1Kean University, 2University of Graz
An international team of 7 scientists and graduate assistants evaluated the status of Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) reefs using the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) method this past August. Twenty-eight study sites and over 200km of reef around the Turks, Caicos, and Mouchoir Banks were surveyed. The reefs in the TCI have a reputation for their health and beauty and few negative impacts have so far been reported. Fishing pressures, however, have been substantial in certain regions of the TCI, in particular in the South Caicos region, and the recent increase in development to support tourism in the Providenciales area has raised some local concern about the sustainability of this important economic resource. The open ocean and fairly remote setting, and extensive development of reefs on all sides of the Turks and Caicos Banks made this study especially interesting. This study is the first-ever regional assessment of the reefs of TCI.
Coral reefs of the Turks, Caicos and Mouchoir Banks, surveyed using the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Protocol, provided an exceptional example of an end member 'healthy' reef ecosystem in the Caribbean. The Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) are at the far southern extent of the Bahamas Archipelago and may be an important source of larvae for fish and shellfish and other reef dwellers and builders as ocean currents drift up from the south to the northern reaches of the Bahamas. The open-ocean setting with reefs developed on most sides of the banks, and still overall low diver and tourism impact all provided an opportunity to explore a broad regional, relatively pristine reef system.
The Turks, Caicos and Mouchoir expedition focused on the reefs of both remote and more popular areas, and reefs in marine protected and unprotected areas. Twenty-eight study sites on the rims of the banks, along more than 200 km of reef, were surveyed. A total of 3276 corals in 289 transects, 1421 algal quadrats and 279 fish transects were measured from August 16 - 29, 1999. Coral and fish populations are healthy in TCI and populations within sites are more diverse and abundant than in most other Caribbean reefs. The three banks seem to have different coral community structures (an amplified version of the AGRRA was incorporated to include both stony and soft corals). Overall, coral mortality is low (< 1%), recruitment is present at low levels, diversity is high (37 scleractinian species), and though highly variable, coral cover was as high as 30 % at several locations. Acropora palmata stands (elkhorn coral) occurred mainly on the eastern facing areas of the bank, but standing dead coral were far more abundant than live A. palmata. Acropora cervicornis was rare at all but one location. Throughout the region, almost no macroalgae was found except on Mouchoir Bank, Ambergris Cay and in the shallow A. palmata reef zone. Additionally, few organisms were found encrusting over corals (like Palythoa.)
The level of coral diseases was low compared to other sites in the Caribbean, diversity, however, was high, especially at the tourist center, Providenciales. All diseases known from the Caribbean were found and the highest disease levels were found in sites with the highest coral cover, which incidentally are the most heavily dived sites. The white plague syndromes were found at every site. Coral bleaching was rarely observed (<1%). Fish diversity appeared high in comparison to most other tropical western Atlantic locations. Groupers were abundant, diverse, and relatively large. The reefs in the TCI region currently are most at risk from hazardous fishing practices and under regulated marine parks in areas where tourism and development is currently exploding.
The scientific party included Carrie Manfrino, Bernhard Riegl, Sascha Steiner, Kaho Hoshino, Casey Hermoyian, and Marilyn Brandt. Additional field assistance was provided by Wesley Clerveaux, Tom Atkins, and Mark Parrish.
Carrie Manfrino Kievman
Kean University
Department of Geology and Meteorology
1000 Morris Ave.
Union, New Jersey 07083
Email: cmanfrino@yahoo.com
Bernhard Riegl
Institut fur Geologie und Paläontologie
Karl-Franzens-Universität
Heinrichstrasse 26
8020 Graz, AUSTRIA
Email: briegl@compuserve.com
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