International Year of the Coral Reef

1997 was declared the International Year of the Reef (IYOR) in response to increasing threats and loss of coral reefs.  IYOR is a global effort to increase public awareness about coral reefs, and support research and management efforts like the United States Coral Reef Initiative (USCRI) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) to conserve them.

Participation in International Year of the Reef is occurring at all levels. Governments from around the world, including the United States are taking part, as are state and local entities, universities, non-profit organizations, and private sector and grass root organizations.  The United Nations, the United States and more than 50 other nations and organizations are involved in the production of videos, posters and other materials to increase public awareness of coral issues during 1997.

In the United States, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has the primary responsibility for the stewardship of marine resources with activities including monitoring the health of domestic coral reefs, and maintaining the health of coral reefs through management, research and education.

This year NOAA is leading the federal effort to further research, educate and sustain these vital marine resources for generations to come.

Click on the selections below to jump to the specific information:

• Why Care About Coral Reefs?
  • Coral reefs are rain forests of the sea.
  • Coral reefs are dying.
  • What is being done to save the coral reefs?
• Interational Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI).
• United States Coral Reef Initiative (USCRI).
• How Will USCRI Be Implemented?
• NOAA's Contribution to the US Coral Reef Initiative.
• Information For Decision Makers.
• Solutions for Conservation and Sustainable Development.
• Science for Improved and Local  And Regional Management.
• What Needs to Be Done?
• How to Get Additional Information.

Why Care About Coral Reefs?

• Home to almost a million species
• Sources of new medicines and biochemicals
• Sources of food, jobs and storm protection for millions of people
• Ecosystems that include coral communities, sea grasses and mangroves
• Cover less than one percent of the earth’s surface
• Easily affected by human activities

International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)

The United States, Australia and six other nations founded ICRI in 1994 to provide protection, restoration and sustainable use of reef ecosystems for the benefit of current and future generations.

ICRI builds on existing coral conservation activities and the principles established by the Biodiversity Convention to protect and sustainably use the world’s biodiversity.

Coral reefs are found in tropical seas of more than 100 countries. ICRI was established to help the people and governments of these nations:

• Strengthen local, regional, national and international programs for conversation, restoration and sustainable use of coral reefs and associated environments
• Incorporate management provisions that promote these goals into each nation’s existing development plans
• Strengthen the capacity for developing and implementing these policies
• Establish coordinate international and regional research and monitoring programs including a Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network

Since 1994, ICRI has succeeded in elevating the issue of coral reef loss, and provided frameworks and incentives for nations to begin addressing the problems:

ICRI achievements include:

• Established a global coral reef monitoring network
• Supported development of marine protected areas
• Provided information on impacts of cyanide fishing
• Supported restrictions on cyanide fishing
• Supported control of illegal coral trade

United States Coral Reef Initiative (USCRI)

The United States is one of the first countries with coral reefs to launch a national Coral Reef Initiative.

USCRI is designed to be a new platform of U.S. support for domestic and international coral conservation efforts.

The goal is to strengthen and fill the gaps in existing efforts to conserve and sustainably manage coral reefs and related ecosystems (sea grass beds and mangrove forests) in U.S. waters.

The U.S. has significant coral reef resources in the southern Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico and western Pacific, including:

• Florida Keys coral ecosystem is the third largest coral reef tract in the world - over 360 kilometers long covering over 5500 marine species and the world’s largest sea grass bed (Florida Bay)
• Deep-water coral reefs of the Oculina Banks off the U.S. southern Atlantic coast
• Diverse Caribbean coral reefs in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
• Northernmost coral reefs in North America on salt-domes off the coast of Texas
• Extensive coral reefs of the U.S. Pacific covering over 10,000 square miles

U.S. coral reefs are important for many reasons including their economic contributions. For example:

• Four million tourists visit Florida Keys contributing over $200 million to tourism-related services every year
• The Florida Keys coral reefs are the number dive destination in the world one
• Three million tourists visit one of Hawaii’s many coral reef sites every year
• In American Samoa, coral reefs play an important cultural role and supply over 50 percent of the fish caught locally for food
• In Guam and the Northern Marianas, 90 percent of new economic development is related to coastal tourism

USCRI is a partnership of federal, state, territorial and commonwealth governments, the scientific community, the private sector and other organizations.

The primary objective of USCRI is to foster innovative partnerships and cross-disciplinary approaches that reduce the threats to U.S. coral ecosystems.

How Will USCRI Be Implemented?

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is one of several U.S. federal agencies contributing to the USCRI.

NOAA is committed to the protection and sustainable use of U.S. coastal resources, including coral reefs.

