How people helped in saving the Coral Reefs

~Living coral reefs are the foundation of marine life, and thus a crucial support for human life.

~Already 10 percent of the corals are lost, and scientists say 70 percent of all corals on the planet will be destroyed in 20 to 40 years unless people stop pollution, sewage, erosion, cyanide fishing, clumsy tourism

~Seriously save the coral reefs now! There's hope as coral reefs are resilient and can bounce back quickly when protected.

~Ordinary people are protecting it.

~Government efforts in much of the world are late, weak, underfunded, unenforced.

>Persian Gulf oil states set toothless pollution laws and then ignore them.

>Indian Ocean poachers outwit and outnumber British Royal Navy patrols.

>Ecuador stalls for decades while tourism explodes in the delicate Galapagos, and enforce a plan that makes it worse.

~Fishermen, students, divers, biologists and concerned citizens of all walks of life transform into activists and volunteers, using initiative to protect the coral reefs that are dear to them and vital to us all.

~Key West dive operators launched Reef Relief to keep ship anchors off Florida's dying reefs.

~One Pacific Islands environmental consultant crusaded to restore the giant clam to Tonga's depleted reefs.

~A group of marine scientists, alarmed by their findings and frustrated with government inaction, launched last year's International Year of the Reef, a global research and education program to spur coral conservation efforts and reverse the trend of destruction. Their call to action has made a difference: Conservationists and governments worldwide made launched the International Coral Reef Initiative in 1997, and the United Nations followed their lead and declared 1998 the International Year of the Ocean.

MoJo Wire presents the first installment of the Mother Jones Action Atlas^TM: Coral Reefs. It's the first comprehensive look at the state of the world's reefs that shows what you can do to help.

::Credits::
ACTION ATLAS^TM Team:
Writers: Paul Kretkowski, Monica Mehta
Research: Suzie Larsen, Mat Honan
Producer: Jennifer Villagran
Designer: Caroline Joy
Technical/Production: Caia Grisar
Editor: Keith Hammond

NGO Directory courtesy of Coral Reef Alliance

Photo Acknowledgements:
Coral Reefs Home Page: Mike Hurley (top left), Denise Jackett (bottom left)
Middle East: Jeff Rotman (top left), Jay Ireland and Georgienne Bradley (bottom left)
Indian Ocean: Norbert Wu (top left), Stephen Frink (bottom left)
East Asia: Jones/Shimlock-Photographers/Aspen (top left and bottom left)
Pacific: Jones/Shimlock-Photographers/Aspen (top left), Norbert Wu (bottom left)
Tropical Americas: Norbert Wu (top left and bottom left)
Reefs in Trouble: Wolcott Henry (top right), Mike Hurley (top left), Denise Jackett (bottom left)
Diver's Guide: Brian Parker/Tom Stack & Assoc. (top right), Mike Hurley (top left), Denise Jackett (bottom left)

http://www.motherjones.com/news/special_reports/coral_reef/