CORAL MANAGEMENT NEED OF THE HOUR
Coral reefs are an important component of the marine eco-system and their conservation is imperative to sustain marine wealth

Across the world, nearly 109 countries have significant coral reef communities and 85 per cent of these countries are experiencing damage to their coral reefs. The threats are both local factors such as overfishing and coastal pollution, as well as other factors like global warming and ocean acidification. Coral reefs are much more than a pretty picture, they are important assets. Coral reefs in some parts of Southeast Asia are under pressure by intense destructive fishing and coastal pollution. In this case, local factors dwarf the effects of global factors such as global warming and ocean acidification. In other parts of the world, where pressures from local sources are lower, reefs are still declining at the rate of about 1-2 per cent per year.

Coral protection
The Sultanate of Oman offers incredible dive locations abounding with fascinating marine environment and beautiful coral reefs. However, divers and fishermen often anchor their boats in areas where fragile coral reefs exist. Oman has launched a number of private-public measures to protect the coral reefs. For instance, mooring buoys have been installed in certain areas to protect reefs from the danger of anchors which are let down by tourist boats. Further, coral cleaning is another important movement in the Sultanate. These initiatives are aimed at protecting and preserving the Sultanate’s coral reefs.

According to a report by the World Bank, the deterioration of coral reef ecosystems is a visually poignant reminder that climate change is not just an environmental issue but a development issue. Developing countries need support not only to mitigate future deterioration of their coral reefs, but also to adapt to a sustainable use of the diminishing returns these reefs are likely to provide.

Economic casualty
Major new research indicates that coral reefs will not survive the rapid increases in global temperatures and atmospheric CO2 that are forecast this century. The livelihoods of more than 100 million people living along the coasts of tropical developing countries will be among the first casualties of the loss of coral reef systems.

Developed countries must drive down global emissions, spearhead the development of new technologies and sponsor the adaptation of developing countries. The latter is very important given that developing countries have often signed international treaties to pursue better management of their coastal resources, yet often have conflicting priorities and little financial resources or capacity to act on these commitments.

There is a responsibility for high carbon growth countries to make funds available to assist the most vulnerable coral reef states, who need support in adapting to climate change impacts while reducing local risks to reefs. At the local level, there needs to be immediate action to stop over-fishing, coastal pollution and unsustainable coastal development in the developing world.

The Coral Reef Targeted Research and Capacity Building for Management Programme (CRTR), a global movement, was conceived to shed light on the impact of climate change and other human stressors on coral reefs through coordinated research, and to put this knowledge into the hands of decision-makers, thus improving management options and policy interventions.

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