#Status of Coral Reefs 2002 - International Coral Reef Action Network

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
CONCLUSIONS
• The 1998 El Niño bleaching destroyed most branching shallow water corals in
the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Southwestern India, with lesser impacts in Gulf of
Kutch and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Recovery is slow, with patchy, but
encouraging, recruitment observed in most reef areas of South Asia.
• The coral reefs of South Asia affect, and are affected by, a wide range of
stakeholders, which complicates the issues faced by resource managers. The
problems will not be solved with isolated interventions, but an integrated
response is necessary. This will require greater will by South Asian
governments, assisted by the international community. There are now the
resources and skills to potentially have a positive impact, but coordinated and
coherent action is required.
• Degradation of the coral reefs continues, with populations growing and coastal
development increasing. The major threats come from uncontrolled resource
exploitation, coral mining, sedimentation and pollution. The reefs are also
subject to a range of ‘natural’ impacts, crown-of-thorns starfish and impacts
related to climate change, such as coral bleaching and cyclones, but the reefs
normally can recover after these, if there are no additional stresses.
• Monitoring capacity has improved to a major extent since the GCRMN Node for
India, Maldives and Sri Lanka was established in 1996. Progress is most
apparent in India, where there was virtually no capacity before 1996. Despite
the increased availability of information, management and policy decisions at
national and local level continue to be made with little regard for the local
social, cultural and environmental conditions. This results in management and
policy, which is not effective in reversing reef degradation in the region. Where
information is produced, it is important to ensure that there is effective
dissemination to inform and influence the stakeholders that affect and are
affected by the benefits of coral reefs.
• The Chagos Conservation Management Plan will focus on the uninhabited
islands and the reefs, and effective environmental management exists for Diego
Garcia. Emphasis is shifting to extensive protected areas, and most of Diego
Garcia atoll was declared a Ramsar protected area. The entire archipelago is
considered as a ‘virtual’ World Heritage site, but designation is currently
impeded for legal and logistical reasons. There is now effective fisheries
protection.
• The role of the GCRMN is evolving within the region to one of coordination,
guidance and targeted support for the information providers and information
users at the local, national and international levels.
REGIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS
• International policy, and donor funding decisions are too frequently made with
little regard for local social, economic, cultural and environmental conditions.
There is a clear need to ensure that the international decision making process is
grounded in the reality of local conditions.
• There is a need to highlight past and present research and management
interventions and build upon these, rather than simply repeating past
approaches.
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