Comments by "Old Scientist" (@OldScientist) on "Could tech protect our coral reefs? | BBC News" video.

The Great Barrier Reef's coral cover reached the greatest extent ever recorded in 2022, 2023 and 2024 (AIMS), and that is despite reports of supposed repeated bleaching, despite starfish predation and despite any bad weather. It should be renamed the Greatest Barrier Reef! If you look at the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) data, the WIO (West Indian Ocean) shows 26% hard coral cover in 1985 upto 30% in 2020. South Asia reefs shows a decline around 2000 to below 25% then a regrowth to around 40% (2010) and a decline to 25% (2020). The Red Sea shows no change at around 25% (1995-2020). So the pattern in these three areas show no relationship to each other or to a changing climate. The Caribbean region reefs have a cover of around 0.15 ± 0.02. There is no evidence of a major reduction in coral cover in the Caribbean over the last two decades. GCRMN data for the most important coral bioregion, the East Asia Seas, with 30% of the world’s coral reefs, and containing the most diverse coral of the ‘Coral Triangle’, show no statistically significant net coral loss since records began. The East Asia region has the biggest human population living in close proximity to reefs, and is located in the Indo-Pacific Warm Pool – the hottest major water mass on earth. Life is most diverse in the warmest parts of the world’s oceans. This has been shown across 13 major taxonomic groups from zooplankton to marine mammals. Warmer water = more biodiversity. This is a scare story about things you cannot see. This video is BBC propaganda.
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@Charliefalke They're in the comment. AIMS is the Australian Institute of Marine Science.
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@Aaronwhatnow The AIMS Long-term Monitoring Programme (LTMP) data for the GBR started in 1985. At the start of the data sequence for the whole GBR cover was 25% in 1986. It reached a low point in 2011 of 12%. In 2022, the LTMP found record high coral cover on the GBR of 34% coral cover on the seabed of the coral reefs monitored. Increases in bleaching events has not prevented rapid and record increases in coral cover. AIMS states "Percent hard coral cover is one standard measure of reef condition recorded by scientists worldwide, it provides a simple and robust measure of reef health" with that in mind, and it being such a robust measure, let's just say it loud and clear: hard coral cover is at record-equalling levels in all three sectors of the GBR.
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@Aaronwhatnow You'll have to be specific about which reports. I have certainly read some reports. Here's a prècis: The Northern region reached a low point in 2016. However, it has since completely recovered, with coral cover now at double the 2016 level, and recording record cover. The Central region has experienced a greater degree of fluctuation, but is also now at record high coral cover. The Southern region is now at record equalling coral cover, three times higher than at its low point in 2011. Every region is at record-equalling high coral cover, once uncertainty estimates are taken into account. For example take Capricorn Bunkers. This is one of the sections within the Southern Region (one of eleven). In 2022, Capricorn Bunkers had record high coral cover of 59%, around four times the lowest value, seen in 2011, of 16%. This doesn't do it justice though as the data for the reef shows a great degree of variability. This is natural. The reef always recovers strongly. And it's got nothing to do with CO2. Increases in bleaching events has not prevented rapid and record increases in coral cover. AIMS states "Percent hard coral cover is one standard measure of reef condition recorded by scientists worldwide, it provides a simple and robust measure of reef health" with that in mind, and it being such a robust measure, let's just say it loud and clear: hard coral cover is at record-equalling levels in all three sectors of the GBR. Crown of Thorns Starfish are also a non-problem. Northern: no starfish or no outbreak on all reefs. Central: no starfish or no outbreaks. Southern: out of 30 reefs, 27 had no starfish or no outbreaks. And once more, oh yes, there is record hard coral cover on the Great Barrier Reef. And that is a robust measure of reef health. What a robust reef!
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@Aaronwhatnow Who decides it is the wrong type of coral? The people who don't like the coral growing. It damages the climate crisis narrative. The AIMS Long-term Monitoring Programme (LTMP) data for the GBR started in 1985. At the start of the data sequence for the whole GBR cover was 25% in 1986. It reached a low point in 2011 of 12%. In 2022, the LTMP found record high coral cover on the GBR of 34% coral cover on the seabed of the coral reefs monitored. Increases in bleaching events has not prevented rapid and record increases in coral cover. AIMS states "Percent hard coral cover is one standard measure of reef condition recorded by scientists worldwide, it provides a simple and robust measure of reef health" with that in mind, and it being such a robust measure, let's just say it loud and clear: hard coral cover is at record-equalling levels in all three sectors of the GBR.
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