Another bad news projection about coral reefs ...

[highdesert]

I'm curious whether the population at large will ever catch on about how dependent they are on the oceans to keep them alive? Would it help or hurt if millions of people got their cert, so they could see the reef loss firsthand, and the accompanying absence of marine life? We had an unpleasant experience this spring seeing dead reefs in the Caribbean, a far cry from the profusion of life we see in remote parts of Indonesa.

Death of Coral Reefs Could Devastate Nations - ABC News

 

[vintagediver]

I'm curious whether the population at large will ever catch on about how dependent they are on the oceans to keep them alive? Would it help or hurt if millions of people got their cert, so they could see the reef loss firsthand, and the accompanying absence of marine life? We had an unpleasant experience this spring seeing dead reefs in the Caribbean, a far cry from the profusion of life we see in remote parts of Indonesa.

Death of Coral Reefs Could Devastate Nations - ABC News

Where in the Caribean and where in Indonesia?

 

[inventor]

When I tell people about this, I try to illustrate it by telling them it's like a forest where the trees have died. Sure there's still green, some shrubs are growing. But those shrubs aren't replacing the forest. They are using what organic remains are in the soil, and taking what they can from the air.

So when the trees decay... No. These trees don't decay. The coral remains, the calcite deposits, do not decay into more coral food. Like a tree decays into mulch or fertilizer. There are no beetles, worms, larvae, termites, or other insects to eat, digest, transform, and enrich with their waste products, the remains of the coral. And the coral that was not the basis of an ecosystem, but a mid level and necessary part of it. Not only the food chain, but the entire chain of life. Such as breeding, feeding, hiding, and feeding.

Then I say, think of it as a forest where the trees turned to limestone. Then they start to get it.

 

[highdesert]

Excellent analogy, inventor. I'll try to remember it to pass it on ...

 

[highdesert]

Where in the Caribean and where in Indonesia?

We did a trip that covered the west side of Saba, Statia, and St. Kitts. Admittedly there were a couple of sites in excellent health at Saba, particularly Diamond Rock. But overall, a very high percentage of reefs in very bad shape. "Unhealthy" is too kind a term ... much of it was a gray/brown desert.

In Indonesia, reefs in excellent health at Wakatobi, Raja Ampat, Triton Bay, Bunaken, Lembeh (yes, in Lembeh), and Sangihe.

 

[DennisS]

A really good example is the Elkhorn Coral in the keys. In the 70's there were large healthy populations. Thirty years later there are scattered unhealthy patches. In the last thirty years I've seen the deterioratation of the coral reefs, the disappearance of the conchs and a decline in the fish populations. It's an eye opener to see major biological changes happen this fast

 

[drbill]

I'm a firm believer that people will usually protect what they love and love what they know (to paraphrase a quote from Senegalese poet/environmentalist Bab Dioum made famous by Jacques Yves Cousteau.

Getting people to see environmental destruction first hand is probably the best way to get them to know, love and protect something. However, Cousteau's films made quite an impact on many people. I focus on trying to get non-divers to "see" and understand the damage underwater by watching my videos via DVD or cable TV and through my weekly column.

Many will never dive but if UW videographers work together in their own regions to produce cable TV shows that may better inform non-divers, that can help gain support for conservation efforts.

 

[sailingk8]

I would also recommend that divers who have seen reef damage/ death and especially diminished reef life write to the tourist officials and political representatives of these countries to tell them how you feel. This information is easy to find on line and is beneficial especially if you are a visitor to their country. Let them know you paid to visit but were despaired at what you found and that they need to do something about it. Many of these smaller countries think that selling off their fish and coral is a better deal than tourism. Prove them wrong.
If it's in the US write the state reps and complain. Politicians need to know people care about these issues!

 

[ivansil77]

I should thanks all of you for these posts.

We did educate our coastal population about the coral reefs, what destroy its and how to protect its, encourage them to create marine protection areas (MPAs); provide counseling and seed funds for alternative livehoods. All of its will be slowly progressing if there is no support from others outside the areas. By inform or write any expression about the damage; banned to buy handycrafts made from corals or fishes catched using unfriendly methods, Or published any photos or videos regarding the issues, etc, you have supported the efforts for the coral reefs conservation.

 

[ivansil77]

I'm a firm believer that people will usually protect what they love and love what they know (to paraphrase a quote from Senegalese poet/environmentalist Bab Dioum made famous by Jacques Yves Cousteau.

Getting people to see environmental destruction first hand is probably the best way to get them to know, love and protect something. However, Cousteau's films made quite an impact on many people. I focus on trying to get non-divers to "see" and understand the damage underwater by watching my videos via DVD or cable TV and through my weekly column.

Many will never dive but if UW videographers work together in their own regions to produce cable TV shows that may better inform non-divers, that can help gain support for conservation efforts.

I absolutely agree with you Dr. Bill.
In videos we made, we usually covered both good and damaged reefs and narrated any solutions to protect the coral reefs.

While on photo assignments, we used to expose damaged reefs and encourage photographers to do so. yet, it's not easy to make a good composition of a pile of rubbles. Do you have any advices or tips?