V.I. Coral Disease Outbreak Response Plan Published to Combat Stony Coral Tissue Loss

The Virgin Islands Coral Disease Advisory Committee (VI-CDAC) has released the much anticipated USVI Coral Disease Outbreak Response Plan. This document details the U.S. Virgin Islands’ collective resources, strategies and management of activities applied to the outbreak of the devastating Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), a major threat to coral reefs territorywide since January 2019.

The Response Plan was initiated during the University of the Virgin Islands hosted Coral Disease Outbreak Response Workshop in November 2019 and was later finalized by VI-CDAC.

Creation of the Response Plan was spearheaded by Dr. Marilyn Brandt, Ph.D., a research associate professor of marine science and coral disease ecologist at the University of the Virgin Islands, along with Sonora Meiling, who is UVI’s marine disease specialist. The development of the Response Plan also included significant input from local and federal government representatives, nonprofits and the private sector, as well as coral disease response representatives from Florida, where the disease originated and where a response plan is already in place.

The new plan addresses Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease through sections on epidemiology and research, data management, communications, field intervention and restoration. Each section outlines what has been accomplished since the disease was first observed, but, more importantly, details current and future actions and goals for a comprehensive response to and management of the disease.

Read the full story from The St. John Source here.