Abstract
Coral reefs across the Caribbean have deteriorated at an alarming pace over the past decade, with unprecedented bleaching events threatening to collapse one of the planet’s richest and most vital ecosystems. This special series —produced by journalists from across the region— explores the human cost of this silent crisis, the solutions still clinging to life underwater, and the political and financial roadblocks that could strip the Caribbean of its most valuable natural defense.
From the waters of Guadeloupe to laboratories in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and through coastal communities in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, the series documents not only the cascading consequences of this crisis, but also the efforts to save what remains. With stories of scientists testing bold new technologies, fishers facing dwindling catches, and island governments scrambling to preserve critical funding, Corals: The Caribbean’s Silent Disaster offers a deep and urgent look at a region fighting for its future beneath the sea.
The journalists who participated in the project are Freeman Rogers of The BVI Beacon (British Virgin Islands), Jean-Michel Hauteville, Krista Campbell (Television Jamaica), Yaneris Soto-Muñiz, Suzanne Carlson (The Virgin Islands Daily News) and Sara Kirkpatrick (The Virgin Islands Daily News) in collaboration with the Centro de Periodismo Investigativo. Mariela Mejía of Diario Libre (Dominican Republic) also collaborated on the project.
The project was overseen by Noel Algarín-Martínez, editor at the CPI.
This reporting was made possible in part thanks to support from Open Society Foundations.
This Series
Could Dying Reefs Fuel Ciguatera Poisoning?
August 22, 2025
Caribbean governments are struggling to track and manage ciguatera fish poisoning. As oceans warm and coral reefs degrade in the region, some scientists fear the illness will become more common.
Scientists Race to Save Caribbean Reefs Amid Bleaching Crisis
August 7, 2025
As record coral bleaching swept across the Caribbean over the past two years, scientists raced to save reefs with tools ranging from multivitamins and artificial intelligence to underwater speakers. But their efforts, they warn, remain underfunded — and increasingly overwhelmed by the scale of the coral crisis.
Caribbean Corals: Bleaching Ravages a Region Built on Reefs as Aid Falls Short
July 31, 2025
A historic coral bleaching event has swept across the Caribbean over the past two years, threatening the ecosystems that feed, protect, and sustain life across the region. This investigation, reported from six countries and territories, reveals the scale of the damage —and the human costs mounting beneath the surface.
Series Authors
Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, The BVI Beacon, Television Jamaica and The Virgin Islands Daily News
El Centro de Periodismo Investigativo es una organización sin fines de lucro que reconoce que el requisito fundamental para las aspiraciones democráticas es que la ciudadanía esté bien informada y que existan entidades independientes con la capacidad de fiscalizar los poderes que accionan en la sociedad, sean públicos o privados.
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