Several weeks ago Reef Check International visited the British Virgin Islands to do a reef survey. Some of the survey findings were recently published in the local press:
For the seventh year, a group of eight volunteer tourists from the UK, Japan, Turkey and US, gathered in the VI for Reef Check BVI´s 13th annual reef survey and training programme which surveyed four sites each between April and May.
Researchers looked at Diamond Reef, Great Camanoe Island, Bronco Billy, George Doge Island, Spyglass Wall, Norman Island and Pelican Island.
According to initial results, the group recorded decreases in fish numbers and amount of coral again this year. They have seen boats anchored in coral and and illegal spearfishing happening every week.
Volunteers are concerned about the loss to the BVI and hope for more mooring buoys and rangers, or concerned boaters to help prevent the BVI’s reef loss.
The group also noticed more algae growing over the coral reef. The main grazers of algae are sea urchins and parrotfish. There are suggestions for the parrotfish to be protected. The parrotfish is described as one of the hardest working BVI reef protectors, gazing algae which keeps the algae from overgrowing the coral.
Read more at Virgin Islands Platinum News and at the Reef Check website.
[Photo: Philip Fibiger]
