Facilitate Effective Collaboration and Communication on Coral Disease Status and Response Efforts Among Federal Agencies and Jurisdictions: However, by setting up and formalizing this working group, we are providing a mechanism to enable USCRTF level action in response to future coral diseases as they arise.

The newly formed Coral Disease Working Group will develop clear objectives, implement action-oriented initiatives, and build upon existing SCTLD response partnerships to facilitate communication across agencies and jurisdictions, including prevention of the spread of SCTLD to Pacific coral reefs.īecause SCTLD is unprecedented in its impact on coral reef ecosystems, the focus of the group for the time being will be that particular disease. Complementing the role of the Coral Disease and Health Consortium, which facilitates collaboration among the scientific community, the group will support coordination among federal agencies and jurisdictions. In response to the growing threat posed by coral disease, the USCRTF Coral Disease Working Group will provide support for local response, mitigation, and prevention efforts, and enhance coordination among activities occurring at the national level. Coordinated, strategic action is needed to address the grave and mounting threat posed by the continued spread of SCTLD and other coral diseases. Some portions of Floridaâ€™s Coral Reef have suffered a loss of more than 40% in coral cover since the disease was first detected. While coral disease occurs naturally in reef ecosystems, with a normal background disease rate of 2-3% of corals on a reef, SCTLD may result in 66-95% prevalence, particularly in highly susceptible species. First observed in South Florida in 2014, SCTLD is characterized by rapid spread, rapid tissue loss, and high mortality rates within certain species. In particular, a multi-year outbreak of stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD) has caused unprecedented damage to Atlantic-Caribbean coral reef ecosystems and poses a looming risk to as-yet unaffected reefs in the Indo-Pacific. Disease is one of the most significant and growing threats to tropical coral reefs around the globe.

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