We spent three great weeks at the Divi and enjoyed Bonaire as much as any of our 20+ trips; however, I noticed that the coral is going down hill fast and, sadly, post a report that many may not like to hear.

In the past year I have observed significant degradation in the coral reefs of Bonaire. This report is an attempt to call those changes to the attention of people who may be able to help alleviate the causes.

Bonaire Experience
First, let me say that I have been diving in Bonaire since 1994 and have visited the island yearly since then. In the last year, I have taken three trips to Bonaire, diving for a total of nine weeks. Since 2002, I have taken digital underwater photos. After reviewing my dive logs of more than 500 dives on the island, photos, and considering the drastic changes in the past year I have noted the following.

Trends
My early dive logs contained extensive praise for the quality of the diving, marine life and the beautiful reefs. After Hurricane Lenny ( 1999 ), there were remarks about the devastation at several sites at depths above 20 feet. There were also comments of relief that many of our favorite sites were spared. In general, the comments and my memory note a slow decline in the coral reefs, and a more pronounced decline in the numbers of large fish. Then, in the last two years, a much more pronounced decline in the quality of the coral has been apparent to the point that I see major destruction of the coral.

These observations are somewhat consistent with a much more scientific study completed by the University of Maine and the University of Exeter (Ref 6 below).

Accelerated Degradation of the Reef
During the last visits I started taking photos of this degradation and sadly report these observations. The rapid increase in areas of dead coral is not just coral bleaching that we have observed in Bonaire and other reefs around the world. Large areas of the Bonaire reefs appear as if they are being smothered by sediment which is covering a fibrous mucous or algae. In the past I have seen coral that has been covered with sand and have noted that the sand can be removed by current or by waving your hand a few inches above the coral. The sediment covering the dying coral that I observed in Bonaire in the past year seems to be sticking to the coral. When I vigorously tried to remove it by waving your hand above it, the sediment comes off in chunks that are reminiscent of peeling skin. This artificial removal process is successful only with great effort; therefore, normal currents are not strong enough to remove the sediment. It seems the sediment is killing the coral by blocking light.

Below are photos with comments that document some of these observations.



Causes?
The key question is what is causing large areas of coral to die? Every diver that I’ve talked with has an opinion. These possible causes include: sediment welling from the ocean depths, algae growth caused by increased nutrients; cruise ships stirring up the channel between Kline Bonaire and the main island.


Like many divers, I am not a marine biologist but hold our beloved reefs at the top of my concerns and seek to help save them for future generations. The rapid decline in Bonaire’s coral reef is truly alarming. I admit that I do not know the causes of the decline but I strongly suspect that it is a combination of those causes listed above that are collectively stressing the reef. Probably, the coral degradation is the result of many stresses that have reduced the reef’s resilience -- factors such at pollution of nutrients, reductions in helpful marine life (parrot fish and urchins), sediment welling from increased cruise ship activity (those divers who have experienced a white out when the ships leave Bonaire can attest that they are stirring up the sediment).

Many of these factors are discussed in the referenced articles below.

There are a few web sites that are somewhat helpful such as the following:
Ref 1 http://www.nacri.org/nutmon.html
Ref 2 http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7853
Ref3 http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7896
Ref 4 http://www.nwo.nl/nwohome.nsf/pages/NWOA_75EA4Y
Ref 5 http://www.american.edu/TED/SCUBA.HTM
Ref 6 http://www.stinapa.org/pdfs/Bonaire-Report-2007-Bob-Steneck-etc.pdf
Ref 7 http://www.unesco.org/courier/2001_03/uk/planet.htm
Ref 8 http://www.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2006-042.pdf
Ref 9 http://www.marinereef.org/reports.php?reportid=1
Ref 10 http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/research/theme4/final_reports/it1_38.pdf
Ref 11 http://www.tyndall.ac.uk/research/theme4/final_reports/it1_38.pdf

I hope that you will look at Bonaire’s reefs and form your own conclusion. Also, please express the need to take actions that both understand the caused of the reef decline and save these beautiful assets of Bonaire.

Thanks for you help in saving the reefs,

Very true and sad.