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Results of AGRRA Surveys of Twenty Western Atlantic Reef Areas

Results of AGRRA Surveys of Twenty Western Atlantic Reef Areas Compiled by Philip Kramer, Robert Ginsburg and Judith Lang from the assessments of AGRRA teams. Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami Ocean Research and Education Foundation.

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Results of AGRRA Surveys of Twenty Western Atlantic Reef Areas

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  1. Results of AGRRA Surveys of Twenty Western Atlantic Reef Areas Compiled by Philip Kramer, Robert Ginsburg and Judith Lang from the assessments of AGRRA teams Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami Ocean Research and Education Foundation

  2. Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment • (AGRRA) • Goals • Develop a regional scale of reef condition • Identify end member reefs in serious decline and candidates for protection • Provide region-wide comparative data • Map spatial patterns of reef condition • Identify reefs for monitoring programs or marine protected areas

  3. AGRRA Sampling effort

  4. Coral Cover by Country

  5. Coral indicator norms

  6. Coral indicator norms cont.

  7. Coral size frequency and mortality

  8. Reef fish abundance and biomass norms

  9. Preliminary health index based on 13 AGRRA indicators

  10. Preliminary Conclusions Coral cover: • A regional average (n = 20) of 21% BUT • Wide regional variations • Remote reefs  reefs near centers of population • Elevated SSTs of 1998 ENSO: • Bleaching-induced mortality • Increased coral diseases • Montastraea annularis Complex • Reef structure; habitat for fish and conch/lobster • Increased diseases and bleaching

  11. Preliminary Conclusions Indicator of regional overfishing • Low sightings (~<1/100m2) of large-bodied groupers and snappers • Complex controls on regional reef condition • Environment, biogeography, history • Natural and anthropogenic impacts

  12. A. palmata “Shangri-La”, Cuba’s south coast

  13. Widespread resheeting of A. palmata colonies

  14. High variability across the region n= 650 reefs average = 21% AGRRA program results

  15. AGRRA has become a widely accepted tool for assessing and monitoring for MPA’s

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