WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
1968 to 1992 was recorded for 19 species - and reefs have
come to be dominated (upwards of 70 percent cover) by
algae in the wake of the Diadema mortality of 1983. More
than 90 percent of Gorgonia venlaliiia colonies have died
and only small specimens remain. Large fish such as
snappers, groupers, grunts, queen triggerfish, hogfish and
barracuda are almost absent from San Andres. In the late
1960s a subsistence fishery supplied the local hotels with
all these species. Now either fish is imported or previously uneaten species are collected (parrotfish. surgeonfish
and angelfish). The more remote reefs of Courtown,
Albuquerque, Serrana. Roncador and Quitasuefio appear
Colom bia
General Data
Population (thousandsl
39 686
GDP ImiUion US$1
51 800
Land area Ikm^l
1
U1 957
Marine area (thousand km^!
750
Per capita fish consumption Ikg/yearl
5
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%|
44
Recorded coral diseases
6
Biodiversity
Reef area Ikm^l
940
Coral diversity
49/77
Mangrove area Ikm^l
3 659
No. of mangrove species
11
No. of seagrass species
na
to be showing signs of a similar decline, with a low proportion of live coral cover, and depletion of a number of
commercially important fish stocks. While overfishing may
be causing the latter, the demise of the corals themselves
may be indicative of a Caribbean-wide decline.
There are a few small reef developments along the
Pacific coast of Colombia, most notably at Tebada and
Ensenada de Utria. These are small fringing and patch
reefs and are relatively young, developed over the basalt
rocks of the Cordillera del Baudo. They are formed by
no more than a half dozen scleractinian corals, mostly
Pocillopora spp The reefs of the Ensenada de Utria are
protected in a national park. Given the remote location,
human influence in this area is low. However, the reefs
were heavily impacted, with coral bleaching and mortality
caused by the recent El Nifio. In addition to this area,
there are fringing and patch reefs around the coast of Isla
Gorgona. particularly on its eastern shores. These reefs are
protected within a national park. Far offshore, the oceanic
island of Malpelo also has some important coral communities down to depths of 35 meters.
Coral cover is very high on some of these Pacific
reefs. Despite the 1982-83 El Nino event, which caused
widespread mortality, including the decline of live coral
cover in Isla Gorgona from 70 percent to 15 percent, there
has been a rapid and nearly complete recovery, and in
1998 coral cover was estimated to be almost 60 percent.
At one site on Malpelo island, live coral cover was 65
percent in 1972 and is now at 45 percent.
Colombia has designated a number of protected areas
containing coral reefs. The Caribbean ones are generally
larger, but these suffer more notable problems of management and some illegal activities continue.
Left: The Serrana Bank, Colombia. An isolated reef structure in the Caribbean Sea ISTS080-7W-46, 19961. Right: Algae are
now forming a dominant part of the community in many of Colombia s offshore reefs.
1968 to 1992 was recorded for 19 species - and reefs have
come to be dominated (upwards of 70 percent cover) by
algae in the wake of the Diadema mortality of 1983. More
than 90 percent of Gorgonia venlaliiia colonies have died
and only small specimens remain. Large fish such as
snappers, groupers, grunts, queen triggerfish, hogfish and
barracuda are almost absent from San Andres. In the late
1960s a subsistence fishery supplied the local hotels with
all these species. Now either fish is imported or previously uneaten species are collected (parrotfish. surgeonfish
and angelfish). The more remote reefs of Courtown,
Albuquerque, Serrana. Roncador and Quitasuefio appear
Colom bia
General Data
Population (thousandsl
39 686
GDP ImiUion US$1
51 800
Land area Ikm^l
1
U1 957
Marine area (thousand km^!
750
Per capita fish consumption Ikg/yearl
5
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%|
44
Recorded coral diseases
6
Biodiversity
Reef area Ikm^l
940
Coral diversity
49/77
Mangrove area Ikm^l
3 659
No. of mangrove species
11
No. of seagrass species
na
to be showing signs of a similar decline, with a low proportion of live coral cover, and depletion of a number of
commercially important fish stocks. While overfishing may
be causing the latter, the demise of the corals themselves
may be indicative of a Caribbean-wide decline.
There are a few small reef developments along the
Pacific coast of Colombia, most notably at Tebada and
Ensenada de Utria. These are small fringing and patch
reefs and are relatively young, developed over the basalt
rocks of the Cordillera del Baudo. They are formed by
no more than a half dozen scleractinian corals, mostly
Pocillopora spp The reefs of the Ensenada de Utria are
protected in a national park. Given the remote location,
human influence in this area is low. However, the reefs
were heavily impacted, with coral bleaching and mortality
caused by the recent El Nifio. In addition to this area,
there are fringing and patch reefs around the coast of Isla
Gorgona. particularly on its eastern shores. These reefs are
protected within a national park. Far offshore, the oceanic
island of Malpelo also has some important coral communities down to depths of 35 meters.
Coral cover is very high on some of these Pacific
reefs. Despite the 1982-83 El Nino event, which caused
widespread mortality, including the decline of live coral
cover in Isla Gorgona from 70 percent to 15 percent, there
has been a rapid and nearly complete recovery, and in
1998 coral cover was estimated to be almost 60 percent.
At one site on Malpelo island, live coral cover was 65
percent in 1972 and is now at 45 percent.
Colombia has designated a number of protected areas
containing coral reefs. The Caribbean ones are generally
larger, but these suffer more notable problems of management and some illegal activities continue.
Left: The Serrana Bank, Colombia. An isolated reef structure in the Caribbean Sea ISTS080-7W-46, 19961. Right: Algae are
now forming a dominant part of the community in many of Colombia s offshore reefs.