Reef Check Update - May 1997
HODGSON GREGOR
reefchck at uxmail.ust.hk
Mon May 5 09:34:49 UTC 1997
Reef Check Update - May 1997
Reef Check 1997 is an exciting volunteer initiative to carry out the first
global survey of coral reefs as part of the International Year of the Reef.
Teams of recreational divers are being trained by experienced reef scientists
who will also lead the field work. The surveys will be carried out between 14
June 1997 (Oceans Day) and 31 August. Simple techniques have been selected to
detect specific human impacts such as spearfishing, cyanide fishing, sea
cucumber harvesting, anchor damage to corals etc. The twin Reef Check
objectives are to obtain a global overview of human impacts on coral reefs and
to focus the attention of the public, business and government leaders on the
value and status of coral reefs and potential threats to their health. This
publicity should help to generate more support for coral reef research and
conservation.
As of 30 April, more than 100 teams from 35 countries have pledged to
undertake Reef Check surveys. Many teams are planning to survey more than one
site, therefore well over the initial goal of 100 reef sites will be surveyed
as part of Reef Check 1997.
Since the initial announcement in Reef Encounter No. 20, Reef Check
Headquarters was formally set up in the recently renamed Institute for
Environment and Sustainable Development at Hong Kong University of Science and
Technology (HKUST). The HKUST Research Centre has kindly provided funds to hire
an Assistant Coordinator, Australian Ms. Suzie Geermans, as well as donating
office space, clerical and computer support. In addition, there are now eleven
National and Regional Coordinators located around the world to help organize
team activities.
The Web site (http://www.ust.hk/~webrc/reef.html) has been up-dated, and new
pages have been added to cover fund-raising, media interactions, data
collection and analysis, as well as photographs of many of the common species
to be recorded. Even hardened reef scientists will want to have a look at the
holothurian photos prior to attempting underwater IDs!
Data will be collected throughout the summer. Press conferences will be held
in each country on 10 September to announce the local, regional and national
results, and an international press conference will be held in Hong Kong. Both
CNN and BBC have expressed interest in covering these events.
In April, a California film production company, Thomas Horton Associates,
experienced with producing Cousteau-type underwater documentaries agreed to
produce a Reef Check video series to be shown on Discovery Channel. This is a
major selling point for potential resort and hotel sponsors. We will be
selecting a number of sites to be featured in the documentary.
Also in April, the Reef Check methods underwent another round of field testing
in Hong Kong thanks to the support of recreational volunteers from the South
China Divers' Club and YMCA. Some minor fine tuning was suggested to smooth
operations and these changes have been added to the web page instructions. A
brief summary of regional activities is given below:
*****INDONESIA TAKES OFF******
Gayatri Lilley of WWF, has volunteered to be the Regional Coordinator for
Indonesia. In April, she organized a press conference which resulted in heavy
coverage in all major English and Bahasa newspapers and TV, and attracted the
support of four Government Ministers and key institutes and departments. With
about 17,500 islands stretching six and a half million kilometers from east to
west and 81,000 kilometers of coastline, Indonesia harbors some of the world's
richest coral reefs. Surveys are planned in Bali, Maluku, Seribu, Karimun Jawa,
Taka Bone Rete, Sulawesi and Teluk Cenderawasih, Irian Jaya. Gayatri has also
produced a lovely 3-color logo for Reef Check Indonesia. Contact Gayatri at:
<glilley at wwfnet.org> Fax: 62 21 739-5907
****** ALOHA FROM KAUAI, USA ******
We are doing Reef Check surveys at the Clean Oceans Conference on Kauai, June
14, 1997, and are also having a coral reef monitoring workshop. Scientists
lending a hand will be Drs. James Maragos, Richard Grigg, Cindy Hunter, Brian
Tissot, Alan Friedlander, and John McManus. A host of local celebrities,
students, politicians and other notables will attend. Carl M. Stepath
<sos at aloha.net> Fax: 808 826-7770 http://planet-hawaii.com/sos/
****** GERMANY/RED SEA ******
Moshira Hassan and Gert Woerheide have been successful in working through the
Egyptian bureaucracy and gaining permission for Reef Check to go forward in
Sharm el Sheikh, Sinai, Hurghada, Taba, and Safaga, Egypt. Team leaders will
include biologists from the University of Goettingen, GEOMAR, the University
