Man, the guardian of the earth’s natural resources has become the greatest threat to the coral reefs of the world. Man takes for granted unlimited fishing is available, building on coral reefs is harmless, and dumping chemicals and other materials has no adverse effect on the coral reefs. Man enacts legislation meant to protect, but fails to enforce legislation. And with each day, the damage to the reefs continues to increase.
People have a deep affection for the ocean and many choose to live by the reefs and shores. With approximately half the world’s population living near or on reefs, are the reefs able to withstand the overuse and pollution? The result is an imbalance to the fragile eco system of the reefs. For example, predators such as the crown of thorn starfish have begun to multiply at alarming rates. This species of starfish feeds on the tiny creatures in the coral reefs creating an imbalance of the symbiotic relationship of the coral reefs. Reefs, unable to withstand the attacks on their small residents, will begin die.
Perhaps people are unaware these large cities such as Manila or Hong Kong were built directly on coral reefs. Once construction takes place on reefs, the life on the reefs begins to die out. The demand for housing and the economical impact often put the need for preservation of the coral reefs aside in favor of expanding into fragile areas. The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is an example of construction threatening the health and beauty of the reef.
How often has raw sewage been released into ocean waters? People falsely believe because of the volume of water, human waste has no effect on the delicate eco system of the ocean. Raw or partially treated sewage flows into the coral reefs. Algae feeds on the minute particles in the sewage and grows unchecked. The algae in turn covers the coral reef polyps, smothers them, and the reef begins to die.
Simple pollution aside from raw sewage has damaged the coral reefs. People do not realize their trash may accumulate in the coral reefs in some form. Plastic may become entangled on the reefs and smother the polyps. Plastic will block the sun and disrupt the important photosynthesis necessary for the health of the coral creatures. Fishing nets can ensnare fish and other small creatures killing them as they cannot free themselves.
Over fishing is another threat to the reefs. Providing fish for aquariums and personal consumption has resulted in overfishing. Methods for extracting fish such as cyanide and explosives set into the reefs have damaged reefs. People do not realize that not only does cyanide kill the tiny coral creatures, but different levels of cyanide ingested by the fish are passed to people consuming them.
Pleasure sports also threaten the coral reefs. Boats, whether pleasure craft or oil tankers dump oil that flows on coral reefs. Oil is toxic to the reef’s residents causing illness and death. Other boats sit in waters over the reefs and drop their anchors unaware of the destruction these anchors do when breaking coral formations. People themselves cannot resist touching these fragile creatures that are often unable to handle the stress and die.
Other threats to the coral reefs include the rising of water temperatures in reef areas, and agricultural runoff. No matter the form of the threat, the result is the same, permanent or partial damage to coral reefs. These threats and others have affected coral reefs causing man to lose many miles of reef permanently. These threats are not only affecting the coral reef, but the entire eco system of the ocean and land. Without careful care of these coral reefs, it is possible in the next few decades approximately 70% of the reefs will permanently disappear.
