Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000
Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000.pdf
Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000.pdf
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<strong>Status</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Coral</strong> <strong>Reefs</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong>: <strong>2000</strong><br />
The Governments <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> UK, through <strong>the</strong> Department for International Development (DFID),<br />
and Sweden, through <strong>the</strong> Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) have made<br />
major contributions to reef conservation. DFID continues to support monitoring and<br />
conservation activities in South Asia and Sweden, in conjunction with <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong> Bank, formed<br />
CORDIO (COral Reef Degradation in <strong>the</strong> Indian Ocean) as a direct response to <strong>the</strong> massive<br />
bleaching in 1998, and it operates to assess <strong>the</strong> damage and seek corrective measures for all<br />
countries <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Indian Ocean. The <strong>World</strong> Bank also supports coral reef projects around <strong>the</strong><br />
world worth many millions <strong>of</strong> dollars. The Global Environment Facility has provided funds for<br />
<strong>the</strong> Indian Ocean Commission to facilitate monitoring in <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn Indian Ocean over <strong>the</strong><br />
next 3 years. France is supporting activities in both <strong>the</strong> Pacific and Indian Oceans.<br />
The volunteer network <strong>of</strong> reef monitors, Reef Check, continues to expand and has assessed<br />
reefs in 40 countries during 1999. The AGRRA network, operating out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> University <strong>of</strong><br />
Miami has undertaken large scale assessment <strong>of</strong> coral reefs in <strong>the</strong> Caribbean, and<br />
CARICOMP continues to assess reefs and o<strong>the</strong>r coastal systems <strong>the</strong>re and maintains a<br />
database in Jamaica. The global database, ReefBase within ICLARM continues to assemble<br />
data on coral reefs and assist <strong>the</strong> <strong>Reefs</strong> at Risk project <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong> Resources Institute and<br />
<strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong> Conservation Monitoring Network in <strong>the</strong> production <strong>of</strong> regional assessments <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> risks facing coral reefs and an atlas <strong>of</strong> reefs and resources around <strong>the</strong> world. The<br />
DIVERSITAS program <strong>of</strong> UNESCO will have a focus project in 2001, <strong>the</strong> International<br />
Biodiversity Observation Year, on assessing <strong>the</strong> impacts <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> 1998 bleaching event to<br />
assess <strong>the</strong> probability <strong>of</strong> recovery <strong>of</strong> reef biodiversity.<br />
This is <strong>the</strong> second global report <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> GCRMN. The process for writing this report varies<br />
from <strong>the</strong> last, in that it is primarily derived from national status reports written by<br />
governments and nationals from 86 countries. The majority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se countries are now<br />
constituted into GCRMN Nodes (regional groupings <strong>of</strong> countries forming networks for<br />
monitoring, usually with a country with more capacity acting as <strong>the</strong> coordinator). These<br />
Nodes and o<strong>the</strong>r regional groupings combined <strong>the</strong>se national reports into a series <strong>of</strong><br />
regional reports that form <strong>the</strong> chapters that follow. The original national and regional reports<br />
contain <strong>the</strong> data and o<strong>the</strong>r information that form <strong>the</strong> basis for this report.<br />
STATUS OF CORAL REEFS OF THE WORLD<br />
Arabian Region<br />
Nearshore reefs in <strong>the</strong> Arabian/Persian Gulf were virtually obliterated by severe coral<br />
bleaching in 1996 and again in 1998, so that most do not have any living corals. These reefs<br />
had survived many years <strong>of</strong> development <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> petroleum industry, yet were virtually<br />
obliterated by a climate induced impact. Offshore reefs were less affected and still have<br />
some healthy corals. Major coral bleaching is now occurring in <strong>the</strong> Nor<strong>the</strong>rn Gulf in<br />
September <strong>2000</strong>. Red Sea reefs remain predominantly healthy with few localised<br />
anthropogenic stresses although <strong>the</strong>re was some bleaching damage during 1998 to <strong>the</strong><br />
reefs in <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn sector. Monitoring and management capacity is low, but is improving<br />
with plans established for regional monitoring and management networks. Coordinated<br />
action is particularly urgent as this region is developing rapidly through growth in tourism<br />
and shipping, especially associated with <strong>the</strong> petroleum industry. Most countries lack <strong>the</strong><br />
capacity or legal structures to manage <strong>the</strong>se developments.<br />
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