of Giessen, the University of Glasgow, Scotland, CEREGE in France, the
University of Sydney in Australia, the University of Heidelberg, the Marine
Conservation Society in the United Kingdom and the University of Bologna in
Italy. Moshira Hassan <mhassan at geomar.de> Fax: 49 431 600-2941
Gert Woerheide <gwoerhe at ibm.net> Fax: 49 551 39-7996
In Israel, we are planning a survey for late July - early August, and have
organized a small team of dedicated divers; graduate students and PhD's at the
University of Haifa's Marine Civilizations Department. Our plan is to survey
the southern portion of the Coral Garden Nature reserve, and our goal is to
make a comparative check of the areas in front of dive centers, and those
further to the south. We hope to use this information to promote community
environmental awareness and conservation. As we are sharing the same wonderful
sea conditions and marine life as our Egyptian neighbors, we hope for some
combined involvement which may enable us to make some cooperative surveys in
the Sinai Peninsula. Any questions or comments please contact Joe Breman at
<jbreman at study.haifa.ac.il> Fax: 972 4824-0391
****** EASTERN USA ******
For Florida Keys Reef Check, we will be training "trainers" on June 7. In May
we will be recruiting from our list of about 400 volunteers. We already have
volunteer vessels committed throughout the Keys. Reef Check surveys will be
carried out each weekend throughout the open period. The trainers will be
training new volunteers throughout the summer and other trained volunteers will
be monitoring. I think we will have a great deal of data by summer's end!
Mary Enstrom <menstrom at ocean.nos.noaa.gov>
****** SOUTHWESTERN USA ******
We are organizing week-long Reef Check expeditions to Belize, Cozumel, and the
Mexican Yucatan. We are working with Drs Judy Lang, Mito Paz, Chagin and
Thomas Iliffe as well as with Journey's End Resort in Belize. We have a Reef
Check exhibit at the Dive Dallas Exposition. There will be an IYOR Reef Check
Sport Divers Workshop and Coral Reef Conference 22-26 June at Journey's End
Resort in Belize. Houston news media, both television and newspaper, Skin Diver
Magazine, and Belize Media will be reporting on the Conference and Reef Check
research being conducted by participating sport divers and resort guests. For
conference information, please visit the Journey's End Website at
http://www.neosoft.com/~jornyend/jer1.htm or contact Kathy Love, Corporate and
Scientific Telecommunication Productions <ATACAST at aol.com> Fax: 281 438-0905
Reef Check Coordinator Shawn Brooks <sbrooks at waymark.net> Fax: 972 680-7114
****** COLUMBIA ******
The Columbian Society for Coral Reef Studies, SCAR, with the support of several
governmental institutions, has planned many activities for IYOR including Reef
Check. SCAR gives information through the homepage:
http://www.biomarina.univalle.edu.co/-gtoro/index.htm.
Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas, INVEMAR and MUSEO DEL MAR present the
stickers, posters and calendars of IYOR. Newspapers and television publish the
objectives of IYOR. Nohora Galvis keeps in touch with the organizers of REEF
CHECK 97 to develop this program in Columbia.
Nohora Galvis <ngalvis at javercol.javeriana.edu.co>
*****CHINA*****
The newly opened Sanya Marine Laboratory on Hainan Island will be the site of
China's Reef Check operation during June. The laboratory is jointly operated by
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and the South China Sea
Institute of Oceanology. Recreational divers from Hong Kong will be joined by
scientists from HKUST and several Chinese agencies. Contact Hong Kong
Headquarters for information at <reefchck at uxmail.ust.hk> Fax: 852 2358-1582
*****HONG KONG****
The Hong Kong Marine Conservation Society has organized an ambitious program
for Hong Kong Reef Checkers including surveys of South China Sea atolls Pratas
Reef, Macclesfield Bank, and the Paracels. In addition to club teams, student
teams include Hong Kong University, Chinese University and HKUST.
Marc Smith-Evans <marcse at asiaonline.net> Fax: 852 2546-2659
We apologize for any omissions of news about your site. Please send us your
latest news for inclusion in the next update. To join Reef Check, please
contact your nearest National or Regional Coordinator or Reef Check
Headquarters as soon as possible.
Suzie Geermans
Assistant Reef Check Coordinator
Institute for Environment and Sustainable Development
Research Centre, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, HONG KONG
e-mail: reefchck at uxmail.ust.hk
Reef Check: http://www.ust.hk/~webrc/reef.html
More information about the Coral-List
mailing list