The Nature Foundation Sint Maarten (NFSM) has once again monitored the state of the island's coral reefs, in order to be able to determine the changes that have occurred in recent years. The reef monitoring is carried out regularly each year according to the scientific monitoring methods GCRMN-Caribbean (Global network of coral reef monitoring in the Caribbean), in order to be able to determine the state of health, the composition and the state of the coral reefs .

NFSM is worried about the current state of the reefs which surround Saint-Martin, in particular because of the large quantities of waste water which is discharged into the sea, but also of the new coral disease, which consists in the loss of coral tissue. stony. These two problems threaten the existence and recovery of coral reefs around Saint-Martin. The Foundation considers that additional protection of coral reefs, a restoration of corals and an appropriate treatment of wastewater are necessary on the territory, this in order to ensure the survival of the reefs. In the near future, the data collected will be analyzed and compared with previous years, to determine the extent of the decline in coral reefs.

The Nature Foundation has primarily studied sites in the Man of War Shoal Shoal Marine Protected Area, as well as other sites around the island. All measurements are taken along a transect and repeated five times at a dive site.

Coral reefs are essential to the island's economy, as studies by NFSM have shown that the reefs are worth about US $ 50 million to the local economy. It is therefore essential to know their condition after having suffered cyclone Irma and coral disease which is also very destructive. _RM

 6,788 total views

0

0