You may have heard of the need to save the coral reefs. Many environmentalists and conservationists are working hard to fund research and to clean up the coral reefs so that they will continue doing their vital work for both the ocean and the land. Why is this so important?
Because being home to more than twenty-five percent of the marine animals and plants of the ocean, these vital reefs supply feeding grounds, nursery grounds and living areas. They also provide places where these animals can stay safe from predators like huge fish and other invertebrates. Here you will find corals, sponges, seahorses, sea turtles, sea birds, lobsters, clams, marine mammals like dolphins, even sharks.
Those who enjoy the sport of diving will tell you that there is nothing like diving around a coral reef. The beauty is astounding and these live museums contain thousands of years of history. Some are older than the United States and are some of the oldest, most diverse ecosystems on Earth. Sadly, they are declining throughout the world. Heavy fishing, ship groundings, disease, development, pollution and climate change continue, and coral reefs have declined about twenty percent with another fifteen percent in very critical condition. People must not let this continue.
These corals also provide food and jobs for more than five-hundred million people who are dependent on these reefs for a source of protein. In the Caribbean, tourism is an important part of the economy and it depends on coral reef communities. They provide resources worth billions every year, because people depend on them for food, their protection and jobs. Still, these reefs only cover about one percent of the entire Earth’s surface.
The warming oceans are one of the largest effects of climate change on these coral reefs. They need to maintain a certain range of temperatures so that marine life can continue to thrive. Unfortunately, the upper range in these reefs has been exceeded and corals are at risk of bleaching. When corals bleach, they lose small algae, such as phytoplankton in their tissues, which provide it with beautiful colors. When corals become bleached out, they can no longer absorb algae and will die.
One of the most important elements for a coral reef is clear, clean water. Land erosion, pollution, dying plants killed off by garbage, pollution from pesticides and other chemicals used by humans, fertilizers and sewage all poison this water. Sine these coral reefs grow very slowly the damage is occurring much faster than they can grow.
The healthier coral reefs support the commercial fisheries, along with jobs and business that supports recreation and tourism. They are worth millions of dollars to state and local communities.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) have estimated that the commercial value of fisheries from coral reefs is over one hundred million dollars. In American Samoa, these reefs supply more than fifty percent of the fish that are caught for food.
Tourists provide local communities with billions of dollars through diving tours of these reefs, recreational fishing trips and other types of businesses that are around these ecosystems. Scuba divers and snorkelers visit these reefs to enjoy the beautiful and abundant sea life. The Florida Keys, a number one diving area in the world, reap more than one billion annually from tourism. One reef in Hawaii is a destination for more than three million tourists every year. In the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam, more than ninety percent of the economic development depends on tourism, including visitors to the reefs.
These reefs offer protection from waves, floods and storms that can destroy life and property, and erode the land. They are a buffer for the shorelines and the well-being of the communities around the reefs is dependent on the health and condition of these reefs.
These reefs have been called “the medicine cabinets of the twenty-first century”, because the plants and animals there provide a source for many new medicines, which are being developed for the treatment of cancer, bacterial infections, heart disease, arthritis, viruses and more. These reef organisms are known to produce strong chemicals that can help the human body to ward off disease, and science continues to research their potential. They may very well provide medicine, medical treatments, nutritional supplements and other products of the future, but they will produce nothing if they do not survive. With all of the disease in our world, people should be doing all that they can to preserve these reefs.
Once they are gone they will not be able to support any living thing, they will lose their value as tourists destinations, putting many people out of work. Their loss means that more damage will occur to coastal communities because of wave action and violent storms; these coral barriers will no longer be there for protection. Everyone must act now to see that the coral reefs continue to thrive, for the good of everyone.
By globally reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing down global warming, you can all play a vital part in keeping these coral reefs alive. Local threats to these reefs may be reduced if the land and oceans are protected. Human impact must be minimized by the limiting of fishing, improving coastal zone planning and producing less waste.
Increasing the number of marine parks in the world may help because these reefs benefit from land protection that is near the coast. Poor land use has degraded these reefs, some faulty sewage systems (or non-existent ones) add to the damage.
It is clear that ocean conservation is vital to these reefs and everyone must all work to increase the public awareness of this fact. These reefs are warning everyone to act, and act fast, to preserve them and all life on the planet.
The ocean provides nearly fifty percent of the oxygen that is breathed. Coral reefs provide food, jobs, medicine, recreation and beauty. More people are moving to the coastal areas every year and it adds to the problem. Teaching people how to help conserve the oceans and why the need to is vital for sustaining the reefs. What you do every single day of your life, heavily affects these reefs and the oceans.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a number of programs in place to help protect the coral reefs. Despite their efforts, these reefs are declining at a frighteningly fast rate. You can help by supporting organizations that help to clean up these reefs and enact measures to protect them. If you can’t donate, there are many more things that you can do to help. For starters, don’t throw your trash in the ocean; you would be surprised at how much damage garbage does to marine life.
Avoid using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, insecticides and other chemicals that are helping to poison these waters. If you live near these reefs, volunteer your free time to help clean up the beaches, reefs and tourist areas.
When you snorkel or scuba dive, avoid touching these corals; it causes further damage. Support conservation organizations like, “The Nature Conservancy”, “The Ocean Conservancy”, “Oceana North America” and worldwide conservation agencies such as, “Marine Bio”. Go to their websites and check out what you can do to help them salvage our coral reefs now.
Your life and that of your children and grandchildren may depend upon your own actions today. Don’t leave a legacy of doom for future generations.