In 1996, NOAA spent over $10 million for ongoing research, monitoring, management and outreach activities related to coral resources, including:

• Protected Area Management: NOAA’s national system of marine and coastal protected areas includes four National Marine Sanctuaries and a National Estuarine Research Reserve with coral reefs.
• Sustainable Fisheries: U. S. coral reef ecosystems support valuable commercial and recreational fisheries. Many of these fisheries are in serious condition. For example, 23 percent of 200 southeast reef fish species are over-fished, one percent are at full utilization, and 76 percent are of unknown status.
• Protected Species: Conservation and recovery of reef-associated protected species such as marine mammals, sea turtles and corals.
• Coastal Zone Management: Working with state and other partners to guide sustainable use of the coast and prevent negative impacts to coral ecosystems from pollution.
• Research and Monitoring: From satellites to submersibles, NOAA provides people and tools to study, monitor, understand and manage reef ecosystems.
• Education: NOAA works with states and universities to provide materials and opportunities to thousands of people to help them learn about and participate in stewardship of coral reefs.

NOAA’s Contribution To The US Reef Coral Initiative

NOAA is implementing a national strategy to understand, conserve and restore coral reef ecosystems for current and future generations.

The strategy consists of new measures in three priority areas:

• Solutions for conservation and sustainable development
• Information for decision makers and the public
• Science for improved local and regional management

In 1996, NOAA started new coral reef projects to begin filling gaps in U.S. efforts. Twenty percent of the funds went to build public-private partnerships for coral conservation through matching grants and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

NOAA’s new contributions to USCRI include:

Solutions for Conservation and Sustainable Development

• Reducing Human Impacts: Coastal Zone Management Programs in the Caribbean and Pacific are working to complete and implement plans for reducing inputs and impacts of non-point source pollution from agricultural and urban sources.

• Promoting Sustainable Use: Sea Grant extension agents have worked with other federal, local and private entities to transfer information and technologies to local communities. In the Pacific, this has supported sustainable use of reef resources through ecoturism and mariculture. Mariculture is important to:

• Reestablish species that have been over-fished
• Provide alternatives to wild harvest and prevent damage to natural populations
• Provide economic development opportunities

• Sustainable Reef Fisheries: In the western Pacific, NOAA supported the first comprehensive assessment of coral reef resources, current management efforts, and future management needs. In the Caribbean, NOAA and partners have helped develop marine protected areas and conduct research to determine how to best manage them.

• Reef Restoration: NOAA has developed and used new technologies for restoring damaged coral reefs in the Florida Keys and the Pacific.

Information For Decision Makers

Reducing Illegal Coral Trade: NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service is helping prevent illegal exports of corals by training import and export personnel about corals and trade regulations. The U.S. is the world’s largest importer of coral products.

Increasing Public Awareness: Public Awareness about coral reefs is critical to their survival. NOAA works with divers, fishermen, teachers and business to help local communities understand how they can avoid damaging reefs.

Science For Improved Local And Regional Management

Monitoring Coral Health: NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program is working with partners to design and implement a network of long-term monitoring sites to track the health of coral ecosystems in the Caribbean and Pacific.

Understanding Human Impacts: NOAA’s National Sea Grant Program and National Undersea Research Program support research to understand how reef communities respond to increased inputs of nutrients and sediment, and help coastal communities better manage coastal development to reduce impacts on coral ecosystems.

Forecasting Coral Bleaching: Using satellite images of the sea surface, NOAA produces global ocean maps showing "hotspots" or increases in sea surface temperature that might cause coral bleaching. The maps are being used to forecast, confirm and study bleaching events worldwide. The forecasts allow managers to reduce other stresses on corals during bleaching events. New maps are available every week on the Internet at http://psbsgi1.nesdis.noaa.gov:8080/PSB/EPS/SST/climo.html.

What Needs To Be Done:

Get involved. The 1997 International Year of the Reef and the International Coral Reef Initiative are important opportunities to help stop the loss and degradation of coral reefs.

Build Partnerships: Partnerships are essential to protect coral ecosystems. Working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NOAA is buildng public-private partnerships in coral reef conservation.

For more information on these opportunities, contact Dr. Jerry Clark, NFWF, Washington, D.C. (Phone: 202-857-0166; Fax 202-857-0162).

How To Get Additional Information

NOAA is sponsoring a major public awareness campaign on coral reefs in 1997. Press packets, experts to contact and other information are available.

For more information on NOAA’s efforts to protect and sustainably use coral reefs, US Coral Reef Initiative, or the 1997 International Year of the Reef, please contact Matt Stout, NOAA Office of Public Affairs, Washington DC (Phone: 202-482-6090).

This article is taken from the NOAA Coral Reef Initiative.