By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #165) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 8:57 am: |
Imagine my surprise when after a 6 week absence, I dove the Sabadeco Pier and found this:
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By Boat Chick************** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5138) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 10:54 pm: |
Roger, welcome back...and is this a good thing or bad thing? An algae not native/known to Bonaire?
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By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #200) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 11:30 pm: |
Usually this would be a sign of increased nutrients and/or decreased grazers. We know both are happening. My Bonaire geography is not that good; is there any correlation between locations of increased algae and areas where the fishing has probably increased due to the two no-fishing zones that were established in late February? I am assuming total fishing has not dropped since the zones were established, just become more concentrated in the OK-to-fish zones.
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By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #166) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 8:14 am: |
BC: As Mel said...increased nutrients...not a good thing.
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By Marcus L. Barnes (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1031) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 8:57 am: |
Is STINAPA aware of this?
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By Dale Robbins (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 11:39 am: |
We just returned from from our second trip to Bonaire on May 3rd. We stayed a Belmar both times. This year we noticed the algae growth in front of the Belmar pier.
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By Boat Chick************** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5139) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 1:34 pm: |
Not good indeed roger. we have an algae off Catalina that has been taking hold very strong in a few places, and it kills sea lions, the garibaldi eat the algae, and when the sea lions eat the garibaldi, it's toxic to them. It also has taken over natural algae and has become a real problem. The USC Wrigley Institute on Catalina has been monitoring it, and divers report sightings, then the institute tries to destroy it (pulls it out) when they can.
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By Tom Reynolds (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 5:00 pm: |
First, you need to advise Ramon at Stinapa!
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By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #167) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 7:50 am: |
I have emailed Ramon and invited him to share his knowledge here.
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By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #168) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 10:56 am: |
From Ramon: I send some pictures to Mark and Diane Littler. They are the world gurus in algae and they told me that this is most probably just a spring bloom and will disappear in a while. I will forward you their answer. your plant is in the Liagora group -- it is Trichogloeopsis pedicellata bottom of page 54 in Caribbean Reef Plants -- all of the group are most common in early spring and can be very abundant for a short time but generally die out by the fall and winter -- about 10 years ago in Belize it covered a considerable area of the reefs but we have never seen it that abundant there again, just a normal spring bloom every year According with Diane it is a delicate plant and not toxic (to our knowledge) like some blue-green algal (cyanobacteria) blooms so the first storm that comes by will likely rip most of it out - also further into the season it would naturally disintegrate. I will have a closer look of the area Wednesday afternoon Another favor....can you please post in BT to report to me if this algae is seeing somewhere else??
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By Skip C (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 12:00 pm: |
Roger,
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By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #169) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 8:11 am: |
I dove the Sabadeco Pier yesterday with Ramon. The following is probably true:
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By blue mcright (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #156) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 2:23 pm: |
Hi Roger,
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By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10856) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 9:13 pm: |
Roger, this same bloom took place near Windsock about twenty years ago, it seemed to kick in in April, and was gone by Jan. I have not seen it like this in years.
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By ModCyn (Moderator - Post #666) on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 2:08 pm: |
Roger, well done!
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By Spring is BOOMing! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6924) on Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 8:44 pm: |
very interesting and wonderful to see the involvement.
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By Mike Kavana (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 10:39 am: |
I sent an email to STINAPA as suggested in the article linked above but I wanted to let everyone know that the algae bloom is at other sites as well.
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By fireted (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Monday, May 26, 2008 - 3:25 pm: |
What's the latest on the Algae Bloom ? Has it continued to grow ?
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By Tribs, Live From Bonaire (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5944) on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 11:42 am: |
I found it at Angel City in the shallows yesterday (5-10 feet) and this morning at Alice in Wonderland, also in the shallows. I will email Ramon.
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