2021 Coral Spawning Predictions for the Bahamas
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CORAL SPAWNING PREDICTIONS BAHAMAS 2021 Graphic Design: © Lily Haines / Perry Institute for Marine Science Citation: Hurtado-López, N. 2021. Coral Spawning Predictions for The Bahamas. Cape Eleuthera Island School & Perry Institute for Marine Science, The Bahamas The Bahamas Coral Innovation Hub About the Coral Innovation Hub The Hub is located in Cape Eleuthera, The Bahamas. The Bahamas Coral Innovation Hub (BCIH) is a center for development, implementation, and dissemination of scalable coral restoration techniques to help counteract Natalia Hurtado coral reef decline. The research facility hosts Research Associate | PIMS a network of integrative people, such as Research Scientist | CEI coral scientists, conservation managers, local stakeholders, students, and educators Natalia has been actively from around the world. monitoring coral spawning for the last 12 years. She The hub's main goal is to innovate is currently based in The Bahamas, where she is one restoration techniques and use scientific of the lead scientists of research to maintain the genetic diversity the BCIH and PADI Reef of coral reefs and rehabilitate degraded Rescue Instructor. She also combines research and reefs at a larger scale. education with The Island School. Located in South Eleuthera in The Natalia developed the 2021 Bahamas, BCIH is a collaboration between Coral Spawning Predictions the Perry Institute for Marine Science, About the About the About The for The Bahamas, hoping to Cape Eleuthera Institute, and The Nature Cape Eleuthera Perry Institute Nature rehabilitate threatened coral Institute for Marine Conservancy populations by using sexual Conservancy. (CEI) Science (PIMS) (TNC) propagation. You could help by collecting spawning observations for [email protected] future research! 2 Spawning Zones ZONE 1 for The Bahamas Grand Bahama Bimini, Grand Bahama, ZONE 2 The Abacos, The Berry Islands, Andros, Nassau Abaco & Paradise Island Bimini Harbour Island Berry Islands ZONE 3 Eleuthera Nassau & Eleuthera & Harbour Is- Paradise Island Cat Island land, The Exumas, Ragged Andros San Salvador Island, Long Island, Musha Exumas Conception Island Cay, Cat Island, Conception Musha Cay Port Nelson, Rum Cay Island, Port Nelson Long Island Ragged Island Crooked Island Acklins Mayaguana San Salvador, Acklins & Crooked Islands, Mayagua- Little Inagua na, Inagua Islands, Little Great Inagua Inagua Island THE BAHAMAS BIMINI, GRAND BAHAMA, THE ABACOS, THE BERRY ISLANDS, ANDROS, NASSAU & PARADISE ISLAND 6 7 ELEUTHERA & HARBOUR ISLAND, RAGGED ISLAND, LONG ISLAND, THE EXUMAS, CAT ISLAND, CONCEPTION ISLAND, PORT NELSON 8 9 SAN SALVADOR, ACKLINS & CROOKED ISLANDS, MAYAGUANA, INAGUA ISLANDS, LITTLE INAGUA 10 11 NOTES Most of the species listed are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners, meaning their polyps release both egg and sperm contained in gamete bundles. M. cav- ernosa is the only gonochoric species listed, meaning colonies release either egg or sperm Predictions are based on previous observations in The Bahamas, Caribbean and the northern Caribbean For monitoring dives, it is recommended to dive on the highlight dates, but spawning may occur the day before and/or after Adjust personal watch with the local time Find a shallow area (Max. depth: 50 feet/15 me- ters) with high coral cover, plan your dives and follow bottom times respecting no-decompression times and diving rules It is possible to observe other reef creatures, such as soft corals, brittle stars, sea urchins, Christmas tree worms, fireworms, etc. releasing gametes, please note any spawning observations For any questions or to submit spawning observa- tions (location, date, time & species) in The Bahamas, please contact: [email protected] THANK YOU! BAHAMAS CORAL INNOVATION HUB Cape Eleuthera Island School C PO Box EL-26029 Rock Sound, Eleuthera, The Bahamas .