Cuba’s Remarkable Reefs: Hopeful Stories from the Ocean Doctor
Dr. David E. Guggenheim, founder and president of Ocean Doctor and adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University, discusses his new book, “Cuba’s Remarkable Reefs: Hopeful Stories from the Ocean Doctor.” (Prometheus Books).
From the Publisher:
Since 1970, the Caribbean has lost half its coral reefs, an ominous and accelerating phenomenon reflected around the world. Beyond the heartbreak of the loss of such exquisite beauty, losing coral reefs means the annual loss of billions of dollars from the global economy and the end of a way of life for the billions who depend on these ecosystems.
Marine scientist and conservation leader Dr. David E. Guggenheim has had a front-row seat to this disaster. But when he began a new chapter of his career in Cuba, he found something completely unexpected: hope. After years of watching reefs deteriorate, Guggenheim was astonished to come face-to-face with Cuba’s remarkably healthy coral reefs overflowing with marine life. Guggenheim reveals the hidden lessons of Cuba’s reefs that could help rescue coral reefs around the world. Understanding why takes us on a journey through the island’s unique history – and our own.
While the past 60 years have seen the worst decline in ocean health in human history, Cuba’s oceans and coral reefs remain remarkably healthy, a living laboratory little seen by this generation of scientists. Which begs the question—Why are Cuba’s ocean waters so healthy? The answer is deeply entwined with the country’s extraordinary and singularly unique history, from its dramatic political past to its world-class environmental protections influenced by an unlikely partner, Jacques Cousteau.
Guggenheim tells the story of the demise of the world’s ocean ecosystems, the hard work of those trying desperately to save it, and an unexpected beacon of hope from an island full of mystery and surprise.
About South Florida Divers:
Founded in 1974, South Florida Divers is a dive club with a long legacy of diving Florida’s reefs and wrecks. Learn by diving with a skilled group of divers who know the dive boats and have worked with dive operators on the east and west coast of Florida. We participate in local reef clean-ups, reef and fish surveys, wreck sinking, and turtle-nest monitoring. We aim to protect our reefs and help our members become better divers.
