Coral reefs

With only about one-sixth of the original coral cover left, most Caribbean coral reefs may disappear in the next 20 years, primarily due to the loss of grazers in the region, according to this latest report, Status and Trends of Caribbean Coral Reefs: 1970-2012. This is the most detailed and comprehensive study of its kind published to date – the result of the work of 90 experts over the course of three years.

This publication highlights the interconnectivity and linkages between coastal ecosystems (mangroves, coral reefs, seagrasses, estuaries, and lagoons) across environmental, economic, social, and management contexts. It presents innovative approaches to better understand, protect and value ecosystems services across linked habitats, informing the trade-off of different land-use management decisions and the effects on healthy systems from drawing on ecosystem services from linked habitats.

Reefs at Risk Revisited is part of a series that began in 1998 with the release of the first global analysis, Reefs at Risk: A Map-Based Indicator of Threats to the World’s Coral Reefs. Two regionspecific publications followed with Reefs at Risk in Southeast Asia (2002) and Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean (2004). These regional studies incorporated more detailed data and refined the modeling approach for mapping the impact of human activities on reefs.

Effective local management of coral reefs has a direct effect on reducing threats and improving overall coral community health. Careful zoning and effective enforcement of resource use within a marine managed area reduces impacts of overfishing, allowing populations of grazing fish to rejuvenate and maintain healthy ecosystem functioning.

Los programas de manejo permiten planificar el conjunto de acciones, decisiones y estrategias tendientes a combinar las funciones de conservación, investigación y desarrollo económico de la región. También son un esfuerzo conjunto del gobierno y toda la sociedad que permite conciliar la conservación y el aprovechamiento de los recursos naturales.

Los programas de manejo permiten planificar el conjunto de acciones, decisiones y estrategias tendientes a combinar las funciones de conservación, investigación y desarrollo económico de la región. También son un esfuerzo conjunto del gobierno y toda la sociedad que permite conciliar la conservación y el aprovechamiento de los recursos naturales.

This document underpins the NERC marine science community's response to the UK government consultation on the proposed marine protected area in the British Indian Ocean Territory; relates specifically to the 55 islands of the Chagos Archipelago and surrounding marine ecosystems.