CORAL REEF CSI: UNDERWATER FORENSICS

RESEARCH MISSION
Underwater Forensics Applied to Coral Reef Crime Scene Investigations

Coral reef communities are very susceptible to the effects of human activities. While some of these activities are the result of lack of knowledge, others are the result of negligence and ignorance of the deleterious effects human activities have on these and other marine resources. Laws and regulations designed and implemented to protect these and other marine resources are most often enforced when individuals are observed and caught by law enforcement officers while in the act of damaging these valuable resources.

The application of the forensic sciences to detect and document illegal activities related to coral reefs provides a tool to find and prosecute suspects, assign monetary value to damages caused to a reef as part of illegal activities, and to provide information to the judicial system regarding the magnitude of some of these crimes.

Unlike search and recovery operations, underwater forensic activities focus on identification and documentation of potential evidence. The evidence is not removed from the water until the underwater crime scene has been properly and completely documented, all facts and potential information are obtained, and the best possible way to remove the evidence with minimal damage is determined.

The objective of this study is to develop methodology to accurately describe unlawful activities, quantifiable damage to the resource, and associate a monetary value useful in determining mitigation relevant to damage inflicted to a reef in addition to current fines and penalties. The experimental design focuses in adapting and validating underwater forensic techniques currently in use in other areas of the forensic sciences. Further, we will look and discuss ways to utilize this methodology to identify human activities that affect coral reefs that are negligent or unlawful. The findings of this research will be incorporated into Coral Reef Crime Scene Investigation procedures in an effort to increase successful prosecution of violators.

THE RESEARCHER(S)

DIVING ACTIVITIES
Diving and other underwater activities will focus on applying conventional search and recovery and benthic ecology population and damage assessment techniques to the detection, identification, collection, documentation, and submission procedures of evidence relevant to coral reef damage. Techniques include underwater surveys, use of transects and quadrants, identification of evidence of human interaction with corals, underwater evidence collection, underwater forensic photography, and many others.

SPECIAL NOTES
None.