Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000

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Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000 equal or even greater threat to coral reefs than direct anthropogenic impacts. Coral bleaching and mortality due to elevated sea surface temperatures is one of several major climate-related threats to coral reefs. Possibly the most alarming is evidence that increasing concentrations of CO2 in seawater will reduce the rate of coral calcification, thus slowing growth and increasing their fragility and capacity to build reefs. A major concern is that the location and timing of the next bleaching event is unpredictable, and climate induced bleaching can devastate pristine coral reefs as well as reefs which are effectively managed. Thus, the agenda for coral reef conservation changed radically after the 1997-98 coral mortality events. Until then, the major action to conserve coral reefs was to reduce direct human impacts of land-based pollution and sediment releases, and over-exploitation, by establishing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Now the fight has shifted to two fronts: the need to increase management to abate direct anthropogenic impacts at all scales; and action to study the impacts of global climate change on coral reefs and reduce global emissions of greenhouse gases. CORAL BLEACHING AND MORTALITY IN 1997-98 There is both encouraging and dismal news in the following summary reports on the coral bleaching event of 1997-98 (and early 2000). The mortality after the bleaching was varied in scope and scale with large parts of the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia and the far western Pacific being the most dramatically affected. In the wider Caribbean and parts of the Great Barrier Reef, mortality was minimal even after extensive bleaching, as many severely bleached reefs recovered almost fully. Over vast areas of the Pacific, there was no bleaching (summarised in Chapter 1). There are now encouraging reports of new recruitment on coral reefs in Eastern Africa, the Seychelles, the Maldives and Palau indicating that sufficient parent corals survived to provide some larvae, if not for the 1999 season, then for the 2000 spawning season. However the down side is that many of the major reef building corals, such as Acropora and Pocillopora are either recruiting in very low numbers or not at all. This will mean that many of the affected reefs will be dominated by slow growing massive species that provide poor habitat for fishes and are less attractive for diving tourists. Many reefs that were dominated by large table and branching corals, now have a smaller, low profile corals. It may be several years before we can state that the reefs will recover, or whether there will be local losses of species, including the extinction of rare endemic species. Reef recovery is dependent on few or no repeats of the extreme event of 1997-98, at least not within the next 20 to 50 years which will be the time required for many of the reefs to recover to structures resembling those before the bleaching. Recovery, in many cases, will also depend on the reduction of human pressures through the application of sound management. 8
Executive Summary CORAL BLEACHING IN 2000 - EARLY REPORTS A worrying sign that severe bleaching may become more regular was seen in parts of the southwest Pacific between February and April 2000. Satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of USA showed a developing ‘HotSpot’ of increased seawater temperatures in the region in February and soon after severe bleaching often involving around 80% of the corals was seen in Fiji, and the Solomon Islands. Fortunately the ‘HotSpot’ dissipated rapidly and many corals appear to have recovered, although there were losses of up to 90% of corals in parts of Fiji. These affected areas are being followed by GCRMN and Reef Check teams. Coral bleaching has also been reported from some locations in the Western Atlantic. CORAL REEF DISEASES IN THE TROPICAL AMERICAS In the last 20 years, 2 of the 3 major reef building corals in the Caribbean have succumbed to white-band disease, and are now scarce. An important algal grazing sea-urchin also suffered mass mortality, facilitating the overgrowth of reefs by macroalgae. Now, other diseases are appearing and massive corals are declining. We know very little about these apparently natural factors, but the worrying concept is that the increased frequency may be linked to anthropogenic disturbance. GLOBAL PROGRESS TOWARDS CONSERVING CORAL REEFS There has been a major expansion in international efforts to monitor, research, manage and conserve coral reefs during the last few years. The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), formed in 1994, has continued to expand with the major operational unit, the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) also growing. Many coral reef nations participated in two ICRI global meetings (1995 and ITMEMS 1998) to review ICRI implementation. They determined a set of priority steps for coral reef conservation: the Renewed Call to Action, addressed to the world’s governments, following the 1995 Call to Action and Framework for Action (www.environnement.gouv.fr/icri). During the last 2 years, the Secretariat of ICRI has operated through the environment department of the Government of France and next year, coordination of ICRI will pass to the Philippines in partnership with Sweden. Two new ICRI operational units are been formed. The International Coral Reef Information Network (ICRIN) was established in 1999 to raise awareness about coral reefs, particularly targeting senior decision-makers. Another network being formed is the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN) which has initial funding from the UN Foundation to establish demonstration sites around the world to showcase successful MPA conservation projects and serve as major training facilities. President Bill Clinton introduced Executive Order 13089 in June 1998 urging all arms of the Government of the USA to do their utmost to map, document, research and conserve the coral reefs under US. jurisdiction as well as assist other international agencies, including ICRI and the GCRMN. This Order established the US Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) which is comprised of many government agencies committed to carrying out this order with increased budgetary allocations. This has resulted in a massive increase in US sponsored coral reef action, including assistance to the GCRMN. 9
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6. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN SOUTH A
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10. STATUS OF CORAL REEFS IN THE SO
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11. STATUS OF SOUTHEAST AND CENTRAL
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19. SPONSORING ORGANISATIONS, CORAL
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AGRRA AIMS ASEAN B
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