Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

19. SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, CORAL REEF
PROGRAMMES AND MONITORING NETWORKS
AGRRA - ATLANTIC AND GULF RAPID REEF ASSESSMENT
AGRRA is an international collaboration of researchers and managers designed to evaluate
reef condition throughout the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico using a rapid assessment
protocol. AGRRA was specifically designed for the western Atlantic to assess the regional
condition of hard corals, composition of algal communities, and fish abundance and size.
Principal indicators assessed are coral cover, coral mortality, coral recruitment, macro algal
index, urchin density, abundance and size of key fish families; protocols are largely based
on visual measurements (identification, size, abundance, partial mortality). Consistency
between observers in measuring and recording data is essential, and training workshops for
scientists and managers were held in Bonaire, Mexico, Jamaica and Florida to achieve this.
AGRRA assessments have been in over 22 regions of the Caribbean (including Bahamas,
Belize, Bonaire, Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Cuba, Curaçao, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico,
Puerto Rico, St. Vincent, Turks and Caicos, US Virgin Islands, US Florida Keys and Flower
Gardens, Venezuela) since June 1998. AGRRA has developed an ACCESS database for the
data and long-term plans are to put survey results on the world-wide web. By examining
many reefs, it is possible to develop scales of reef condition and perform regional
comparisons, but these do not attempt to distinguish between cause and effect
relationships on reef condition. These data will establish a present-day Caribbean-wide
baseline and to develop hypotheses on regional patterns of reef condition.
For additional information on contact: Robert Ginsburg or Philip Kramer MGG/RSMAS,
University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy, Miami, FL 33149.
E-mail: agrra@rsmas.miami.edu or rginsburg@rsmas.miami.edu;
Web site: http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/agra/
AIMS - AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF MARINE SCIENCE
AIMS is one of Australia’s key research agencies and the only one committed primarily to
marine research, with an emphasis on tropical marine science. It undertakes research and
development to generate new knowledge in marine science and technology, and to
promote its application in industry, government and environmental management. The
research programme involves medium- to long-term research that is geared towards
improved understanding of marine systems and the development of a capability to predict
the behaviour of complex tropical marine systems. In the past 20 years the Institute has
established a sound reputation for high quality research on coral reef and mangrove
ecosystems, and on the water circulation around our coasts and continental shelf.
Researchers have not only published extensively in scientific journals but have also written
field guides, books and monographs for regional use. This work supports a wide range of
studies for effective coral reef management.
Contact: Tel: + 61 7 4753 4444; Fax: + 61 7 4772 5852; Web site: www.aims.gov.au
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