Gulf of Mexico Stony Coral Collection

[Ret_Talbot]

I am researching a story on stony coral collection in the Gulf of Mexico, and I am looking for individuals who would be willing to share information with me either on or off the record. I am most interested in any stony coral that is entering the trade from the Gulf of Mexico either by way of an exempted fishing permit or through an arrangement with the Minerals Management Service or a specific property owner or business.

For those of you who don't know me, I am a freelance writer who writes for the marine aquarium press (Tropical Fish Hobbyist, CORAL, etc.). Just to reiterate, this is simply research at this point.

 

[spawner]

Ret,

Are you talking about some of the stony corals that are growing on the oil rigs. Specifically Tubastraea?

 

[Ret_Talbot]

Are you talking about some of the stony corals that are growing on the oil rigs. Specifically Tubastraea?

I am indeed interested in Tubastraea spp. collected in the Gulf from oil rigs, as that seems to be the most common stony coral entering the trade from the Gulf/Atlantic (excepting octocorals). I'm curious if these are primarily collected with an EFP or through some loophole having to do with MMS and companies that are decommissioning rigs. Either way, it seems like an interesting story, no?

 

[PeterIMA]

So how did the orange cup coral (Tubastraea sp.) that is native to the Pacific Ocean end up occurring off oil rigs (presumably off Texas) and off Florida?

Peter

 

[PeterIMA]

The Pacific species is Tubastraea coccinea.

Peter

 

[Ret_Talbot]

So how did the orange cup coral (Tubastrea sp.) that is native to the Pacific Ocean end up occurring off oil rigs (presumably off Texas) and off Florida?

Peter

As I'm sure you know, Peter, the possibilities are many (like with so many invasive species). Bilge water and the marine aquarium industry were two possibilities cited by a fisheries biologist in Florida with whom I spoke on Friday. Obviously the rigs themselves act as vectors. As you may also know, there have been discussions about issuing permits for the harvest of Tubastrea coccinea (regular permits, not EFPs), but to my knowledge that is still a ways off.

 

[PeterIMA]

Douglas Fenner and Kenneth Banks reported its occurence in the northern Gulf of Mexico in the journal Coral Reefs vol 23:505-507 (2004). It was found off Brazil and Puerto Rico in the 1940s and later spread to the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think anyone believes it was introduced to the Atlantic Ocean by the aquarium trade.

Peter

 

[Ret_Talbot]

Douglas Fenner and Kenneth Banks reported its occurrence in the Norhern Gulf of Mexico in the Journal Coral Reefs vol 23 in 2004. It was found off Brazil and Puerto Rico in the 1940s and later spread to the Gulf of Mexico. I don't think anyone believes it was introduced to the Atlatic Ocean by the aquarium trade.

Peter

Yes, I have read that paper. Please understand that I am not suggesting the marine aquarium trade is to blame. I was simply sharing what was said in an interview I conducted last week. So, I guess yes, at least one person thinks it's possible...lol.

The invasive species component of the story I am researching is important but only tangental. The real issue I am researching is the harvest of the species for the marine aquarium trade.

 

[PeterIMA]

The link below provides a good summary concerning what is known concerning Tubastaea coccinea.

http://www.issg.org/database/species/ec ... s=&lang=EN

 

[Ret_Talbot]

The link below provides a good summary concerning what is known concerning Tubastaea coccinea.

http://www.issg.org/database/species/ec ... s=&lang=EN

Thank you, Peter.

 

[PeterIMA]

Here is another link that includes comments from Douglas Fenner and several other scientists under the heading
"Is Tubastraea an Introduced Species?"

http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/pipermail/co ... 37148.html

 

[Ret_Talbot]

Here is another link that includes comments from Douglas Fenner and several other scientists under the heading
"Is Tubastraea an Introduced Species?"

http://coral.aoml.noaa.gov/pipermail/co ... 37148.html

That's interesting, Peter. I've read the same sentiment elsewhere, but it was second hand, so this is a great source!

 

[IconicAquariums]

There's Tubastrea everywhere in the Gulf of Guinea as well...

 

[Ret_Talbot]

Thanks to everyone who has PMed me regarding Gulf Tubastrea spp. entering the hobby. I am now looking for specific information about the legality of collecting said species. All the individuals and LFS to whom I have spoken that are collecting or purchasing this species in the Gulf say no permit is necessary, but that doesn't seem consistent with the way I am reading the state and federal regs in Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Can anyone help set me straight? Thanks.

 

[jamesw]

I provided the specimen that Doug Fenner used for his research. I used to work on the industry of decommissioning offshore oil and gas platforms. I can tell you all you could ever want to know on the subject.

Cheers
James Wiseman

 

[PeterIMA]

James, Why don't you tell RDO readers something about the situation. We know that Tubastaea grows on oil and gas platforms off of Texas and on on artificial reefs (like sunken ships) off of Florida. The question is how did this exotic Pacific species get there? How does it reproduce and spread? Do you think moving an oil and gas platform from Texas to Florida contributed to the spread of the species to Florida?

Jadefox wanted to know whether it is legal to collect this species in the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic. My understanding from consulting with a member of the SAFMC is that it presently is illegal. However, the Coral Advisory Panel and the South Atlantic Fisherey Management Council are considering legalizing its collection in the South Atlantic.

Peter Rubec

 

[jamesw]

Good questions.

A lot of the oil and gas platforms in the gulf have Tubastraea growing on them at around -30 to -100 feet. The scientists I've spoken with think it came up from the South - which is the current theory for where the corals at the Flower Garden Banks came from (but they came a lot longer ago).

When an oil platform is decommissioned and removed the underwater portion (jacket) typically gets pulled out of the water, taken to shore on a barge, and scrapped. Obviously the tubastraea on-board dies. When a platform is converted to a reef the underwater portion is either cut off at -90 feet or the whole jacket is tipped over. This is either done on site (tx) or the jacket is towed to a designated reef site (la) close by. It is not cost effective to tow a jacket very far - so towing one from la to fla sounds like a stretch to me. I think one of the first rigs-to-reefs jackets was towed to a reef site in fla but that was back in the early 90's I think before the tubastraea appeared.

I think according to the current regulations, collecting tubastraea from anywhere in the gulf is not legal. With that said, I know that some scientists and policy-makers actively encourage killing or removal of the tubastraea since it's an alien species.

Cheers
James

 

[Ret_Talbot]

Peter and James,

Thanks for the posts and for your PMs. The information presented here is all consistent with my interviews and research with the exception of James' comment about policy-makers in the Gulf of Mexico "actively encourag[ing] killing or removal" of Tubastrea spp. As an invasive species, there is no doubt that killing or removing specimens is "the right" thing to do, but, as we all know, Tubastrea is currently a protected species in the Gulf, and I have come across no policy-makers in the Gulf actively encouraging its removal (unlike in the South Atlantic Region). If you can point me in the right direction, I'd love to get a Gulf policy-maker on record.

Of course, this is a reefkeeping forum, and so I am now most interested in discussing the fact that these illegally-collected corals are entering the trade. Any thoughts there?

Thanks again.

 

[reefdiver1234]

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[Ret_Talbot]

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...and that's it. Period. lol