Stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) is a highly lethal coral disease that was first reported off the coast of Florida in 2014 and has since spread rapidly throughout the Caribbean. The disease affects over 20 coral species and is now present on reefs in 18 countries and territories. The large geographic scale of this outbreak, high lethality of the disease lesion, and broad susceptibility among coral species make SCTLD unprecedented in its ecological impact, and likely make it the most deadly coral disease outbreak in history.
In Florida and the Caribbean, corals are under attack by the devastating SCTLD, which is highly destructive and can wipe out entire colonies of corals in a matter of weeks from the first appearance of disease signs. Many different coral species are susceptible to SCTLD, including important reef-building species and some that are federally listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
In a recent bulletin, the U.S. Coast Guard explained that scientists don’t currently know what causes SCTLD, but the disease can be spread through water and sediment. The culprit is suspected to be a microbial agent (e.g., bacteria or viruses) spread by means of ballast water released into the ocean. This infographic has more information about the potential for vessel-mediated spread of SCTLD.
Mariners and boaters alike play a pivotal role in helping to stop the spread of SCTLD by observing and maintaining proper ballast water management.
To prevent SCTLD from moving into currently unaffected regions, the Coast Guard encourages vessel owners and operators to familiarize themselves with existing ballast water requirements [USCG: 33 CFR Part 151 and 46 CFR Part 162.060; EPA: 2013 Vessel General Permit (VGP), as codified by the Vessel Incidental Discharge Act)] and ballast water management recommendations in MSIB 07-19.
Vessel owners and operators are also encouraged to familiarize themselves with biofouling management and cleaning regulations and recommended practices (e.g., 33 CFR Part 151.2050; EPA 2013 VGP Sec. 2.2.23).
Read the ABS Guide for Ballast Water Exchange HERE.
Above: Despite the fact that they remain attached, “taking root” on the seafloor, and they do not have faces or other distinct body parts, NOAA shows how corals are, in fact, animals. And sometimes we are lucky enough to witness behaviors to illustrate this fact. At a depth of 1,505 meters (4,938 feet), during Dive 04 of the recent Papahānaumokuākea ROV and Mapping expedition, the remotely operated vehicle pilots were able to give this bamboo coral a gentle poke…the response was the closing of the individual coral polyps – a coral wave!
About U.S. Coral Conservation
In 1998, the President of the United States established the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) to protect and conserve coral reefs. The USCRTF is responsible for mapping and monitoring U.S. coral reefs; researching the causes of coral reef degradation including pollution and overfishing and finding solutions to these problems; and promoting conservation and the sustainable use of coral reefs. As a principal member of the USCRTF, and as directed by the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, NOAA has the responsibility to conserve coral reef ecosystems.
Coral reefs are some of the most biologically rich and economically valuable ecosystems on Earth. They provide food, jobs, income, and protection to billions of people worldwide. However, coral reefs and the magnificent creatures that call them home threatened by an increasing range of impacts, including pollution, invasive species, diseases, bleaching, and global climate change. The rapid decline and loss of these valuable, ancient, and complex ecosystems have significant social, economic, and environmental consequences in the United States and around the world.
Using high-resolution satellite imagery and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology, NOAA has made detailed digital maps of reefs in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the eight main Hawaiian Islands and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Satellite technology is also used to detect harmful algal blooms that can smother reefs and to monitor elevated sea surface temperatures, which can cause coral bleaching.
For over 20 years, NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch has used remote sensing, modeling and on site data to study coral reef ecosystems worldwide. Coral Reef Watch provides the only global early-warning system of changes to coral reef environments, allowing NOAA to predict coral bleaching events.
NOAA’s National Coral Reef Monitoring Program provides a framework for conducting long-term monitoring of biological, climatic, and socioeconomic indicators in U.S. coral reefs. The resulting data provide a strong picture of the condition of U.S. coral reefs and the communities that rely on them.
NOAA also monitors reefs using the Coral Reef Early Warning System (CREWS). This system consists of buoys deployed at reef sites that measure air temperature, wind speed and direction, barometric pressure, sea temperature, salinity, and tide levels. Every hour, these data are transmitted to scientists to help them understand conditions that may cause bleaching of coral reefs. In addition to the monitoring work conducted by satellites and buoys, NOAA conducts research, assessment, and restoration projects of coral reefs in marine reserves and among deep-sea coral banks. NOAA is also working to remove tons of marine debris from the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and restore damaged reefs.
While NOAA has always worked on coral restoration, the Coral Reef Conservation Program now focuses on restoration as an official program area. Active and targeted restoration by creating new ways to outplants many corals at once and other interventions will reduce the decline of coral populations and support coral reef ecosystems in changing environmental conditions.
Monitoring, research, and restoration all are essential to safeguard coral reefs. However, to ultimately protect coral reefs, legal mechanisms may be necessary. One legal mechanism involves the establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs). Because MPAs have the added force of law behind them, a protected marine enclosure — such as a coral reef system — may stand a better chance for survival.
Read more about NOAA’s work to protect coral reefs HERE.
