Blogging with Biology: September 2010

We’ve all seen the dazzling photos of coral reefs, but how much do we exactly know about them?

International Coral Reef Action Network is a network of many of the world’s leading coral reef scientist and conservation organizations. They’re committed to improve the health of reefs by working with communities to develop skills and tools needed to ensure the sustainable use, and long term vitality of coral reefs.

Briefly on corals:

Coral reefs are considered the “rainforests” of the ocean because they, alone, support such vast biodiversity. The reefs support an estimated 25% of all marine life. Most of the world’s coral reefs are in difficulty. They’ve been destroyed, or degraded by accumulated stress to a point of no recovery, most of which are a result of human activities.

So how does ICRAN help improve this “stressful” situation?

In places where the reefs have been damaged by anchors, high amounts of tourists, ICRAN is working to install a mooring buoy program to help control further disturbances to the reefs.

ICRAN is improving the management and operation of existing marine protected areas and creating protected areas. They’re working alongside with local fisherman and teaching them how to take care of the marine life, and to raise awareness for the protection of marine life.

In

Vietnam

, the reefs undergo serious stress caused by blast and poison fishing, boat and anchor damage, overfishing and coral harvesting activities. ICRAN has worked with local communities to build awareness, establish volunteer patrols to protect their coral reefs and fisheries, and to incorporate environmental education programs into schools. In the end, provincial authorities have endorsed their own regulations for the protection of coral reefs across the province! They’ve also created a marine reserve, and have opposed coral harvesting activities.

The ICRAN Mesoamerican Reef Alliance project was aimed at stopping the decline of coral reef ecosystems and to improve the reefs. Organizations in the region worked together in order to achieve the goals of this project. In the end, they developed tools for the prediction of future land use’s impact on the reef, a manual for best fishing practices among local fishermen, and the establishment of a Tourism Standards and Code Taskforce.

The tourism industry is a big part of income for some countries. There’re millions of divers who enjoy the mysterious life underwater. ICRAN is working to create marine-life friendly practices in resorts/hotels/gift shops/dive centers. They’ve trained plenty of eco divers and diver instructors to pass on their knowledge and the correct way of admiring the beauty of corals. Coral reef monitoring activities were created, to keep track of the health of the reefs worldwide. Reef check is a community based management, where anyone is open to help!

ICRAN is working with a large network of organizations worldwide to help, and promote the conservation of coral reefs. They’ve taken the first step to fix what we’ve done, don’t you think its time we reflect on all our actions? Here’s a place where you could start with. http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/25list.html

(Below are photos of coral reefs courtesy of my uncle, from his many diving adventures )