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Diving Bonaire: Algae Bloom
Bonaire Talk: Diving Bonaire: Archives: Archives 2008-2009: Archives - 2008-03-01 to 2008-07-31: Algae Bloom
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #165) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 8:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Imagine my surprise when after a 6 week absence, I dove the Sabadeco Pier and found this:
Algae Bloom 001
Algae Bloom 002
Algae Bloom 003
Algae Bloom 004
Algae Bloom 005
There was none of this six weeks ago!

I've gotten a report that something similar is happening in the Punt Verkant neighborhood.

There is very little south of the Sabadeco Pier and the density increases rapidly going north.

This morning I plan to survey going north to find the extent and center of the activity.

It is mostly in the 5-10 feet depth range, though in one place I found it down to 30 feet.

Can any one identify the species?

Please report here other sitings of this.

Is it the same species one sometimes sees filling the Cai Lac Bowl in places?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Boat Chick************** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5138) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 10:54 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Roger, welcome back...and is this a good thing or bad thing? An algae not native/known to Bonaire?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mel Briscoe (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #200) on Saturday, May 10, 2008 - 11:30 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #166) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 8:14 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

BC: As Mel said...increased nutrients...not a good thing.

Here is a google maps image of the area:

Alga-006

The line marked "Culvert" drains a good chunk of Sabadeco. Remember the Sabadeco Flood of November 2004? You can see this culvert in that video.

I found very little algae outside the outlined area and all of that had drifted in. The smudges are approximately where I found the highest concentration of the algae and most of that is attached to rocks with holdfasts, as imaged here:
Algae Bloom.

So, I think it highly probable that this bloom is a result of increased nutrients deposited by all the runoff from Sabadeco.


(Message edited by blennylips on May 11, 2008)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Marcus L. Barnes (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1031) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 8:57 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Is STINAPA aware of this?

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Dale Robbins (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 11:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Boat Chick************** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5139) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 1:34 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tom Reynolds (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Sunday, May 11, 2008 - 5:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

First, you need to advise Ramon at Stinapa!

We know that some of this alge is seasonal. It comes and goes every year.

Ramon has a history of this reef in his memory based on experience.

If this is a NEW occurance he needs to know.

Regards,
Tom Reynolds
LMSP Program Manager (US)

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #167) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 7:50 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I have emailed Ramon and invited him to share his knowledge here.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #168) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 10:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

From Ramon:


quote:

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.



Then, from Diane Littler:

quote:

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



Then, Ramon follows up with:

quote:

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



And then Ramon asks for our help:

quote:

Another favor....can you please post in BT to report to me if this algae is seeing somewhere else??

It will be useful if I get dive site, date, approx. extension, depth.....pictures are welcome.....I will start a quick survey Wednesday but more eyes will be better.




So, this may be a natural cycle not related to increased nutrient load.

So, please keep your eyes out for more sightings of this (it seems to be mainly in the 5-10 feet range) and report back here and to Ramon at the Bonaire National Marine Park.

Thanks,
Roger

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Skip C (BonaireTalker - Post #40) on Monday, May 12, 2008 - 12:00 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Roger,
Thanks for addressing this issue on the board so the rest or us are kept in the loop. Skip

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Roger Burnham - Blennylips Bonaire (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #169) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 8:11 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I dove the Sabadeco Pier yesterday with Ramon. The following is probably true:

  • This algae not caused by runoff or nutrification.
  • Will disappear after the first good storm or two.
  • The reef appears to be healthy:
    • Lots of juvenile fish in evidence
    • Lots of (algae) grazers, including two large tang gangs and four Rainbow supermales.
    • The fish do not seem to be deterred by the alga; the damsels go on farming and the parrotfish poke through to graze.
  • This area is in need of a cleanup; fair bit of cloth/fabric etc laying about.
All the dive operators have been alerted to watch for other occurances and report them. Please do the same!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By blue mcright (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #156) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 2:23 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi Roger,

Thanks for generating what has turned out to be a very interesting and informative discussion. Posting photos is super helpful. This kind of diver/snorkeler involvement is crucial to monitoring the beautiful reefs of Bonaire.

Also thanks to Ramon for investigating this with the "world algae experts"!

It will be very interesting to see what correspondences, if any, arise between observed algae blooms and the data being collected by the Light and Motion Sensor Program (if anyone is unfamiliar with the important work that the LMSP is doing to monitor the coastal water quality of Bonaire, please 1) visit the STINAPA website at www.stinapa.org and go to the BNMP section where you will find a link with all the info; 2) read the weekly feature: "Clear Blue Water News" in the Bonaire Reporter, also available online; and/or 3) email the Bonaire coordinator of the program, Albert Bianculli, at directab@gmail.com).



 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #10856) on Tuesday, May 13, 2008 - 9:13 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

Thanks for bring this up Roger, as it is important to track this, and inform as to it's progress.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By ModCyn (Moderator - Post #666) on Wednesday, May 14, 2008 - 2:08 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Roger, well done!

Here is an article in the Bonaire Insider with all of the information the Marine Park would like if anyone else sees this algae.

Please Report Algae Bloom to the Marine Park

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Spring is BOOMing! (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6924) on Thursday, May 15, 2008 - 8:44 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

very interesting and wonderful to see the involvement.
Thank you Roger!

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Mike Kavana (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Sunday, May 18, 2008 - 10:39 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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.

I got in on the redeye yesterday and went to windsock and Toris. There were some clumps of the same algae at windsock but not too much. I can't say the same for Toris as the shallows to the south of the channel are covered in the same algae. It does not extend too far from shore yet though. I'm going to try and put a couple of pics here.

Mike

algae1

algae2

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By fireted (BonaireTalker - Post #15) on Monday, May 26, 2008 - 3:25 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

What's the latest on the Algae Bloom ? Has it continued to grow ?

What are the general water conditions like in the affected area ?


 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Tribs, Live From Bonaire (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5944) on Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 11:42 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

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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