Bermuda BREAM

  Murdoch TJT, Murdoch JMH (2016) Baseline condition of the coral reefs and fishes across three depth zones of the forereef of Bermuda. BREAM: Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Analysis and Monitoring Programme Report, Bermuda Zoological Society, Flatts Bermuda. BBP-2016-237. Link HERE Synopsis Bermuda’s coral reefs protect our beaches and coastal properties from erosion, and high coral cover and abundant parrotfishes make our coral reefs healthy. Predatory fishes like snappers and rockfishes play a critical role in maintaining reef health by eating the kinds of fishes which damage corals and promote healthy herbivorous (plant-eating) fish populations. In this report, we provide clear evidence that historically abundant predatory fishes are rare and at critically low biomass levels on Bermuda reefs. The cover of corals remains high at forereef locations, but is lower at 30m depth, within the lagoon and particularly at nearshore reefs, where marine plants are overly abundant and plant-eating f...

Here is a google map of all the Open Wrecks in Bermuda, as posted by the Bermuda Government Department of Environment and Natural Resources. I fixed a couple of location errors. Use at your own risk, of course. More about Bermuda's ship wrecks can be seen at: https://environment.bm/shipwreck-legislation-overview/

While our maps and reports can be seen at www.BermudaBREAM.org , I thought it might be useful to show our long-term monitoring sites on Google Maps on our blog too. The dots on the map below show the location of the 39 sites we monitored in 2015 and 2016. The colours represent reef zones, as follows: Green: 10-m Forereef Yellow: Rim Reef Orange: Outer Lagoon Red: Inner Lagoon. *Colours are not an indication of reef condition. Our latest report, that compares reef condition in 2015 and 2016 with Baseline data from 10 years ago, is going through the final review and will be out soon!

We used to have a website at: http://www.bermudaBREAM.org That link used to direct web traffic to this weblog - which is still active and accessible via links on the new website or at: http://www.bermudaBREAM.blogspot.com That website is now closed but this blog will remain online.

Dr. Thaddeus Murdoch presenting a copy of the 2014 Reef Watch Report to the Hon. Jean Atherden, Minister for Health, Seniors & the Environment. The Bermuda Zoological Society (BZS) is pleased to announce that the 2014 REEF Watch Report is now available to the public, and has also been officially presented to the Hon. Jean Atherden, JP, MP, Minister for Health & Environment. The report is a culmination of the data collected during REEF Watch 2014, which was held on Saturday, June 28, and supported by lead sponsor, Hiscox. During the one-day event, members of the community were invited to participate in an island-wide effort to monitor the health of Bermuda's reefs in support of the Bermuda Reef Ecosystem Analysis and Monitoring (BREAM) programme, led by chief scientist, Dr. Thaddeus Murdoch. Not only was the event a huge success as a fundraiser for continued reef protection and support of BREAM, it also provided scientists with a...

The 2014 annual report of the BZS Reef Watch project can be accessed at this: link to pdf file

The Reef Watch - Methods Manual is available as a pdf at this link: LINK