Coral
Reefs
Coral
Reefs: Critical Biodiversity and Fisheries Resources
 Coral
reefs are the most complex, species-rich and productive
marine ecosystems. Reefs cover 0.2% of the ocean’s
area and yet they provide home to one-third of all marine
fish species and tens of thousands of other species. Coral
reefs provide essential fish habitat, support endangered and
threatened species, and harbor protected marine mammals and
turtles. Coral reef fisheries yield 6 million metric tons
of fish catch annually, with one quarter of the total worldwide
fish production in developing countries with coral reefs.
On U.S. reefs, over 500 commercially valuable coral reef fishes
and invertebrate are under federal management, including four
candidate ESA species (Spurgeon 1992; NOAA 1996). Coral reefs
provide critical protection to coastlines from storm damage,
erosion and flooding by reducing wave action. Coral reefs
are crucial sources of income and resources through their
role in tourism, fisheries, building materials and as an important
source of pharmaceutical compounds.
 Despite their
importance, coral reefs worldwide have experienced widespread
declines in coral species abundance and live coral coverage
worldwide over the last two decades. The 1998
Reefs at Risk report (Bryant et al., 1998) estimated
that 58% of the world’s coral reefs are threatened by
human activity, including coastal development,
destructive and over-fishing practices,
overexploitation of marine resources, marine pollution,
and increased terrestrial runoff associated with agriculture
and deforestation. These impacts are being exacerbated by
natural events such as coral disease, crown-of thorns sea
star outbreaks, and tropical storms and hurricanes (Global
Coral Reef Monitoring Network, 1998). Among the greatest
threats are elevated sea water temperatures and increased
CO2 concentrations due to greenhouse gas emissions.
In 1998, this caused the most geographically extensive and
severe coral reef bleaching event in recorded history, with
subsequent mortality affecting 70-80 % of all shallow-water
corals on many Indo-Pacific reefs. Reef Check surveys conducted in
1997 and 1998 found that most reefs are severely overfished
and most high value organisms such as grouper, lobster and
giant clams are missing (Hodgson, 1999). It has been estimated
that at least 1200 marine species may have become extinct
in the last few hundred years, mostly unknown species that
inhabit coral reefs (Malakoff 1995). For a recent assessment
of the status of U.S. coral reefs see NOAA's online State of the Coast Report.
At part of the
Year of the Ocean, on June 11, 1998 President Clinton signed
Executive Order #13089) on Coral Reef Protection. The Order
established the U.S. Coral
Reef Task Force (CRTF) to lead U.S. efforts to conserve
coral reef ecosystems. Chaired by the Secretary of Interior
and the Secretary of Commerce, the CRTF is composed of the
heads of11 federal agencies and the Governors of 7 states,
territories or commonwealths with responsibilities for coral
reefs. In March 2000, the task Force approved the first-ever
National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs. NMFS is
working with other partners to make this plan a reality.
Office of
Protected Resources Coral Reef Projects
References:
Bryant, D., L.
Burke, J. McManus and M. Spalding. 1998. Reefs at Risk. A
map-based indicator of threats to the world’s coral reefs.
World Resources Institute, Washington D.C. 56 pages.
Global Coral
Reef Monitoring Network. 1998. Status of coral reefs of the
world: 1998 (C. Wilkinson, editor),. Australian Institute
of Marine Science, Cape Ferguson, Australia, pp. 169-178.
Hodgson, G. 1999.
A Global Assessment of Human Effects on Coral Reefs. Mar.
Poll. Bull. 38:345-355.
Malakoff, D.
S. 1995. Extinction on the High Seas. Science 277:486-488.
NOAA 1996. Our
Living Oceans: The Economic Valuation of U.S. Fisheries. 1996.
NOAA Technical Memorandum
Spurgeon, P.G.
1992. The economic valuation of coral reefs. Marine Pollution
Bulletin, 24:11, pp.529-536.
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