Protecting Places of Hope—Cuba’s Coral Reefs

Cuba’s waters are home to four of the world’s most climate-resilient reefs and provide ideal conditions to explore conservation strategies that can offer hope worldwide. This event will showcase current efforts to study and protect Cuba’s coral reefs and examine the importance of this work to global coral reef conservation.

With support from Environmental Defense Fund and the Wildlife Conservation Society, Cuban scientists made groundbreaking advancements to protect and preserve globally important habitats, leveraging the power of partnerships to advance community-driven solutions to overfishing and harnessing data and science diplomacy for coral reef survival. Over the summer of 2023, Cuban scientists conducted a first-of-its-kind circumnavigation of over 1,800 nautical miles of coastline to study reef climate resilience.

The expedition, known as the “Bojeo a Cuba,” was carried out aboard the Oceans for Youth research vessel. More than 30 Cuban institutions, including Avalon-Marinas Marlin (MINTUR), the Marine Research Center of the University of Havana, Naturaleza Secreta, and the Environment Agency of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment joined in this collaborative effort.

Our initial data analysis from the expedition demonstrates both the resilience and fragility of Cuba’s coral reefs. Data indicate a high biomass of medium fish in 60% of the areas sampled and a large presence of herbivorous fish across most sites, offering hope for how these ecosystems may withstand a changing climate. However, researchers also found coral bleaching, disease, and an invasive coral species. We plan to publish, share, and apply these results to support ecosystem management, including through updated plans for marine protected areas (MPAs).