Thursday, January 17, 2008

Ocean Explorer (NOAA) is Currently Re-Mapping Bonaire Reefs

There is a current expedition occurring on Bonaire to help explore coral reef sustainability using new technologies to survey the island’s reef system.  The NOAA Ocean Explorer expedition, begun on January 7, 2008, will continue through the month with the help of Ramon de Leon (STINAPA) and Frank van Slobbe (Government).

Because Bonaire’s reef system can be argued to be the most pristine coral reef environment in the Caribbean, where the percent coral cover is the highest and percent algal cover the lowest compared to other Caribbean reefs, its reef environment represents a baseline against which can be compared to other coral reefs. Although the shallow leeward environment near Bonaire between 0-12 m was mapped in the 1980s by a Dutch scientist, Dr. Fleur van Duyl, little to no survey work has been conducted on the deeper reef (60-100 m) or into deeper water (100-300 m).  A recent meeting of the International Coral Reef Initiative, an effort of the United Nations Environmental Program, identified mapping the reefs of Bonaire a top priority in a regional context, and the territorial government of Bonaire has indicated strong support for the NOAA mapping project. Bonaire, Curacao, Las Aves, and Los Roques have recently been proposed for United Nations World Heritage Status given the pristine marine environments and high degree of endemic species which are those found nowhere else on the planet.

For detailed information about how the survey will be conducted as well as the equipment used, or to follow the survey via NOAA’s blogs, click here. (Source:  NOAA Ocean Explorer Web Site)