Coral reefs are disappearing quickly

By Rechell McDonald
We’ve known for some time that the reefs are in trouble but, according to new and ongoing research, it’s happening twice as fast as initially thought.
From the early 1980s up to 2003, there was a 20 per cent decrease in the amount of coral reef coverage in the Indo-Pacific Ocean region. This region includes the Great Barrier Reef and, interestingly enough, researchers say this isn’t just an issue for the health of our oceans, but for our economy, too.
It’s surmised that the decrease is due to global stress factors including climate change, pollution, over-fishing, predators, and coral disease. Coral reefs create an opportunity for massive biodiversity, and act as both a home and security system for many sea creatures and fish. If the reefs disappear, it is almost a certainty that an unforeseen amount of species will disappear with it.
How does this affect economies? Coral reefs are massive tourist attractions that bring in big financial infusions for many coastal communities. There is no telling how these communities and economies will suffer if this revenue stream disappears. On top of this, reefs provide a practical service by helping to protect coastal regions and land forms during storms. This says nothing of the small fisheries or individual fisherman who rely on the reefs to feed their families.
Researchers, for perspective, explained that the reefs are disappearing at twice the rate of the rainforests on land and there is virtually no difference in loss between reefs that are protected and ones that aren’t. What this means is that a larger effort and better technology is needed to reduce over-fishing and nutrient pollution – not to mention climate change.
Although coral reefs only cover one per cent of the ocean floor, they are an integral part of the ecosystem of marine life, and our lives, too. One study warned that by 2030, the damage done to the Great Barrier Reef would be entirely irreversible. So, what’s the take away from this? There is still time to make changes, just not much of it.