Vinny Phillips 
What are Coral Reefs? Why are People Worried about Coral Reefs? Why are Coral Reefs so Important? Why are Coral Reefs Facing Problems? Can Coral Reef Fisheries be Sustainable? What are the Main Pollution Problems? Is Tourism a New Pressure and a New Problem for Coral Reefs? Is Coral Bleaching a Major Problem? What Can … Read more
The East Asian Seas harbour more than a third of the world’s coral reefs and contain the highest coral reef biodiversity in the world. Many of the estimated 1.3 billion people living within a hundred kilometres of the coast are dependant directly and indirectly on reef resources for their day-to-day survival. Coral reefs in the … Read more
Regardless of region, most coral reef ecosystems are under various levels of anthropogenic impact. In areas where a management plan is in place with regulations outlined to protect the marine environment, management authorities are often limited in resources to enforce those regulations. The capacity of resource managers to respond to short-term human impact incidences is … Read more
The Mesoamerican Reef system stretches over 1000 km, spanning the eastern coasts of Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. It is the largest stretch of reef in the western hemisphere and has been identified as a unique and globally important coral reef ecosystem. Unfortunately the Mesoamerican Reef system is under severe natural and human induced threat … Read more
Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the MAR, with diving and coastal tourism as the principal socio-economic drivers in the majority of sites in the region. In response to the demands of increasing numbers of tourists, many destinations experience rapid growth and development of coastal infrastructure and marine recreation activities. Additionally, the region has … Read more
Appropriate land-use practices are critical for the management of watersheds to ensure that the transport of sediment, nutrients and other pollutants to coral reefs is minimised. In the Mesoamerican region, 300,000 hectares of land is allocated to the production of banana, oil palm, sugar cane, citrus, pineapple crops, and mariculture. The residues of chemical products … Read more
Ten years ago, 1997 was declared the International Year of the Reef (IYOR). This was in response to the increasing threats and loss of coral reefs and associated ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea grasses. IYOR was a global effort to increase awareness and understanding on the value of and threats to coral reefs, and … Read more