Unprecedented coral die-off threatens Caribbean scuba diving industry

A one-two punch of bleaching from record hot water followed by disease has killed ancient and delicate coral in the biggest loss of reefs scientists have ever seen in Caribbean waters.Researchers from around the globe are scrambling to figure out the extent of the loss. Early conservative estimates from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands find that about one-third of the coral in official monitoring sites has recently died. “It’s an unprecedented die-off,” said National Park Service fisheries biologist Jeff Miller.

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