…there are some unique patches of elkhorn coral very close to the Sunset Waters shore to the east of the breakwaters? Elkhorncoral is actually under consideration right now for listing under the Endangered Species Act in the US. Elkhorn coral is been decimated throughout the Caribbean by diseases, development and run-off, and we’re lucky in Curaçao to have some very healthy patches still remaining
		there was never a natural beach at the Sunset Waters site? It was always a coral shingle beach. The artificial beach was created a long time ago, maybe even in the sixties, at the cost of the reef there. The sand covering the dead staghorn uncovered during the recent dredging is actually the sand that was brought in for the artificial beach.
		…when the resort was originally constructed (late sixties) they deepened and broadened the entrance to the inland bay? This did a lot of damage to the reefs because it allowed the muddy bay to flow freely over the reef outside.
		…between 1970 and 2000 Curaçao reefs are degraded significantly? Loss of coral cover and species richness resulted in relatively homogeneous reefs in 2000. Thirty years ago the fields of staghorncoral and firecoral were more heterogeneous with many other species growing in between the fields of staghorn and firecoral.
		…branching fire corals such as Millepora are highly susceptible to damage by recreational activities? The reef at Sta. Martha Bay is located in an area not directly trampled by humans, this resulted in an increase of Millepora cover. However, the sociability decreased indicating that the colonies became smaller or more scattered in their distribution (Nagelkerken, 2004).
		…Sta.MarthaBay’s mud plains contain low density of fish?
		…Sta.MarthaBay does not contain sea grasses and only small patches of mangroves? The inland bay therefore does not function as a breeding chamber for reeffishes but does have significant value for different types of fishes that live in the bay (yellowfin and slender mojarra, white mullet)  (Nagelkerken, 2000).

Please feel free to visit us and have a look at beautiful Sta. Martha Bay, our project intern will be pleased to inform you about our project activities. Contact us to make an appointment with the project intern.