Caribbean Coral Article!

[ReefDiver]

Hi Eric:

Totally enjoyed reading "Caribbean Corals Coming Soon"! Wish that I could have been there taking notes on that trip!

Now imagine this: I'm sitting in my family room staring at my Laptop and LOL reading this article. My wife comes in and says "What the heck is so funny"? So, I try to explain the sequence of events concerning removing the shading of the corals to give them more light & adding herbivores to control the algae problem, etc... And she says "what's so funny about that"?

Go figure!!

Best,

Steve

 

[kelhuffman]

What a brilliant read that was! I'm still grinning as that story takes me back to many similar experiences. Reminds me most of my recent experiences in Fiji. Bula bula! It's a charming aspect of third world and island culture. Not so charming when the perpetrators are first worlders and the goal is something as noble as coral propagation. At least they're trying. God bless the third world!

 

[EricHugo]

Glad you guys enjoyed it! It was fun to write, too. A little creative writing is always enjoyable. Wait for part two - I hope I can get in the same zone and keep up the tone!

 

[deanhobbs]

Thanks for the article, Eric

Thanks for the article, Eric

You won't believe it, but I've been scheming for a year or two about how to get a Caribbean stony biotope system going (legally and in the long term, of course). I've got a picture of the 60-gal cube Julian had as one of my desktop images. Anyway, now that I've dorked out on everyone....

I saw the close-up pics of Montastrea, Leptoseris (is that right?), and Diploria. How were they doing with A. plamata or cervicornis? Also, did they have any Dendrogyra?

Thanks,
Dean

 

[EricHugo]

No Acroporids or Dendrogyra - those were about the only stony coral taxa missing, and they may have plans to try cervicornis, but not at present. We suggested they try it to a very limited degree

 

[pez]

No jesting needed

No jesting needed

Eric,

I read your article with great interest - I even chuckled at times. However, reading more into it, I am saddened by what is going on there. Their half-hearted attempts at learning what corals need to survive are, well, infuriating. Does it not disturb you that their potential to kill many viable animals is significant? I'd like to think that any company in the States run with such a cavalier attitude toward the health of the animals we seek to protect would be shutdown very quickly. But, alas, I know that simply isn't true. Maybe some day corals and fish will get the same protection that cats and dogs do. Perhaps if we hugged our fishes more things would be better Cheers.

-Tom

 

[karburn]

Good article; incredible circumstances. Your trip had to be like traveling to the great north woods and finding that the locals had not figured out how to set up a logging operation. If they really commit themselves to this as a long-term operation, the Dominicans could really be players. I think the operation was originally sold to them as a get-rich-quick theme, with the promise of the kind of tourism that has put some of the other islands on the "map". Not maliciously, of course - things just didn't go as planned. ("Planned" being a very subjective term!) It'll be interesting to see how this unfolds.

"Hey Cobra! Track me down some a dem snails, mon!"

 

[EricHugo]

Pez:

They are on a steep learning curve, but in general the corals looked very healthy and I don't think they will kill many. Since all the tanks are separate, they would limit any losses to that tank unless something affected the whole facility, and that would almost have to come from problems with the water from the Caribbean Sea since it is an entirely open system. Their main problems now are, fortunately, based on inexperience and are largely minor ones in the scheme of things....they may turn out to be major in terms of the effectiveness of marketing corals or in ever doing proper restorations, or in staying in business, but I think the corals will stay alive.

karburn: I think your analysis might be quite correct. No proof of that, but I do agree with all you wrote there.

 

[MalHavoc]

Guess what? I was out of town for a few days last week, and sure enough, I come home to find a half hour show recorded on my VCR between episodes of Seinfeld. Guess what it's about? Dominica, coral reefs, and this place called "Applied Marine Technologies". Interviews with the former minister of fisheries down there, underwater footage of the reef balls they have installed, and footage of the facility itself.

My wife must have let the VCR just run past whatever it was that she was taping. Pure luck that I stumbled across it.

 

[EricHugo]

Is it possible to get a copy of that tape or the information on the show? Thanks!!!

 

[MalHavoc]

I'll see what I can do. I definitely still have it on tape. If I can't figure out a way to create an electronic copy of it, I'll make a copy of the tape (I have a second VCR) and I can send you a copy.

 

[MalHavoc]

Eric,

I found the episode on tape, and I also found the website and episode number with the feature. It's on NextTV:

http://www.citytv.com/nexttv/2-20.asp

Scroll down to find the section on Reef Revitalization. The "Websites" section on the left has a link to Applied Marine Technologies (which seems down at the moment). Now that I watched it again, I assume that it was shot quite a while ago, since it features interviews with Alan Lowe.

I don't know if NextTV lets you order copies of episodes, so I will still try to copy the episode I have.

 

[EricHugo]

great! I just contacted them, but if you could dub it, it would be very very helpful to see what they did prior to our asssessment. Especially in terms of those reefballs.

 

[arkman]

Weird.

Weird.

I think this is my 1st post on this board ââ"šÂ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å“ but Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ve been using is as a reference source for over a month!

Deanhobbs - I donââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t think that's a dork out. I think itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s a great idea.

Doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t anyone think its weird that Malhavoc would have a random copy of this super appropriate show? Not making any accusation here - I just think itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s weird - in a kismet way.

Eric - GREAT article and I truly hope they are successful. Ecotoursim and sustainable farming have slowed the destruction of the rainforests - itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s still a foregone conclusion, but at least its slowed.

I look forward to hear you speak on the 22nd at Blue Sierra!

---Noah

 

[MalHavoc]

Re: Weird.

Re: Weird.

Doesnââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢t anyone think its weird that Malhavoc would have a random copy of this super appropriate show? Not making any accusation here - I just think itââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s weird - in a kismet way.

I think it's extremely wierd.

Eric, has NextTV written you back?

 

[EricHugo]

No, they have not written me back and I find that a bit annoying. Can you send me a copy? I'd be happy to pay the shipping and tape cost! Thanks,

 

[MalHavoc]

Sure. Want to send me a PM with a shipping address? I'll run out tomorrow and get a blank VHS cassette. No worries on the cost of the tape either. Just happy to be doing my part, however small it may be.

 

[EricHugo]

done, thanks!!

 

[MalHavoc]

Hi, Eric,

I dropped the tape into the mail today, sending it small package US Air. The post office said it'll take up to 10 business days. It's coming from eastern Canada.

It's set to go from the beginning. Don't mind the second or two of an episode of Angel or Highlander

 

[EricHugo]

thank you so much!! I'll let you know when I get it - and likely comment on it, too.