Dirk Bryant

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• Dirk Bryant
• Lauretta Burke
• John McManus
• Mark Spalding

A collaboration of World Resources
Institute International Center for Living
AquaticResources Management World Conservation
Monitoring Centre United Nations Environment
Programme
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Coral Reefs as mapped by Darwin
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Reefs At Risk is the first ...

• Systematic assessment of threats to the worlds
  coral reefs
• Global map showing location of reefs at risk

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The Reefs at Risk Indicator
Low
High
Medium
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Results are sobering ...

• Nearly 60 of the worlds reefs were found to be
  at risk from human activities
• Reefs with the highest levels of biodiversity are
  threatened
• Most U.S. reefs are at risk

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Why Reefs Matter
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Coral reefs are often called the Rainforests of
the Sea

• About 4,000 species of fish and 800 species of
  reef-building coral have been identified

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Coral reefs are a vital protein source for many
...

• Globally, one-fifth of all animal protein
  consumed by humans comes from marine environments
• Coral reefs providefood for one billionpeople
  in Asia alone

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Beach-related tourism is a major revenue earner
...

• Floridas reefs contribute 1.6 billion to the
  economy from tourism alone
• Caribbean countries derive half of their GDP
  from tourism(8.9 billion in 1990)

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Coral reefs can save human lives.Extracts are
used to ...

• Treat infections, viruses, and other diseases
• Prevent and treat skin cancer
• Provide bone grafts

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Coral reefs are a valuable resource

• Average Global Value of Ecosystem Services
  (/HA/YR)

From Costanza et al.
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The Reefs at Risk Indicator
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Global distribution of coral reefs
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The Reefs at Risk indicator ...

• First global map of likely threats to coral reefs
• Predicts threat, not actual reef condition

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We predicted threat based on proximity to
damaging human activity...

• Using a geographic information system (GIS)
  computer model
• Incorporating 800 reef locations known to be
  degraded as benchmarks
• Using 14 global maps

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Coral reef experts from around the world helped
...

• Develop the computer model
• Revise data
• Review results

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Threats to reefs from four broad categories ...

• Coastal development
• Marine pollution
• Overexploitation of resources
• Inland pollution and sediments

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Coastal development ...

• Dredging
• Construction materials
• Building on reefs
• Nutrients from sewage
• Sediments
• Unregulated tourism

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Tourists can love reefs to death
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Coastal development stress factors ...

• Cities
• Settlements
• Airports and military bases
• Mines
• Tourist resorts

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Estimated threat from coastal development
Low
Medium
High
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Marine pollution

• Oil spills
• Discharge of oily ballast water

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Marine pollution stress factors

• Ports
• Oil tanks and wells
• Areas of intense shipping traffic

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Overexploitation and destructive fishing
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Destructive fishing damages reefs

• Blast fishing
• Fishing with cyanide

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Destructive fishing practices in Southeast Asia
are widespread
Areas at High Risk
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Rivers transport inland pollution directly to
reefs

• Soil sediments resulting from deforestation
• Inappropriate agricultural practices

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Inland pollution and erosion

• Erosion potential modeled for 3000 watersheds
• Estimated sediment plume at river mouth

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Integrated resultsThe Reefs at Risk indicator
Low
High
Medium
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58 of the worlds reefs are at risk from human
activities
Finding 1
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Reefs of Southeast Asia are the most threatened
Finding 2
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Many areas of high diversity are also very
threatened
Finding 3
Low
Medium
High
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Almost two-thirds of Caribbean reefs are
threatened
Finding 4
Low
Medium
High
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Coral graveyards
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Most reefs within U.S. waters are threatened
Finding 5
Puerto Rico and U.S.Virgin Islands
Florida
Hawaii
Low
High
Medium
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Overexploitation and coastal development are the
greatest threats to reefs
Finding 6
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Virtually no reef can be considered pristine today

• ReefCheck survey finds most reefs overfished

90
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The worlds reefs are not sufficiently protected
...
Finding 7

• 40 countries contain no protected reef areas
• Management goals of most marine protected areas
  (MPAs) are not met

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12 threatened reefs profiled
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Reefs and people can co-exist
Reefs and people can co-exist
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Treating sewage protects reefs and human health
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Eliminating perverse subsidies protects reefs
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Signs of Promise
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Combating threats to coral reefs ...

• Solutions include
• environment-friendly economic opportunities
• coastal zone planning and management
• education
• participatory decision-making
• enforcing laws
• protection (marine parks and reserves)

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Seven success stories profiled
Seven success stories profiled
Bermuda
Apo
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Healthy Reefs
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http//www.wri.org/wri/
http//www.wri.org/wri/