Chasing Coral: Netflix Documentary

[BlueDamselReef]

I just watched the Documentary "Chasing Coral" on Netflix and it is the most depressingest thing I've ever seen! :( Have any of you seen it?

Spoiler Alert:
Cherish and protect your coral... apparently it might become extinct in the next 30 years! :( :(

 

[Peach02]

I’ll look at it tonight but I highly doubt coral will become extinct in 30 years I mean
1. Reefs have been through cyclones, pests and more
2. We keep our sometimes tanks under the conditions the ocean is facing
3. Worst case scenario wild coral becomes extinct and we put frags back into the ocean once it’s hospitable again

 

[Hemmdog]

Yea it’s a good one.

 

[BlueDamselReef]

Yea it’s a good one.

It starts off all stunning and beautiful, then hits you right in the gut! :(

 

[robbyg]

I can tell you that from my Scuba Diving experiences at several locations spanning 35 years that the reef have gone from 100% healthy back in the early 1980s to now being about 20% of what they were back then. It's a pity that I was never into underwater photography because if you could see what is in my head you would cry. The fish populations have also been decimated in the Caribbean. Reefs that I use to see hundreds of Parrot fishes, snappers and groupers are now just left with some Damsel fish and a few other very hardy varieties of fish.

Remeber the great plague of Lion Fish that was sweeping across the Atlantic? I actually joined a few teams about three years ago to kill help them out with poll spears. It seemed like an impossible task as the following year the numbers were back to normal. I mean you could not swim 30ft without seeing one. This year I am diving again and I did not even see one! I asked a fisherman what happened to them. He said that they just seemed to have died out. I suspect that they starved and just died out to almost nothing. Thats pretty much a sign of how bad things are.

The odd part is that every once in awhile I go to a few spots that I know and they are still fairly pristine and full of vibrant corals. It's only about 1% of the area but it baffles me as to why these few locations are not impacted like the rest.

 

[BlueDamselReef]

I can tell you that from my Scuba Diving experiences at several locations spanning 35 years that the reef have gone from 100% healthy back in the early 1980s to now being about 20% of what they were back then.

Thanks for sharing your experience. The docu truly made me appreciate my home aquarium so much more!

 

[EmdeReef]

Good documentary. Agree, one of the most depressing things I’ve seen...

 

[Peach02]

I was watching it tonight and they mentioned fish that “farm” algae 38 minutes in. Anyone know a example of this I mean I know tangs eat algae and defend their patch but they don’t move and grow it. Any ideas guys?

 

[Sallstrom]

I was watching it tonight and they mentioned fish that “farm” algae 38 minutes in. Anyone know a example of this I mean I know tangs eat algae and defend their patch but they don’t move and grow it. Any ideas guys?

Some Damselfish are farming algae.
https://reefs.com/2013/06/10/scientists-take-a-closer-look-at-farming-behavior-of-damselfish/

 

[Peach02]

Some Damselfish are farming algae.
https://reefs.com/2013/06/10/scientists-take-a-closer-look-at-farming-behavior-of-damselfish/

Awsome thank you