From left: biotechnologist Kimani Kitson-Walters, Director of Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute Johan Stapel, and Marine Ranger at St. Eustatius National Parks Erik Houtepen.
ST. EUSTATIUS--A project to grow and transplant coral specimen is proving a great success. Marine ranger for St. Eustatius National Parks Stenapa Erik Houtepen told the Science Café he is confident that at least 1,000 new coral cultivations could be in place before the end of 2018.
“Coral reefs are vital for the health of our marine waters, and need immediate restoration,” Houtepen explained. “Over the last year, we have grown 340 cultivations in our marine nurseries, and have transplanted 15 to their new aquatic homes during the last three weeks. Having measured their growth and assessed the health of these youngsters, I can report that they and their original mothers are doing very well indeed.”
The coral restoration project was initiated in July 2016. Since then, Houtepen and his diving colleague Mervina Redan started to clip babies from healthy mother colonies at Gibraltar, Crooks Castle, 12 Guns, and White Wall. Once collected, their underwater offcuts are tied to bamboo “trees” and placed in nurseries.
By showing tender, loving care through cleaning and regular inspection for growth, the two Marine Park Rangers then completed the cultivation cycle by transplanting their offspring to their permanent residence in Jenkins Bay and White Wall.
“It is a time-consuming effort, but very satisfying,” Houtepen noted. “For the project, we selected elkhorn and staghorn coral for their fast-growth potential. Their performance has exceeded all our expectations. Today, we have 340 coral fragments that are attracting fish and helping to keep our waters clean, and are home to a world of fascinating underwater creatures.”
Although coral reefs account for only 0.1 per cent of the seabed surface, Houtepen said they provide for 25 per cent of marine life. “Our coral reef project, called RESCQ, has a lifetime of three years, and in addition to Stenapa, it is supported by Nature Foundation St. Maarten, Turks and Caicos Reef Funds, Saba Conservation Foundation and Wageningen University.
Throughout the marine world, climate change and associated human factors are degrading our vital and beautiful coral reef environments. We owe it to nature to give it a helping hand,” Houtepen concluded.
Queen conch on menu
Raw, marinated, minced or chopped, the Queen Conch is delicious in a wide variety of Caribbean salads, chowders, fritters, soups and stews. However, its gastronomy is being threatened by overfishing, and scientists want to know more about the secret life cycle of this tasty mollusc.
Kimani Kitson-Walters of Caribbean Netherlands Science Institute (CNSI) is no stranger to the queen conch (Lobatus gigas). The biotechnologist has spent the last three years tracking the sea snail in the waters around his native Jamaica. His particular scientific area of study is genetic connectivity, a focus on the genes that identify the animal and possibly its original location.
“In the United States and various islands of the Caribbean, fishing for the queen conch is regulated. But if we can understand its genetic make-up as we trail the snail as it moves around the Caribbean, we may have a chance to save the species from eventual extinction.”
Kitson-Walters has followed two scientific techniques to investigate the genetic connectivity of the queen conch. Genetic samples were taken from individuals caught on the island shelf and offshore banks of Jamaica. Sophisticated tests were then carried out on the total genetic composition of samples to link biology with geography.
A second test involves what forensic detectives call microsatellite technology. It has nothing to do with communication in outer space. It requires looking on a smaller scale to see what makes an individual’s genes special when it comes to identity.
So far, Kitson-Walters has successfully identified the genetic connections of the queen conch populations in Jamaican waters. He now has a good idea of which populations are self-sustaining and where. His recommendations to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries in Jamaica are now being studied.
The implications for St. Eustatius and its restaurant menus remain unclear. “Overfishing of conch in Statia’s waters is not an obvious problem in the short term,” said CNSI Director Johan Stapel.
“The size of conch catch is already limited. However, as Kitson-Walters pointed out with the Jamaican study, we do not know if Statia’s queen conch population is self-sustaining or relies on input from larvae from other locations. In other words, queen conch management on other islands may have consequences for the queen conch population here.”
