Life finds a way on Buccoo Reef

Endlessly exploited and damaged, the Buccoo Reef ecosystem is a remarkable national resource that is demonstrating resilience even in the face of climate change. Shivonne Peters-McPherson writes about the life on Buccoo Reef and our need to treasure what remains and what is coming back.

 

Buccoo Reef is not dead! They say that the only thing that remains of this once thriving ecosystem is an extensive seagrass community. That’s not true. While many may remember the Buccoo Reef circa the 1980s and 1990’s, a time when areas such as Coral Gardens were vibrant and full of pristine corals and an abundance of reef fish, life on the Reef changes and is persistent. There is no doubt that Buccoo Reef has been heavily degraded. Scientific studies show a decline in coral cover, especially at shallower depths. There is  an overgrowth of macroalgae, which often smothers corals and results in coral mortality. The average person who visited the reef decades ago will indeed see a starkly different reef today. But a declining coral reef is not a dead reef and there’s always hope for life again. If the Buccoo Reef were in fact dead, life would be drastically different for us in Tobago today, and not in a good way.

 

Living corals at Buccoo: Elkhorn coral patch with doctorfish Photo by Shivonne Peters-McPherson

 

The Buccoo Reef complex is more than its corals, though these may be the factor that makes this 7km² area so incredible. In addition to the coral reefs, the complex comprises seagrass beds and mangrove forests at Buccoo and Bon Accord. The Buccoo Reef provides numerous ecosystem services for us, including protecting our shorelines from strong wave action and erosion, supporting our fisheries by providing nursery habitats for fish species including commercially important species, and climate regulation by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. Additionally, the Buccoo Reef is considered the most popular attraction on the island: the Nylon Pool, No Man’s Land (formally known as Sheerbird’s Point) and Coral Gardens continue to attract and fascinate visitors from around the world. Yet, the average visitor, foreign or local, has not experienced the hidden treasures of Buccoo Reef.

 

ELKHORN AND STAGHORN

One remarkable area is home to an expansive Elkhorn coral (Acropoa palmata) colony approximately 1,200 m²  in size. Elkhorn corals are considered critically endangered by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature), meaning that this species faces a very high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. Regionally, this reef-building species has declined some 97% since the 1980s due in large part to the white band disease (a disease that destroys coral tissues and leads to death). In the Buccoo Reef, the Elkhorn coral colony is home to a wide-range of reef fish, including parrotfish and surgeonfish of considerable size and at various stages of their life cycle. i.e. from juveniles to mature adults. The fact that this species exists here validates the need for collective and sustained action to protect our Buccoo Reef.

 

Another truly fascinating area in the Buccoo Reef is a shallow, sandy area that is home to the Staghorn coral (Acropora cervicornis). Also listed as critically endangered, some locals believe that this species is making a comeback in the Buccoo Reef. Dense thickets of this species are rapidly growing in the Buccoo Reef despite being prone to coral bleaching and coral disease. The remarkable transformation of this area over the last decade elicits hope in locals and scientists familiar with the area. Schools of brightly colored damselfish (for example the sergeant major) wrasses (such as the blue head wrasse) and parrotfishes (for example the Stoplight parrotfish) are found in Buccoo Reef’s Staghorn coral colonies. Equally impressive is the single brain coral colony more than a meter-and-a-half in diameter growing here.

 

French angelfish and brain coral. Photo by Shivonne Peters-McPherson

 

SEAGRASS AND MANGROVE

Critically important ecosystems like the seagrass communities and mangrove forests are located in the Buccoo Reef Complex. Unlike coral reefs which have faced degradation in recent years, seagrass and to a lesser extent mangroves, are thriving. Seagrass or turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) provides a habitat for organisms such as the Queen conch (Strombus gigus), Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) and several marine turtle species. Seagrass communities have expanded in recent times and have taken over portions of the Nylon Pool. Mangrove forests in Tobago are both ecologically and economically important and these habitats support a wide range of marine and terrestrial organisms. The Bon Accord Lagoon, which is internationally recognized under the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, has actually increased (however slightly) based on a 2007 study (Juman & Ramsawak, 2007).

 

From a scientific point of view, if the Buccoo Reef was dead as some argue, what would that mean for us living in Tobago? Firstly, it would mean staggering economic losses due to coastal damage. A 2008 study revealed that Tobago is spared coastal damage from storms or rough seas amounting to between USD $104 and 250 million (over a 25-year period) due to the mere presence of the Buccoo Reef (Burke et al., 2008). Imagine what this figure might be today if we included climate change impacts in the mix! A dead Buccoo Reef would also signal a decline in the island’s fishing sector as this coral reef-seagrass bed-mangrove forest ecosystem is home to countless fish species and provides a habitat for juvenile species and supports critical life cycle activities such as spawning. Without the Buccoo Reef, Tobago’s tourism would be negatively impacted, leading to loss of livelihoods and a decline in the quality of life.

 

Boulder brain coral. Photo by Shivonne Peters-McPherson

Buccoo Reef is a living icon of Tobago. In this tiny area of marine and coastal habitat, life rises against degradation, pollution, damage and climate stress. It continues to inspire and sustain us. Isn’t it time that we took our place in the life of the reef? Our responsibility and focus now should be preserving and restoring what was lost, ensuring that children are informed and that future generations will enjoy and benefit from the many services this critical ecosystem provides. Everyone has a role to play in ensuring that their daily activities do not damage the reef: plastic waste and drainage systems should not empty into the sea. Tour operators have the responsibility to educate their guests, keep anchors off the corals, reduce their noise levels and demonstrate respect by example. Visitors to the reef must take away their garbage and not touch plants and animals.

 

French angelfish and a Buccoo patch reef. Photo by Anjani Ganase

NATIONAL TREASURE

Fortunately, we are making strides toward restoration through initiatives such as the Marine Resilience Initiative (MARIN) and collaborations with the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA), the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and SECORE International actively working towards restoring Tobago's reefs using innovative techniques. In my capacity as Manager of Top Catch Charters and in the Science Snorkel Club, I teach children and young adults across Tobago about the importance of our coral reefs and environmental stewardship. Above all, we must remember that the Buccoo Reef is a Marine Protected Area designated to ensure the long-term conservation and wise use of this resource. Now is certainly time to change the narrative from an area of dead corals to an appreciation of a living ecosystem, a vibrant microcosm surviving the stresses of the planetary and societal change. Our own Buccoo Reef is this unique and special aspect of island life. Let us cherish what remains and work with what is returning.

 

About the Author: Shivonne M. Peters-McPherson is a regional consultant specializing in Marine Protected Area Management and Sustainable Development. She is a PhD candidate in Marine Sciences at the University of Trinidad and Tobago with a focus on the development of a Marine Spatial Plan for the Buccoo Reef Marine Park. For further information email shivonne17@hotmail.com.