Astreopora (100% of 
colonies totally bleached), Symphyllia recta (60-70%), Goniopora species 
(50%), Platygyra (20% of colonies partially bleached), and soft corals 
(25% of colonies bleached). Together the hard coral species make up a 
coral cover of 20% out of a total hard coral cover of approximately 85%.
Coral communities in deeper water, 6-20m appeared unaffected. Corals 
along the mainland coast of Muscat appear also to be largely unaffected, 
and intermittent monitoring for bleached corals continues."

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NOAA's Coral Reef Watch Project
NOAA/NESDIS

28 September 2002