The major causes of reef deterioration are disease and bleaching events associated with climate change in addition to synergistic stressors from local human activities. Caribbean corals have to face many diseases like the Yellow Band, White Plague, and Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD). Many of these diseases are lethal, affecting most Caribbean reef-building coral species. In Sea Ventures MRU we work in the SCTLD response in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

 

A high virulence and prevalence and long persistence at affected localities characterize SCTLD. Since 2020, Sea Ventures MRU has collaborated with various partners to implement monitoring and intervention efforts to identify reefs affected by SCTLD outbreaks and reduce mortality at priority sites. 

In collaboration with our partners, we have carried out antibiotic treatment interventions on thousands of corals around the archipelago. Thanks to this intervention we have saved many century-old corals in priority sites within marine protected areas.

 

Also, in response to diseases and bleaching, we have isolated coral fragments of highly susceptible species in in-situ nurseries to reduce exposure to disease and relocated to deeper waters during mass bleaching. This has allowed us to mitigate the impacts of disease and thermal anomalies, safeguarding different genotypes of coral species whose populations have declined.