October 2018 – Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease was first discovered on St Maarten’s coral reefs in October 2018. A 60% infection and mortality rate of the most susceptible species were found in the Nature Foundation’s March 2019 surveys at the Man of War Shoal National Marine Park (MWSNMP). On coral reefs outside the Marine Protected Area, an even higher average is found; At least 70% of the same species were either diseased or dead when surveyed on coral reefs outside MWSNMP in February 2019 (Melanie Meijer zu Schlochtern, pers. comm.). Below – See the report issued by Nature Foundation St. Maarten on Coral Reef Disease.