JBL Expedition South Seas 1: Results are reassuring

These days on the planet it hardly matters which coral reefs you go to see: coral bleaching and other reef destruction is sadly the norm. So it’s absolutely good news to hear that the atoll reefs in French Polynesia are completely healthy! On the first of two JBL expeditions to the Tuamotu Archipelago region (a two-hour flight from Tahiti), we analysed water samples taken in 60 hours underwater, examined corals and took light measurements to determine the UV exposure of the uppermost water layers.

The results are entirely positive! The only excessive count was the number of coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish. This could be due to predators being picked away from the crown-of-thorns. Only the beautiful Triton's trumpet snails eat these poisonous starfish, which can reach up to 80 cm in diameter. The Triton's trumpet snail shells are picked and collected for the souvenir industry.

The 10 participants of the first JBL Expedition South Seas were thrilled by the intact reefs and especially by the high volume of fish. It is rare to still see such large schools of fish in the oceans! The extremely high number of sharks also points to the healthy reefs. In four weeks the second JBL expedition will set off to continue these investigations. All photos, videos and test results will soon be available on the JBL homepage.

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