Mass Coral Bleaching Threatens Tobago’s Reefs: IMA Responds to Severe Environmental Crisis
Mass coral bleaching threatens Tobago’s reefs as temperatures soar, NOAA issues bleaching alert level 2 until October 2024.
Scarborough, Tobago – October 3, 2024 – The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) is urgently responding to a severe coral bleaching event that is now widely affecting Tobago’s reefs. Reports from the public through the SeaiTT mobile app highlight extensive bleaching at Mount Irvine, Arnos Vale, and Charlotteville, signaling a critical situation for the island’s marine ecosystems.
Coral bleaching, caused by prolonged marine heat waves, occurs when warmer waters stress corals, causing them to expel the algae they depend on, leaving them white and vulnerable. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch has placed Trinidad and Tobago under Bleaching Alert Level 2 until October 2024, with sea temperatures exceeding 29°C.
Coral Reef Ecologist Dr. Anjani Ganase warns that prolonged heat exposure can trigger mass bleaching, fish kills, and disease outbreaks, which would jeopardize the survival of Tobago’s marine ecosystems. The IMA’s response to these citizen reports underscores a collaborative effort to monitor and mitigate the impact of this severe environmental crisis in Tobago.
