For years, it was an open secret among divers and researchers alike that the coral reefs of Cuba were spectacular.
Today, with the relationship between the United States and Cuba improving, more collaboration is possible on scientific topics than ever before.
That means that researchers and conservationists are now scrambling to collect data on the coral reefs — before climate change destroys their preserved state.
It’s the largest island in the Caribbean and there’s almost no data on things like fish distribution.”.
Fernando Bretos, the director of the Cuba Marine Research and Conservation Program (CubaMar) of the Ocean Foundation, is one such conservationist.
“The position involved considerable work in Cuba, and, at the time, there were very few U.S. organizations on the island.”.
The team hopes that the REAs will shed light on why Cuban coral reefs are healthier than many others. »
