Impacts to Coral Reefs

Presented by:

Kelly Drinnen, Education Specialist NOAA’s Flower Garden Banks National

Marine Sanctuary

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Why should you care?

We all live upstream! 3

Watersheds

• Sedimentation

• Pollution

• Debris

• Diversion of Water

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After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita…

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What Can You do?

•Educate yourself

•Keep soil anchored with vegetation

•Avoid using fertilizers and pesticides

•Put trash in an appropriate place

•Conserve water

•Recycle6

Weather

• Temperature

• Wind

• Storms

FGBNMS FGBNMS7

Shipping

• Groundings

• Anchoring

• Tow Lines

• Pollutants

• Debris FKNMS

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What Can You Do?

9Tell us, hit *6 to unmute your phone

•Spread the word

•Don’t anchor on the reef - use mooring buoys when they are available

•Report dumping or other illegal activities

•Support organizations that protect coral reefs

What Can You Do?

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Poll Question:

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What caused the damage to

this coral?

Animals

• Parrotfish

• Damselfish

FGBNMS

Joyce & Frank Burek

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Animals

• Crown of Thorns Sea Star

• Sea Urchins

FGBNMS

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Animals

• Introduced Species

• Invasive Species

Joyce & Frank Burek

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Fishing

• Methods– Nets/trawls– Cyanide– Dynamite

• Species Abundance

Joyce & Frank Burek

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Fishing

• Derelict Nets and Ropes

NMFS PIFSC CRED

www.pifsc.noaa.gov/cred/

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What Can You Do?

17Tell us, hit *6 to unmute your phone

•Spread the word

•Support reef-friendly businesses

•Volunteer for a reef or beach cleanup

•Be an informed consumer

•Recycle

•Stay informed

What Can You Do?

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Disease

• Black Band

• Yellow Band

NOAA

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Oil & Gas

• Spills

• Waste Materials

• Extraction

• Artifical Reefs

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What Can You Do?

•Spread the word

•Become a volunteer monitor

•Report any slicks or spills

•Stay informed

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Recreation• SCUBA Diving

and Snorkeling

• Sailing/Boating

• Treasure Hunting

FGBNMS

Wicksten

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What Can You Do?

23Tell us, hit *6 to unmute your phone

What Can You Do?

•Spread the word

•Control your buoyancy

•Respect local guidelines

•Participate in the Great Annual Fish Count

•Take only pictures - Leave only bubbles

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Natural (N) or Human (H) Impacts?

Recreation Oil & Gas Watersheds Disease

Shipping Animals Weather Fishing

From Impacts to Interventions: We all make

a Difference!

For Additional Information:

Kelly.Drinnen@noaa.gov

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