Cayo Coco

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From: Linton et al., 2002
Coco Cay is located in the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago off the North coast of the province of Havana, close to the City of Havana. In 2002, the Status of Coral Reefs of the World study revealed that signs of decline are evident near large population centers, such as Havana, where highly polluted waters are damaging about 3% of the shelf edge reefs. Coco, one of CARICOMP's (A Network of Coastal Marine Laboratories, Research Institutions, Parks, and Reserves) sites, averages 6% coral cover at 10m depth. Nutrient enrichment has caused overgrowth by algae and coral diseases (white band, yellow band and aspergillosis) have caused some coral mortality, and in late 2000 and early 2001 there was a massive outbreak of white plague disease on corals near Havana. There was intense coral bleaching in 1998, but recovery was widespread.

References

  • Linton, D., Smith, R., Alcolado, P., Hanson, C., Eduards, P., Estrada, R., Fisher, T., Gomez Fernandez, R., Geraldes, F., McCoy, C., Vaughan, D., Voegeli, V., Warner, G. and Wiener, J. 2002. Status of Coral Reefs of in the Northern Caribbean and Atlantic Node of the GCRMN. Status of Coral Reefs of the World.

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