A new report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found the toll was exponentially greater 278 acres of coral reef gone forever. The report, released last week, confirms suspicions that were raised even before the Corps started chopping away at the rock underbelly of the busiest cruise port in the world. All that activity raised clouds of sand and dirt that smothered corals and may have led to or exacerbated the outbreak of a terrible disease that's since killed corals all over the Caribbean
The country's majestic corals were destroyed when Hurricane Iris struck southern Belize in 2001. Fortunately, the coral reef was radically brought back to life after a ten-year restoration project.
Mar 01, 2021 07:00 AM EST
Following a professional and thorough investigation, the Environment Ministry cleared the Minerva Helen of responsibility for the country s worst oil spill.
(Photo : (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images))
HADERA, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 22: An aerial view over Israel s coast line after an oil spill on February 22, 2021 in Hadera, Israel. Tar started washing up on the country s beaches last week, leading its interior minister to advise people to stay away from beaches. Authorities suspect the spill was caused by a leak from an offshore ship.
Minerva Helen Cleared
Israel cleared the Greek tanker Minerva Helen of any responsibility in the devastating spill off its Mediterranean coast after an investigation at the port of Piraeus.
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Nicoletta Lanse reveals for Live Science that workers at Israel s National Sea Turtle Rescue used mayonnaise to handle 11 endangered green sea turtles washing ashore coated in tar.
Oil Spill in the Mediterranean Sea
(Photo : (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)) HADERA, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 22: Men clean tar from the sand as part of the beach cleanup effort after tar covered Israel s coast on February 22, 2021 in Hadera, Israel. Tar started washing up on the country s beaches last week, leading its interior minister to advise people to stay away from beaches. Authorities suspect the spill was caused by a leak from an offshore ship.
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(Photo : Olga Tsai on Unsplash)
Florida Fails to Respond to an Epizootic Coral Disease
A coral population from Florida, all the way to the greater Caribbean basin, suffered from a great number of losses due to a lethal case of STCLD (Stony Tissue Loss Disease). Because of the high mortality and the massive number of susceptible species affected, this epizootic epidemic is likely the worst and most lethal case recorded in modern history.
But, unsurprisingly, this breakout did not happen in just one instance.
For too long, there has been a terrifyingly steady decline in coral reefs. At first, it was believed that this was due to the local dredge projects, which had been ongoing during the preliminary reports. However, in a recent study published by carbonate sedimentologist William Precht, he provided an in-depth overview about what might have gone wrong and how Florida s coral population ended in such a dire situation.