"Most Caribbean coral reefs may disappear in the next 20 years"

[Coops]

To me, he did not say that what you call agw is nonsense, but that some of the stuff said about it is.

Coops.

[zboss]

You don't have to have a world wide conspiracy of global warming to destroy reefs. My neighbor owns an environmental cleanup company and has testified in front of congress on such matters as preservation of the environment... but when he built his 14 unit vacation rental villas he failed to use proper silt barriers and the bay filled up with thick brown mud after a significant rainfall. It killed every last bit of reef.

Of course, he still advertises using terms like "see a reef alive and teeming with fish!" and "the caribbean like it used to be." And people still flock to the island because they don't know any better. The quality of the environment is in the eyes of the beholder. Just ask someone from 1870's london (where in 1873, 700 people died IN ONE WEEK from the smog) if they think todays Beijing air is bad.

[capngeo]

Originally Posted by Lake-Effect

It would help a little if people (especially those acting as moderators) would stop referring to AGW as 'nonsense'. Every year brings more information that the deniers are wrong and the science is sound.

Another solution - stop pretending there aren't solutions. Anyone who cruises is already experienced with practising moderation and living within reasonable constraints. We need the political will to start practicing that on a broader scale.

Guess that depends on where you get your news!

Me? I think it is all because of the pollution from building all those batteries they put in Prius's

[Fritz Gahagan]

Pretty sad chain from a group that lives as close to the sea as cruisers. The post script will read: "What a wonderful species - able to destroy their own planet."

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by Fritz Gahagan

Pretty sad chain from a group that lives as close to the sea as cruisers. The post script will read: "What a wonderful species - able to destroy their own planet."

Indeed.

With so many excuses and rationalizations for why the best efforts of the subject matter experts can be safely ignored.

[Capt Phil]

This environmental trashing reminds me of the Nevada Dept of Fish and Game deciding that they should allow bear hunting in the Sierras. Many of us who were very disturbed at this significant change in Public Policy decided to do something about it. We sent out notices to local newspapers stating that that if hunters began taking bears, we would arm the bears. After a couple of bear hunters were subject to rather close warning shots, the bear hunting pretty well stopped. Good shots, those bears! Phil

[Blue Skye]

Originally Posted by Fritz Gahagan

Pretty sad chain from a group that lives as close to the sea as cruisers. The post script will read: "What a wonderful species - able to destroy their own planet."

Humans, as destructive as we are, will not destroy the earth. We will either adapt to the new environment or go the way of the dinosaurs. Mom will put it back to the way it all began if she needs to, with or without us.

[motaman9]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

This environmental trashing reminds me of the Nevada Dept of Fish and Game deciding that they should allow bear hunting in the Sierras. Many of us who were very disturbed at this significant change in Public Policy decided to do something about it. We sent out notices to local newspapers stating that that if hunters began taking bears, we would arm the bears. After a couple of bear hunters were subject to rather close warning shots, the bear hunting pretty well stopped. Good shots, those bears! Phil

So...you would, did, or simply condone, risking the murder of a human being that you or someone else assumed was a "bear hunter" just for being in the mountains, armed or unarmed? I'm assuming the "bear hunters" didn't have big neon arrows over their heads.....??? Wow.....don't think I'd go around bragging about that on the internet.....also don't go snorkeling around this guy....he might accidentally murder you if he thinks you bumped into a reef....or just look the other way while someone else accidentally does....


Sailing somewhere.....

[motaman9]

It seems that once a problem like this is recognized and awareness is raised is the first step in the right direction. There just needs to be some careful moderation for what the second and third steps will be. After all, 16 years ago (and then again 8 years ago) they predicted that the polar ice caps would be gone in 2014 and that Florida would be under water. People as a group have the ability to ruin plenty of things, but fortunately, they also usually possess the determination and smarts to make things better when push comes to shove. Don't be so pessimistic folks......


Sailing somewhere.....

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by motaman9

After all, 16 years ago (and then again 8 years ago) they predicted that the polar ice caps would be gone in 2014 and that Florida would be under water.

Who said that? Who's 'they'? Links?

[John Drake]

In the interest of clarity, since this thread has drifted, like arctic ice...

Al Gore stated that the summer arctic ice cap would melt completely in five years. He stated this on German TV in Dec 2007. So, time was up in his prediction nearly a year ago. The Arctic is still covered with ice over the summer.

He took this prediction from a well known German climatologist.

Bringing this back on topic, there is a lot about coral decline that scientists do not know. And there are very very few, knowledgable coral scientists. None that I know of have put forth any type of solution, though obviously not touching the coral would be helpful, as would not leaving monofilament line all over the sea.

Hope this helps

[bobconnie]

I don't know what cause's the coral to decline, men fish or what ! But I KNOW we saw a big change in a lot of the places we visited over 25 years of cruiseing the Pacific but the coral sure was declining!! I could see it and even the kids saw it ! Of course I'm sure it way worse now ! As we are newbies in the Carribe, so we can't really say anything about the coral down there ! Altho the stuff we have seen and dived in Belize was pretty good ! But then in 10 more years who can tell !! I hope Connie and I can still find a fish or lobster without scuba gear!! LOL

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by gamayun

Sedimentation, nutrient over-enrichment and over-fishing have been the bane of corals for decades. In some places, harvesting is still a problem. These just aren't sexy issues with the public so political backbones are lacking. There's nothing new in this report, so let's all just move along.

As a diver for more than 25 years, I've seen huge changes in Florida. Some older friends won't return to certain places in the Caribbean and Red Sea because of the devastation they've seen in their lifetimes. As long as there are these stressors, along with coral bleaching from increasing sea temperatures and ocean pH declining, it's not looking good for the imperiled polyp.

I have seen huge changes in my lifetime.

I first dove the keys in the early seventies. Went back years later and was shocked at the difference. Today, compared to 35 years ago there are no real reefs, just small, isolated patches of coral and almost no branching coral at all.

My first trip to the Bahamas out islands I found a spectacular patch of staghorn coral off the NW tip of Long Island. It covered several acres and was in perfect health. I went back to that same spot about 12 years later and it was totally dead. Nothing but white, bleached bones. Made me want to cry.

I feel like I need to travel to the reefs of the Pacific as quickly as possible before they're gone as well.

I don't know the specific causes and certainly don't know the answers but without a doubt there is a serious problem and shame on all of us if we don't try to fix it.

[Lake-Effect]

Coral threats

The above doesn't specifically mention ocean acidification, which is a major threat to all shell-forming ocean life, including coral.

[motaman9]

[QUOTE=Lake-Effect;1599521]Who said that? Who's 'they'?

Al Gore, most well known...although not a scientist so his data may have been based on one of these other people.....
Luis Foriter, arctic scientist
Wieslaw Maslowski, Climatologist/Scientist
The Center for Biological Diversity. http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/p...own/index.html
John Kerry. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k..._b_272815.html


Actually goes as far and further back as 1979...... http://news.google.com/newspapers?id...e+arctic&hl=en

It's interesting that a some of the pages containing these predictions have been taken down....thankfully some were copied to google





Sailing somewhere.....