Coral
Reef and Biodiversity Conservation
Humanity depends
on biological diversity,
or  biodiversity
for the very sustenance of life. Marine ecosystems, and the
diversity of species they support underpin our economy and
provide humanity with food, medicines, clean air, aesthetic
enjoyment and
other values we are just beginning to understand.
Yet human populations and their activities are disturbing
marine species and their habitats, disrupting natural ecological
processes, and even changing climate patterns on a global
scale.
The National
Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) implements and coordinates
programs or activities that study, conserve, and manage biological
diversity, both domestically and  internationally.
NMFS is committed to the protection, conservation and restoration
of marine resource habitat and biodiversity. No organism can
live in isolation; all are dependent on the health and biodiversity
of the surrounding ecosystem, which provides the necessary
ingredients of life. However human activities can change,
degrade, or destroy these habitats and the biodiversity associated
with them. Through research, consultation, and coordination,
NMFS seeks to protect biological diversity from human-caused
degradation while increasing our understanding of the interactions
among living marine resources and the ecosystems they inhabit.
In these efforts, the Office of Protected Resources works
closely with the NMFS Office of Habitat Conservation, other
NOAA line offices, and other U.S. agencies.
Office
of Protected Resources Activities to Protect Coral Reefs and
Biological Diversity:
Domestic Biodiversity
Activities:
-
Corals and Coral Reefs
- Activities on the status of coral species,
coral diseases, and addressing the unsustainable
trade in corals
and coral reef species. Activities are coordinated with
the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.
- Aquatic
Restoration and Conservation (ARC) - A partnership for
assessing, mapping and conserving the nation’s marine,
estuarine, and freshwater biodiversity.
International
Activities and Conventions:
Photos represent
subtidal creatures of the Atlantic coast. Photo credits: Andy
Bruckner
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