Oh My God, They Killed Kenny (The Sea Urchin)

In some areas of its range, the black sea urchin remains to be an abundant and vital species to the environment around it. Because it feeds primarily on algae, it provides a service to the reefs that it inhabits. Algae can smother reefs if it becomes too thick, so areas with high numbers of this species show that the reefs will most likely be safe from harm. This became evident in 1983, when the black sea urchin lost 97 percent of its population numbers in an area that extended from the Bahamas to South America. The coral reefs in this area have become overgrown with foliose macroalgae. Studies recently conducted in Discovery Bay, Jamaica and other areas have shown that higher numbers of sea urchins have helped the coral reefs to regenerate.

The sea urchin die off in 1983 is thought to have been caused by an unknown type of disease [What the hell does that mean??], and it caused a major growth in many types of algae. Because of the negative effects of this on the coral reefs, other species like fish were also affected, because they lost a major source of food and protection. This also caused several small countries to lose vital tourism, which strained the economies of those countries.

Aerostat radar provides the only permanent air radar coverage for the Northern Bahamas. The Cudjoe Key and Cape Canaveral, Florida, Aero-stats have been in place and operational since December 1980 and September 1983 [it overlaps the Bahamas], respectively. The aerostat at High Rock, Grand Bahama Island, has been in place since March 1985, and has been staffed to provide around-the-clock coverage since March 1988.

I am sorry, my entire blogsearch or whatever you call this is starting to remind me of the late, great Kenny, RIP.

Pray for me.