Outlook of 2020 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* May 31st, 2020, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. In May 2020, the Sargassum amount continued to increase across the central Atlantic. Large amount of Sargassum was observed in the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below), the Central East Atlantic (CEA), and… Read More

Outreach activities in during lockdown

Given the need for minimize social contact, arising from the global COVID-19 pandemic, CARICOOS has teamed up with National Scholastic Surfing Association Puerto Rico Conference in the implementation of an educational outreach effort using online platforms including Zoom Meeting and Facebook Live. It’s goal is to promote safety and enjoyment of aquatic sports by delivering… Read More

Outlook of 2020 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* April 30th, 2020, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. In April 2020, the Sargassum amount continued to increase across the central Atlantic. Large amount of Sargassum was observed in the Central West Atlantic (CWA, i.e., the region east of the Lesser Antilles in the maps below) and the Central East Atlantic (CEA)…. Read More

April’s moon and the perigean spring tides.

The next full Moon will be tonight (Tuesday, April 7th, 2020). The full Moon will be at perigee – the closest point in the Moon’s orbit to Earth, making it appear bigger and brighter in the sky. The gravitational pull of the moon and the sun cause tides. When the moon and the sun are… Read More

Coral Disease continues spreading across St. Thomas Reefs

Special contribution from Sonora Meiling,sonora.meiling@students.uvi.edu A deadly coral disease, identified on the coral reefs of St. Thomas in January 2019, continues to spread across the island. First seen at Flat Cay, just south of the St. Thomas airport, what researchers at the University of the Virgin Islands believe to be stony coral tissue loss disease… Read More

Outlook of 2020 Sargassum blooms in the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico* February 29th, 2020, by University of South Florida Optical Oceanography Lab

The maps below show Sargassum abundance, with warm colors representing high abundance. In February 2020, the Sargassum amount continued to increase across the central Atlantic. Although the bloom magnitude is still lower than in some previous bloom years (2015, 2018, 2019), it is higher than in other years, and considerable amount of Sargassum is observed… Read More Photo by Pixabay

Improving accessibility and visualization of Puerto Rico coral reef data

The visualization of biological datasets is paramount to better understand global change related to variable oceanographic conditions. In this regard, the NOAA Coral Reef Connservation Program (CRCP) funded Puerto Rico Coral Reef Monitoring Program (PRCRMP) of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), becomes an essential tool. The PRCRMP includes benthic and fish observations… Read More