TYMINSKI, W.P.; GARCIA, J.; SOSA, T.A.; ZIEGLER, D.; O�KEEFE, A.J.; ALLSHOUSE, M.E.; COELHO, V.R.*; MANFRINO, C.; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Dominican University of California, and Central Caribbean Marine Institute; Kean University, and Central Caribbean Marine Institute: Coral Reef Diversity and Health Inside and Outside Marine Protected Areas in Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

Coral reefs around the world have been suffering a rapid decline over the past few decades. Little Cayman Island is surrounded by 32 km of continuous pristine reefs, some of which have been protected from fishing since the 1980�s by marine parks. The parks encompass deeper waters (~ 10-30 m) on the leeward and windward sides of the island. This study focuses on comparing coral diversity and health in protected and unprotected forereef areas and their adjacent backreef lagoons on both windward and leeward sides of the island. It was expected that protected areas and their adjacent surroundings would have higher coral coverage, less disease, and less algal coverage. Eight sites were selected strategically inside and outside of leeward and windward marine parks. Data were collected using a modified AGRRA protocol. At least eight 10-meter transect lines were laid where coral coverage was relatively high. A 1-meter measuring stick was used to estimate live coral coverage, individual coral size, and health for at least 90 corals. Algae coverage was measured using a 25 cm x 25 cm quadrat placed where algae was present along 2-meter intervals. Contrary to our original hypothesis; algal coverage, disease occurrence, and live coral coverage were found to be affected more by changes in depth and hydrodynamics then by the protection of marine parks.