Photography: George Stoyle

BleachWatch

WHAT IS BLEACHWATCH?

BleachWatch is a community-based coral reef monitoring initiative developed during a mass-bleaching event in 2002 by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA). In subsequent years, both the number of participants and its spatial coverage have expanded, now including countries on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef such as Belize and Honduras.

The goals of BleachWatch are:

  • To inform the community about coral bleaching and to encourage individuals, tourism operators, organisations and fishers to participate in BleachWatch
  • To detect the early stages of coral bleaching events over a wide geographic range
  • To use coral bleaching as a means to communicate the broader impacts of climate change on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

We are keen to enlist the assistance of all reef users to monitor and report coral bleaching in the region. In order to provide bleaching information a simple report has been made available online for users to complete following their dives. Even if there is no bleaching, it is still important we are kept regularly informed about your sites - we appreciate your cooperation.


BleachWatch Report Online | BleachWatch Report Word Document



MAR Coral Watch

A regional initiative operating in the Caribbean Coast of Mexico, Belize and Honduras serving as an early warning system of the state of the coral reefs.

Coral Reefs

One of the most important ecosystems in the Mesoamerican Region providing essential services for over 200 millions years.

BleachWatch

A regional project aimed at providing information and education regarding coral bleaching events throughout the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.