Aruba students survey local reef

A newsletter article by Reef Check Coordinator Sue Hieter:

On April 16, 2008, the International School of Aruba Oceanography class led by Reef Check Aruba coordinator Sue Hieter went to Baby Beach, Seroe Colorado, Aruba to survey its shallow reef. The class consisted of twelve students, 15-18 years old. They surveyed two sections of the channel area around Baby Beach. In 2004 this area was hit by the tail end of Hurricane Ivan, which destroyed most of the shallow reef (1-5m). It is also an area that tourists visit to snorkel.

As a result of our survey, we noticed that some of the coral is returning and fish populations are increasing slowly, but the invertebrate species are still next to nothing. The team plans to survey this channel every year and hopes to see an increase in the populations of these organisms.

Photos here.