NOAA Report on U.S. Reefs
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) report, The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2008, found that reefs located near populated areas experience intense threats from coastal development and recreational activities, but even remote reefs located far from human settlements are threatened by overfishing, marine debris, and climate-related impacts such as bleaching, disease, and acidification. A key factor in reef decline, coral bleaching occurs when sea surface temperatures increase to the point that corals expel their symbiotic algae. If temperatures do not drop quickly enough, the algae are not reabsorbed and the coral dies.
CORAL's long-term approach to reef conservation responds to reef threats by building the capacity of local communities to protect and manage their coral reefs. Our programs raise awareness about the importance of marine protected areas in combating reef decline, build capacity to effectively manage reefs, and foster sustainable tourism and other businesses that reinforce reef conservation with financial independence. By reducing small-scale threats on the local level, CORAL gives reefs a chance to build the resilience that will protect them from large-scale threats such as global climate change.
As early indicators of overall ocean health, coral reefs represent a significant and valuable environmental habitat:
- Twenty-five percent of all marine species live and grow on coral reefs, including almost half of the fish caught by the commercial fishing industry.
- Serving as natural wave barriers, healthy coral reefs protect coastal communities from damaging storms and tsunamis.
- Considered more biologically diverse than rain forests, coral reefs have already provided the raw materials for lifesaving medical treatments like the HIV drug AZT.
- Coral reef destinations generate a significant portion of worldwide marine tourism income.
This is the first detailed NOAA study to provide conclusive scientific data that coral reefs are in trouble. In an Associated Press article, NOAA's deputy assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere Timothy Keeney claims that "the report adds another layer of scientific certainty that man-made climate change is stressing the nation's oceans and could ultimately have huge economic and social impacts if its effects are not reversed."
The NOAA report was released this week at the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, where more than 2,500 scientists, government officials, and nonprofit leaders gathered to share information and strategize new ways to protect coral reefs. Rick MacPherson, Director of Conservation Programs for CORAL, presented a workshop and a poster on CORAL's conservation work
To help CORAL save the world's coral reefs, please make a donation today.