U.S. Coral Reef Task Force

Coral Disease and Disturbance Working Group

  • Introduction
  • Approach
  • Objectives
  • Initiatives
  • Documents

Introduction

Coral reef disturbances, including major coral disease outbreaks, thermal stress events, invasive or nuisance species, major storm events like hurricanes and typhoons, and direct anthropogenic impacts  such as large-scale dredging and vessel grounding events are significant occurrences that can have acute, widespread impacts on coral reef ecosystems.

Diver applying treatment to a coral

Moreover, the impacts of these events can be compounded due to their cumulative and often synergistic effects. Coral disease, for example, can decimate coral populations rapidly, especially when these corals have been weakened by thermal stress from marine heatwaves. Invasive or nuisance species, like the invasive soft corals blanketing reefs in both the Atlantic-Caribbean and Pacific basins  and crown-of-thorns starfish found in the Pacific, further disrupt ecological balance by outcompeting or preying on native coral species. 

Major storms such as hurricanes and typhoons cause physical damage, breaking apart reef structures and hindering recovery, while human-driven actions like dredging may contribute to sedimentation, smothering corals and reducing water quality. These events are especially harmful because coral reefs are slow-growing, highly sensitive to environmental change, and central to biodiversity, coastal protection, and the health of local economies. Therefore, it is crucial to prepare for and respond effectively to disturbances through preparedness, monitoring, intervention, longer-term recovery, and policy measures to safeguard reef resilience and ensure long-term ecosystem health.

In response to the growing threat posed by coral disturbances, the USCRTF Coral Disease & Disturbance Working Group provides support for local response, mitigation, and prevention efforts, and enhances coordination among activities occurring at the national level. The Working Group aims to implement action-oriented initiatives based on clear objectives and builds upon existing partnerships to facilitate communication across agencies and jurisdictions. 

Approach

  • Working Group efforts focus on disturbance response, prevention, and preparedness in U.S. coral reef jurisdictions, recognizing the inherent connection between environmental stressors, disturbance events, and the resilience of coral reef ecosystems to these events. The Working Group collaborates and coordinates efforts with other USCRTF working groups that more directly address enabling environmental conditions such as water quality.
  • Working group efforts focus on U.S. states, territories, and freely associated states and contribute to international coral disturbance efforts through collaboration and coordination with existing groups and institutions.
  • Working group efforts focus primarily on management action to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coral disturbances. When research related activities are considered, there is an emphasis on management implications and the role of research in informing management action.
  • The working group identifies and implements actions through both regional and thematic sub-teams. The permanent Pacific and Atlantic-Caribbean sub-teams establish regional cohorts and enable ongoing coordination on region-specific priorities. The thematic sub-teams are created on an ad hoc basis in response to priority disturbances that require concerted effort. 

Objectives

Objective 1. Facilitate Effective Collaboration and Communication on Coral Disease and Disturbance Status and Response Efforts Among Federal Agencies and Jurisdictions

  • Keep USCRTF and Steering Committee members informed of the status of coral disturbances in U.S. jurisdictions, ongoing efforts to understand and respond to these threats, and resources needed to support these efforts. Consider strategies to enhance engagement on coral disturbances, focusing on specific actions that can be taken by the Task Force, member agencies, and jurisdictions in support of disturbance response and prevention.
  • Standardize messaging where possible, producing and circulating educational materials for the public and decision makers. Develop communication strategies that emphasize the value of addressing coral disturbances and the tangible impacts of response and prevention efforts and ensure continued communication with agency leadership.
  • Serve as a venue for communication, coordination, and sharing of information, resources, and experience among jurisdictional and federal management entities across the U.S. coral jurisdictions, developing a standardized system for sharing informational resources and updates.

Objective 2. Build Capacity for Coral Disease Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

  • Work with USCRTF agencies to align agency resources (technical and financial) with on-the-ground needs in jurisdictions and promote interagency collaboration on disease and disturbance prevention and response; promote increased effort of coral management agencies to build internal capacity to address disturbances. Identify and share additional funding and resourcing opportunities to support disturbance prevention and response efforts.
  • Share lessons learned from across jurisdictions to inform response and prevention efforts (i.e. sharing outcomes from Florida’s experience with coral rescue), developing clearly articulated recommendations, best practices, and resource estimates. Lessons learned should inform emergency and rapid response and the development of mechanisms for elevating the need to react and respond quickly to emerging issues.
  • Support surveillance, identification, and rapid response efforts by collating information on regulatory needs for response activities, developing and distributing materials to support surveillance, and supporting the establishment of prevention and response plans.
  • Support the development of disturbance response plans that include prevention, surveillance, impact assessment, intervention, and tracking of ecosystem recovery with relevant agencies and partners.
  • Facilitate the establishment of coral rescue networks that support the rescue of targeted corals from disturbances, propagate coral offspring, and support future outplanting and restoration efforts. 

Objective 3. Enhance biosecurity measures to reduce the threat of coral disease and nuisance and invasive species transmission

  • Coordinate efforts with individual agencies and other interagency bodies like the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force and National Invasive Species Council to better understand and mitigate potential vectors that contribute to the transmission of coral diseases and nuisance and invasive species.
  • Support the development and implementation of best management practices and  biosecurity techniques and protocols to prevent transmission of coral disease causative agents and spread of nuisance and invasive species.
  • Support the development and implementation of outreach, education, and communication approaches to increase awareness of the spread of invasive species and disease transmission via human activity. 

Initiatives

Initiative 1: Communication & Collaboration – Facilitate collaboration and communication among federal agencies and jurisdictions

  • Share informational materials related to coral disease and disturbances with the USCRTF such as a case definition, prospectus, website, newsletters, fact sheets, recorded webinars, and videos.
  • Share successes, failures and needs in coral disease and disturbance prevention and response with federal and jurisdictional agencies.

Initiative 2: National Priorities – Develop national coral disease & disturbance priorities, track relevant policies and legislation, and collate information on funding opportunities

  • Develop National SCTLD Priorities, a succinct, targeted list of priority actions that are most needed to support an effective national approach to SCTLD prevention and response efforts.
  • Track coral disease and disturbance-relevant federal and jurisdiction level legislation, executive orders, and other policies and share with the Working Group and other relevant parties.
  • Identify and compile funding opportunities to support disease and disturbance response and prevention. Identify and implement strategies to enhance funding for disturbance response, preparedness, and prevention efforts.

Initiative 3: Atlantic-Caribbean Team- Build capacity for coral disease & disturbance preparedness and response in Atlantic-Caribbean jurisdictions

  • Provide targeted technical and financial resources, training, and support for enhancing on-the-ground capacity for disease & disturbance response and prevention in Pacific jurisdictions.

Initiative 4: Pacific Preparedness Team – Build capacity for coral disease and disturbance preparedness and response in Pacific jurisdictions

  • Provide targeted technical and financial resources, training, and support for enhancing on-the-ground capacity for disease & disturbance response and prevention in Pacific jurisdictions.

Initiative 5: Invasive Soft Coral Team – Support preparedness, prevention, and response efforts targeted at invasive soft corals

  • Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among members. Enhance capacity to prevent the spread/establishment of invasive soft coral species and implement efficient and effective response activities.
  • Build partnerships among agencies and other entities engaged in response efforts.

Documents

Coral Disease & Disturbance Newsletters