Cayman Stony Coral Disease

While their work is labor-intensive and costly, the Cayman Islands Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease Team says they are confident that "our antibiotic treatments, combined with the community efforts of disinfecting SCUBA gear, snorkel equipment, and boat bilges, is making a difference!

"There is less SCTLD in the surrounding area with every visibly infected coral treated, and therefore, less viral load in the water column. With every piece of dive and snorkel kit disinfected, there is less potential of transferring the disease between dive and snorkel sites that may have a low infection rate of SCTLD. With every boat bilge disinfected between sites, there is less disease transmission to more reefs around the island.

"Without these efforts, we are confident that the damage to our coral reefs caused by this disease would be much worse. We continue to need EVERONE'S help in minimizing the devastating effect that SCTLD is having on our corals."

Cayman's efforts need to be replicated by dive operators throughout the Caribbean....