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Statement by Luiz Rocha, Curator of Ichthyology, California Academy of Sciences, on Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event

Rocha just completed the first scientific deep dives in Australia’s Coral Sea at depths of up to 152 meters.

Please see this recent press release from the Academy and the Australian Museum, detailing Dr. Rocha's recent surveys along the mesophotic Great Barrier Reef. 

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (April 15, 2024) — The world is currently experiencing its fourth global coral bleaching event, and the second in the last 10 years, according to scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the International Coral Reef Initiative. A global bleaching event means that bleaching has been confirmed in all tropical ocean basins.

In response to the announcement, the California Academy of Sciences released the following statement from Luiz Rocha, PhD, curator of ichthyology and co-director of the Academy’s Hope for Reefs initiative. Rocha just completed the first-ever scientific deep dives in Australia’s Coral Sea at depths of up to 152 meters from March 25 to April 2 in partnership with the Australian Museum, the Minderoo Foundation, and Under The Pole.

“I am saddened but not surprised by the declaration of a fourth global coral bleaching event. It is very consistent with my diving experiences, including my most recent dives in Australia. During my trip last month to the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef, I saw corals bleaching all the way down to 60 meters (200 feet). This was one of the deepest records of bleaching and is very concerning because many people thought deep depths could be a refuge for corals.

“It was also very concerning that in the shallows we saw bleaching in corals of all sizes, from juvenile to adults, indicating that this event is killing corals of all ages.

This fourth global coral bleaching is a loud and urgent call to action that we must take steps immediately to address climate change at all levels, from the personal level to within our local communities to national and international policies to reduce fossil fuel use and emissions. We look forward to working with scientists around the world, including the Great Barrier Reef Foundation in Australia, to provide critical monitoring of coral reefs and develop on-the-ground solutions to protect reefs that are most at risk.”

Additional resources:

• Video of a special conversation on collaborative efforts in monitoring and responding to coral bleaching in the Great Barrier Reef with Dr. Luiz Rocha, the Academy's Curator and Follett Chair of Ichthyology, and Dr. Cédric Robillot, Executive Director for the Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program. Moderated by Anna Marsden, Managing Director of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.  
• Underwater video by Academy Ichthyology Curator Luiz Rocha of bleaching Mussismilia hartii coral, a very unique species only found in Brazil.