How can we bridge the gap between science and marine conservation? This complex question was at the heart of Roxanne Fransisca's lecture on May 15 in Leiden. Roxanne, a biologist at STINAPA Bonaire, began the lecture with an introduction to Bonaire’s reefs. Bonaire is a small island in the Dutch Caribbean, and home to around 20.000 people. The island is surrounded by a fringing coral reef, which is located very close to shore. Because of this proximity, anything that happens on land can have a large impact on the reef. Other factors such as climate change or coral disease can also threaten the health of the reef. The Bonaire National Marine Park, managed by STINAPA, protects all the waters surrounding Bonaire and Klein Bonaire. Everyone who visits a MPA of Bonaire gets educated on the reef and how to best protect it during their visit.

After this introduction, the lecture focused on the science-conservation gap. Traditional conservation was done by indigenous inhabitants protecting their natural resources. Later on, conservation became quite exclusionary by taking away rights and access to certain areas. Conservation in the Anthropocene is thankfully becoming more inclusive, with the understanding that we need local peoples involved for an effective conservation strategy. However, we also need quicker action and better communication so we can stay ahead of biodiversity collapse.

Roxanne illustrated the gap between science and conservation with examples from Bonnaire. Sargassum is a free floating algae, which is normally a great source of food and habitat for many species. In recent years however, the algae has expanded from the Sargasso sea to the Northern coast of South America and into the Caribbean, forming the Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt. Large amounts of the algae get swept into the reef and onto shore, where it starts decomposing. This causes mass dying of fish and other aquatic life, and can cause an ecological disaster. Despite this, most research focuses on profiting from the algae rather than removing it.

Another example is the 'stony coral tissue loss disease' (SCTLD), which reached Bonaire in 2023 after being discovered in Florida in 2014. SCTLD spreads fast and affects more than half the species in the reef, but primarily large stony corals which are integral to the structure. It also changes the diversity and through that the function of the reef. The only known treatment is antibiotics. The disease has received minimal academic response, and obtaining treatment permission took over a year in part due to insufficient research.

To bridge the gap, Roxanne advocates for faster communication of research findings, even preliminary ones that could prompt immediate action. Additionally, research results should lead to implementation, not just publication.

By Charlotte Betel