MAR Coral Watch
How does it work?
The Coral Watch Program is an initiative lead by organizations dedicated to the conservation of marine resources, with the collaboration of dive shops and independent diving instructors who participate voluntarily in the program to identify and report possible bleaching events during their dive and/or snorkel trips to the reefs.
These volunteers receive a brief training on how to recognize these events and then forward the necessary information to experts on this matter, who use these data to find ways to address these threats to corals.
Coral bleaching
Coral bleaching is one of the threats that may damage and destroy entire coral colonies and reefs. Rising water temperature – sometimes due to global warming- is what causes the expulsion of the symbiotic algae that live inside the tissue. Without the algae, the coral tissue appears transparent and colorless. In the end corals might die.
If corals disappear, both tourism and fisheries will be affected, and as a consequence the livelihoods of many persons may be lost.