Hidden beneath the oceans’ water, coral reefs teem with life. Fish, corals, lobsters, clams, seahorses, sponges, sharks and sea turtles are only a few of the hundreds of thousands of creatures that rely on reefs for their survival. Reefs are home to an amazing variety of plants and animals from microscopic bacteria and protists to invertebrates and 1000’s of species if fish. With 58% of the worlds coral reefs potentially threatened by anthropological and environmental threats (see WWF link before) we look at why they are important before we access how best to protect them.
Intrinsic value.
Coral reefs are also living museums and reflect thousands of years of history. Coral reefs are an integral part of many cultures and our natural heritage. In fact, coral reefs are some of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet.
Economic Value.
Beyond their intrinsic value and their role as a breeding ground for many of the oceans fish and other species, coral reefs provide human societies with resources and services worth billions of dollars each year. Millions of people and thousand of communities all over the world depend on coral reefs for food, protection and jobs. These numbers are especially staggering considering that coral reefs cover less than one percent of the earth’s surface.
Healthy coral reefs support commercial and subsistence fisheries, as well as jobs and businesses that support tourism and recreation. Coral reefs are vital to the world’s fishers. They form the nurseries for about a quarter of the oceans’ fish and thus provide revenue for local communities as well as national and international fishing fleets. An estimated one billion people have some dependence on coral reefs for food and income from fishing. In the United States, coral reef ecosystems support hundreds of commercial and recreational fisheries worth millions of dollars to state and local economies. One estimate suggests the commercial value of U.S. fisheries from coral reefs is over $100 million (NOAA). In the U.S. territory American Samoa, coral reefs play an important cultural role and supply over 50 percent of the fish caught locally for food. Fish caught on reefs are a vital source of protein. Nearly ten percent of all fish consumed worldwide is caught on reefs, with one square kilometre of healthy reef providing enough fish to feed three hundred people (Mulhall 2007).
Local economies also receive billions of dollars from visitors to reefs through diving tours, recreational fishing trips, and other businesses based near reef ecosystems. Every year, scuba divers, snorkelers, and fishermen visit coral reefs to enjoy their abundant sea life. Reefs provide millions of tourist related jobs in more than 100 countries. In the 1990s, over four million tourists visited the Florida Keys each year, contributing $1.2 billion annually to tourism-related services (NOAA). In fact, the Florida Keys are the prime dive destination in the world. In Hawaii, a state with many coral reefs, one popular reef alone is visited by over three million tourists each year. In the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, over 90 percent of new economic development is dependent on coastal tourism, including reef tourism (NOAA).
Protective Barrier.
The coral reef structure also buffers shorelines against waves, storms, hurricanes and floods, helping to protect loss of life, property damage and erosion. More than 450 million people live within 60 kilometres of coral reeds, the well-being of their communities and economies is directly dependent on the health of nearby coral reefs (Mulhall 2007). Healthy reefs absorb as much as 90% of the impact of wind generated waves and thus help to prevent coa stal erosion, flooding and loss of property on the shores (Mulhall 2007). These reefs save billions of dollars each year in terms of reduced insurance and reconstruction costs and reduced need to build costly coastal defences – not to mention the reduced human cost of destruction and displacement.
Medical Benefits.
Finally, coral reefs are sometimes called the “medicine cabinets” of the 21st century (NOAA). Coral reef plants and animals are important sources of new medicines being developed to treat cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, heart disease, viruses, and other diseases. Thus far researchers have identified dozens of antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and other medical properties in reef species. For example, chemicals from a Caribbean reef sponge are used to produce AZT, a treatment for the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (Mulhall 2007). Some coral reef organisms produce powerful chemicals to fend off attackers, and scientists continue to research the medicinal potential of these substances. In the future, coral reef ecosystems could represent an increasingly important source of medical treatments, nutritional supplements, pesticides, cosmetics, and other commercial products.
Conclusion.
Despite their great economic and recreational value, a range of human activities now threatens these important habitats (previous blogs). Many of the world’s reefs have already been destroyed or severely damaged by water pollution, overfishing and destructive fishing practices, disease, global climate change, and ship groundings. Once coral reefs are damaged, they are less able to support the many creatures that inhabit them. When a coral reef supports fewer fish, plants, and animals, it also loses value as a tourist destination. Further, the absence of reefs acting as natural barriers can increase the damage to coastal communities from normal wave action and violent storms. Therefore, the health of coral reefs depends on sustainable human uses that promote economic development while protecting sensitive coral ecosystems and the creatures that reside there.
References.
Mulhall, M. 2007. Saving the rainforest of the sea: an analysis of international efforts to conserve coral reefs. Duke environmental law and policy forum. 19: 321- 351.
