Tobago’s coral reefs under severe threat as N.O.A.A. Issues a level 5 coral bleaching alert
Scarborough, Tobago – There’s a new alert out for Tobago’s coral reefs because of high ocean temperatures. A U.S. weather agency, NOAA, has issued a Level 5 coral bleaching alert—the most serious kind.
This means that a huge part of the reefs are at risk. In fact, more than 80% of the corals could die. Coral bleaching is when corals get stressed from the heat and lose the algae that keep them alive. It’s a major threat to all the fish and other sea life that depend on the reefs.
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is asking everyone who spends time in the ocean, like divers and fishermen, to report any signs of bleaching. They have already received thirty reports. The IMA will be checking the reefs themselves in the third week of November to see how bad the situation is and will share their findings afterward.
