Fortunately, one group out there believes in the majesty and mystery of coral reefs and in their ability to teach, sustain, inspire and give life. They've gone to great lengths to turn the dive community into one of conservation and commitment to the protection of corals. Thus, the Coral Reef Alliance has grown from a small, grassroots alliance into the only international non profit organization that works exclusively to protect our planet's coral reefs.
"We have lost over 20% of all coral reefs in the past 40 years and, if we don’t reduce human impact on them, we may lose the our remaining reefs within our lifetime," says Executive Director Brian Huse in an interview, ""We hold the hope for reversing this crisis and believe in the power of community to make change, to find common ground, and to heal."
Read more of Brian's inspirational words below.
What is the Coral Reef Alliance and how do you carry out your mission to save coral reefs?
Originally founded in 1994 to galvanize the dive community for conservation, CORAL has grown from a small, grassroots alliance into the only international nonprofit organization that works exclusively to protect our planet's coral reefs. We provide tools, education, and inspiration to residents of coral reef destinations to support local projects that benefit both reefs and people. We currently work in Hawaii, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia.
We believe in the majesty and mystery of coral reefs, in their ability to teach, sustain, inspire, and give life.
We are their students and their protectors; we hold the knowing that if reefs die, we all die—plain and simple. And the reefs are dying, every day. They are being overheated by the rising temperatures of climate change, overfished by commercial fisherman, and overlooked by ambitious developers and tourism operators. But we can change this—together.
Coral reefs are the oldest biological communities on the planet. And to save this community, we must awaken others and remind them that we are all connected—to the reefs and to each other. We must build alliances and forge connections; we must unite to protect this precious resource. We recognize that there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the problems affecting the reefs of the world.
Instead, we work within the communities that surround each reef to create solutions that benefit reefs as well as the people who depend on them. Our programs are born out of necessity, out of the local community, and out of what makes sense on the ground right now.
We believe that wonder lives at the heart of science.
Our demand for the effective and the practical does not diminish our awe for the magnificent. It is often the adaptability and elegance of the reef systems themselves that inspire the creative and flexible solutions we seek.
We're on a mission and we're in a hurry.
We cannot save the reefs without considering the people who live by them and depend on them directly. Our work takes us to the front lines—to the reefs and the reef communities to provide education, motivation, and inspiration to make changes that will make a difference right now—not in twenty years.
The oldest biological community on the planet has inspired us to build a worldwide community to save it.
What are some of your ongoing projects and campaigns? What creative and appropriate solutions do you seek?
CORAL’s approach is to build Coral Reef Sustainable Destinations (CRSD) around strategically located Marine Protected Areas and the communities who rely on them for food, coastal protection and livelihoods. Working with reef managers, the community, and the private sector, we build capacity for sustainable reef conservation management that returns benefits in the form of greater fish stocks, better job opportunities, and revenues that can improve the quality of life. Most importantly, CRSD targets the improvement of reef health within the MPAs in a way that builds resistance to global stressors such as climate change. For more information please go here.
Tell me about your Sustainable Marine Recreation workshops.
CORAL has developed a sequenced, comprehensive set of professional development workshops targeted for marine recreation providers and providing an introduction to the principles and practice of sustainable marine recreation. New and veteran marine recreation providers collaborate at these workshops to increase their confidence and gain familiarity with current coral science and research, issues in reef management, the benefits of marketing sustainability, and what educational experts have identified as effective strategies for learning in informal educational settings.
In addition to learning about sustainable marine recreation, participants engage in hands-on activities, practice a variety of teaching strategies for improved messaging to their clients, receive exciting materials, and review a host of resource materials to help them operate sustainably (examples of CORAL resources developed for tour operators can be found here and here. How does recreational tourism affect the coral reef population?
Tourism is a double edge sword when it comes to maintaining healthy coral reefs. On the one hand, the development required and the increased population it generates put tremendous strain on reefs. However, if tourism can me managed sustainably, it can be leveraged in a way that generates revenue for conservation and community benefits. CORAL seeks to do just this – ensure the sustainability of tourism, and use the capacity inherent in recreational operations (boats, staff, and visitor contact) to improve reef health, educate tourists and, importantly, ensure that local populations benefit from the income generated. What is your perspective on people who sell rare reefs legally or illegally worldwide?
The illegal sale of reef animals is never warranted and this is by far the greatest percentage of traffic in the trade. Captive bred and raised animas in captivity are, of course, the most sustainable and aquarium enthusiasts should attempt to build reef tanks with these animals. In rare cases, carefully planned and well-managed programs can be built where wild animals can be safely taken for the aquarium trade. Key to the success of these programs is the involvement of the community, scientists, reef managers, and the government to ensure that reef conditions do not degrade and that enforcement of all regulations is ensured.
Do you think someone who owns an aquarium with coral reefs can still call themselves a reef conservationist?
Of course. However, the management of a reef tank is a large responsibility that requires careful consideration in sourcing captive bred species and ensuring their good health.
How do coral reefs relate to climate and how will help us and the world eventually?
Coral reefs abhor climate change. Increasing CO2 levels in the atmosphere warm the planet and oceans, leading to bleaching events – a stress response where corals expel their symbiotic algae. Just as damaging is the increased CO2 absorption by the oceans, which gradually increases the acidity of the water. Science is showing that animals that rely on calcium carbonate to build skeletons and shells are becoming unable to access the mineral in due to the acidity even while the acid degrades their delicate structures.
Warm water bleaching events and ocean acidification are the one two punch that, if not reduced by lowering the carbon in the atmosphere, has the potential to lead to coral extinction. While unthinkable as purely the loss of an ecosystem that has been on earth longer than humans, the societal toll will be just as great. Corals are the oceans most productive fishery and feed over a billion people. Corals also are the first line of coastal defense against storm waves for low lying coastal areas. And it does not end there. Coral reef animal toxins provide the key for many medicines that are on the cutting edge of cancer, viruses, and chronic pain control. Simply put, saving reefs means saving the planet.
How would CORAL manage a marine protected area?
CORAL does not manage marine protected areas. Rather we build local capacity within the community, business sector, and government to effectively manage their own reef resources. By building conservation alliances built on shared goals, communities are learning to reduce local impacts, better manage tourism, and create resilient reef ecosystems within their MPAs.
What kind of marine conservation does CORAL provide outside of coral reefs?
None, CORAL is the only international nonprofit organization dedicated solely to uniting and empowering communities to protect coral reefs. To learn more about how we do this, please go to our website.
Coral reefs are dying. It's a sad, but true fact.
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