Coral+Reef+Conservation

Coral Reef Conservation Jessica V.

Fishing in coral reefs is a huge issue. Many rare and endangered fish live in coral reefs, and those fish are being hunted. Fishing is a big source of income for some islands in the Pacific and Caribbean. Those sources of income may be severely lessened. The fish in the coral reefs are starting to become a smaller population. The fish being gone also affects coral. When the fish die, the coral polyps build themselves over the dead bodies of fish, and make more coral. If the fish are gone, obviously the reefs aren't shrinking, but they aren't making a comeback from past damage.

Laws are starting to be passed and enforced to keep the fish safe. The NOAA, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, funded by the US Department of Commerce, are creating “no keep” laws in the Florida Keys, and in the Pacific. The fish are starting to come back, but they can only keep coming back if humans stop, or slow, the fishing they do in coral reef populated areas. If humans do this, the fish in the reefs will have gone back to a healthier population. Now the people need to keep abiding by the laws, and the coral will become healthier, and we will have more beautiful reefs.

Jessica V.

Coral reefs are also severely affected by pollution. Marine debris to be specific. When ship wrecks, either cruise, or leisure, or fishing boats, they drop things in the water. Those things often then attract fish, and kill them. Fishing nets from boats, sometimes called "ghost nets", still catch fish. The fish don't see the net, and they swim into it, and then they are stuck. The nets also affec the coral. When a net falls on the coral, it has trouble growing, and it also has a hard time breathing. Some preventative measures are being taken. People are going diving and take the nets out, and free the fish, first of all. But there are also efforts being made to have people not fish (see above). But many committees and organizations are organizing diving teams to scour the coral reefs and pull of the old nets, and other things that could hurt fish.

Maddy W.

Humans are also helping more and more now to conserve coral reefs and keep them thriving. Many organizations have started funds to help conserve coral reefs. One of the problems is global warming. It is bleaching the coral and killing them. So reduce, reuse, and recycle. Use less gasoline and conserve energy. Also people are now monitoring coral reefs so if there is something unusual happening they can quickly find what is causing it. People are taking an effort to save coral reefs.

Humans have had a negative effect on coral reefs and they still do. Corals reefs are disappearing more and more because of stresses threatening their survival. One of the stresses is pollution on the shores. People pollute shores of beaches and it gets swept into the ocean. The trash might settle on a piece of coral and a fish could eat it. The fish would most likely choke and die. Another stress is disease outbreaks. The outbreaks are associated with the poor quality of water and pollutants. Diseases spread, infect fish and usually kill the fish and other organisms endangering their species. Lastly, humans also endanger coral reefs by tourism. Corals can be very delicate and takes years for the reef to build and it takes one colective tourist to snatch a piece of coral that could have taken five years for the reef to build. Humans have definitely had a negative impact on coral reefs.

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