A scuba diver floating above endangered elkhorn coral in the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area.
COLE BAY–Because sunscreens with the ultraviolet (UV) filter oxybenzone are bad for coral, Nature Foundation St. Maarten is asking all residents, tour operators, businesses and especially water-sports participants to use and promote reef-safe sunscreens.
A number of studies have shown that sunscreen and certain individual components of sunscreen can have negative effects on corals and other marine organisms.
The chemical UV filter oxybenzone has been studied most intensively, and negative effects have been described such as bleaching of corals, damage and deformation of coral larvae and damage to the DNA of corals and their reproductive success.
“Our coral reefs are already facing many serious threats for their survival. Climate change, overfishing and excessive richness of nutrients in the water are the main causes of the degradation of reefs all around the globe. Added chemicals such as UV filters from sunscreens will add to the problems of the already stressed reefs and will decrease their resilience to global warming and hurricane impacts,” the Nature Foundation stated.
Recently, an awareness campaign started about the harmful impacts of sunscreen on coral reefs in Bonaire. These negative impacts are also occurring in St. Maarten.
Some local businesses are already transferring to reef-safe sunscreens. Coconut Reef Power Boat Tours and Charters inform all their guests about the negative impacts of sunscreen and offer them an environmentally-friendly alternative through their partnership with Raw Elements USA.
Nature Foundation applauds this initiative and hopes many water-sport operators will start to use coral-friendly sunscreens.
“Residents and tour operators can follow several steps to reduce the impacts of sunscreens on our reefs and forward the message to their customers. Please avoid sunscreens with oxybenzone and use sunscreens with a combination of zinc and titanium. Use lotions, not spray, and apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before entering the water and avoid sunscreen factors above 50.
“We can recommend using Coral Isles sunscreen, which is distributed on our island. It is a reef-friendly sunscreen which has no negative impacts on coral reefs while at the same time provides excellent sun protection,” recommended Nature Foundation’s projects officer Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern.
Nature Foundation urges water-sports participants – especially divers and snorkelers – to move to reef-safe sunscreens. The coral reefs of St. Maarten, especially in the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area, contribute significantly to the economy of St. Maarten.
“All steps should be taken by the community to protect this very important resource,” Nature Foundation said.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/79757-nature-foundation-promotes-use-of-coral-safe-sunscreens
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