Health of the reefs of Eretoka (Hat) island August 21, 2005

Abstract

We found coral diversity to be relatively high, especially at both tips of the island. Here we estimated the hard coral coverage to be about 30-40% and soft coral coverage about 25%. However, dead Pocillopora and Acropora colonies, already overgrown by algae, were scattered throughout the reef. On the northwest windward side of the island we encountered vast areas of bare rock with nibble filling the crevasses. Even in deeper zones live hard coral coverage was estimated to be only about 10%, dead coral coverage about 40% and the rest of the area was comprised of old coral rock and sand. Dead corals were overgrown by algae, and some live coral colonies were smothered by filamentous algae mats, causing the colonies to decrease in size.