Coral reefs are one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth and Saint John is home to so many captivating reefs as they all differ depending upon location and hurricane storm damage. The Coral Reefs provide valuable resources for marine life, protect our coastlines from storms and erosion, and support the snorkeling/diving tourism industry in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Over the past couple of years, the U.S. Virgin Islands government legislature has passed a Reef-Safe Sunscreen law to ban sunscreen products containing harmful ingredients which damage our coral reefs. Hopefully, this will have a monumental effect on the health of our reefs.
Coral is a small animal that lives in warm water and attaches itself to rocks, with some types building a hard skeleton. More than 25% of all ocean animals need coral reefs to survive. Corals can form into three different structures: fringing reefs close to the shore, barrier reefs alongside the shore and separated by deep water, and an atoll reef circling a body of water.
With around 400 species of reef fish living on our coral reefs, you will never get bored while snorkeling or diving. Below are the four main categories of coral you while exploring the underwater landscape of Saint John.
HYDROCORALS:
BEWARE OF FIRE CORAL. Not only are they not a true coral, but they have stinging polyps. Their smooth appearance is because they do have coral polyp cups like real corals do. They sting their prey to paralyze them.
STONY CORALS (HARD):
OCTOCORALS (SOFT):
CUP AND TUBE CORAL:
REEF RESPONSE
Reef Response is a coral restoration program located in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) created to increase the health and diversity of coral reefs around the Virgin Islands while empowering the local community to cope with changing environmental conditions.
Reef Response’s mission is to stimulate coral reef ecosystem health through coral restoration, promote community involvement through citizen science, and ensure best practices through scientific research.
NURSERY INSTALLATION
The organization, Reef Response, operates coral nurseries: four in-water and one land-based. Two of the nurseries utilize “Coral Trees,” consisting of structures made from PVC and Fiberglass rods designed to grow Coral. Initially developed in the Florida Keys, coral trees have gained global recognition and are now utilized world wide. These structures are anchored to the seafloor and suspended within the water column. Corals are then hung from the fiberglass rods like ornaments, offering protection from seafloor predators. Their largest coral trees can support of the 100 individual coral pieces.
Cultivating corals in a nursery closely resembles tending to a vegetable garden. It involves selecting a suitable location with optimal environmental conditions for coral growth and addressing occasional pests infiltrating the nursery. Similar to a garden, there are phases in a coral nursery that start with stocking them with coral fragments, propagation, ultimately culminating with the vital process of outplanting the fully grown corals back onto the reef.
Pictured: The Lovango Nursery, photos and information courtesy of the DPNR.