Palau’s coral reefs: A jewel of the ocean

Scientists on the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation (KSLOF) dangle launched their findings on the mutter of coral reefs in Palau. Their study, per broad underwater surveys, found out Palau’s reefs had the very finest live coral duvet of the total reefs studied on the Global Reef Expedition, a scientific study mission to evaluate the correctly being and resiliency of coral reefs around the field. Published on the original time, the Global Reef Expedition: The Republic of Palau Final Document summarizes the Foundation’s study on the space of coral reefs and reef fish in Palau and gives conservation ideas that can attend retain these outstanding coral reefs for generations to come serve.

Over the course of 5 years, KSLOF’s Global Reef Expedition circumnavigated the globe gathering priceless baseline recordsdata on coral reefs to apartment the coral reef crisis. In 2015, the Global Reef Expedition came to Palau, where an worldwide crew of scientists and local consultants spent almost a month at sea surveying coral reefs in ten states all over the country. Working together, they conducted over 1,800 standardized surveys of the benthic and fish communities on coral reefs in Palau.

They found out Palau’s coral communities to be in comely condition in contrast to other reefs within the keep. The fashioned live coral duvet recorded in Palau modified into as soon as over 45% and reached 60 or 70% in some marine stable areas. This coral duvet is very excessive, even among the many sector’s very finest coral reefs. “Palau’s coral duvet is the truth is unprecedented,” said Alexandra Dempsey, the Director of Science Administration at KSLOF and one of the document’s authors. “It signifies a sturdy benthic coral reef community with excessive coral duvet and species vary.”

These coral reefs dangle likely benefited from Palau’s efforts to conserve their natural marine heritage. Palau has a prolonged history of marine conservation. Secret’s the regular policy of “bul”—a moratorium on catching explicit species or fishing on obvious reefs to give protection to habitats which might per chance be severe to the community’s food security. Conservation of the country’s reefs modified into as soon as extra boosted in 2015 by the institution of the Palau Nationwide Marine Sanctuary, which delivered one of the field’s greatest stable areas of ocean.

“Unsurprisingly, this prolonged-term dedication to marine conservation has delivered just a few of basically the most vibrant reefs the Foundation encountered on its Global Reef Expedition,” said Dr. Sam Purkis, KSLOF’s Chief Scientist as correctly as Professor and Chair of the Division of Marine Geosciences on the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel College of Marine and Atmospheric Science. “Provided that Palau’s efforts are yielding tangible conservation outcomes, the country might per chance attend as a feature mannequin to other countries within the South Pacific and former.”

No matter a thriving coral community, Palau’s reefs had fewer and smaller fish than would be expected for a wholesome coral reef ecosystem. Reef fish communities in Palau were the same to these surveyed in other nearby countries within the south and western Pacific. A whole lot of the greatest fish regarded to be lacking. Signs of overfishing were also seen on just a few of Palau’s nearshore reefs regardless of existing laws, particularly on reefs terminate to population centers.

“Fish are a severe ingredient of a sturdy coral reef community. They’re necessary no longer only ecologically, however for the other folks that depend on the reefs food or earnings,” said Renée Carlton, Marine Ecologist at KSLOF and lead creator on the document. “We seen some warning indicators relating to reef fish communities, however are also hopeful that by increasing hottest fisheries management laws and organising extra no-clutch no-entry areas, Palau’s reef fish communities might per chance turn out to be just a few of the correct on the earth. The dedication Palauan’s dangle made to conserving their reefs is very commendable and I am hoping they’re ready to use the findings on this document to continue retaining their natural sources for future generations.”

The Global Reef Expedition mission to Palau gave scientists the likelihood to seek just a few of basically the most lovely and pristine coral reefs within the western Pacific Ocean. For basically the most fragment, the document launched on the original time reveals what reefs might well additionally be when given the chance to thrive.

Although several years dangle passed since the expedition, recordsdata from this study mission will be severe for monitoring changes to the reefs over time and attend managers identify precedence net sites for conservation action. The Living Oceans Foundation has shared copies of the document with executive officers, conservation organizations, and marine managers so that these findings can assist in ongoing coral reef conservation and management efforts in Palau.

Equipped by
Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation