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

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
Green and hawksbill turtles are threatened throughout the Pacific; some nesting sites are
protected, but enforcement is weak.
The aquarium trade has expanded recently in Kiribati, the Cook Islands and Tonga for
corals, fish and invertebrates. There are projects to make the trade more sustainable e.g.
harvesting larval fish at night in French Polynesia. Molluscs (Trochus, Turbo and
Tridacna) have been introduced to some countries to develop export industries or replace
over-exploited giant clam stocks.
NATURAL DISTURBANCES AND IMPACTS
Cyclones are more frequent in the western Pacific, such as in Kiribati, than in French
Polynesia. Major cyclones occurred: in 1982, 1995, 1997, 1999, and 2000 in Tonga; 1958,
1960, 1968 and 1979 in Niue; and 1982-1983, 1991 and 1997 in French Polynesia. These
cyclones result in less coral reef damage where such storms are relatively frequent;
whereas major damage occurs to less-adapted reefs that develop fragile coral
communities. In French Polynesia during the El Niño years of 1982-1983, there was
major destruction of corals in lagoons and on outer slopes during 6 cyclones.
Crown-of-thorns Starfish outbreaks were reported in most Polynesian countries in the
late 1970s and early 1980s, and populations now appear to be relatively stable.
Coral Bleaching Events appear to have been more frequent and severe during the last 20
years. About 80% of Acropora bleached in March 2000 in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. In
February 2000, up to 90% of the Goniastrea and Platygyra colonies bleached in Tonga
and Fiji, with mortality about 2-5% on the outer slope. Data on previous bleaching events
are only available for French Polynesia e.g. there was 20% mortality on outer slopes in
1991; major bleaching but low mortality in 1994; and high bleaching and mortality, with
great variability in location in 1999. Global climate change cannot be detected over the
current low rates of human stresses. There are, however, many concerns in all countries
about sea level rise causing destruction of low-lying coral reef islands e.g. a Climate
Change Working Committee was launched in Kiribati. Models in French Polynesia
indicate that a 1cm per year rise for 30 years could destroy all natural shorelines.
ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS TO CORAL REEFS
The region experiences few of the anthropogenic impacts of other coral reef regions
because human populations are relatively low and the islands are remote from continental
influences. Most damage to lagoons and coral reefs occurs around urban centres, whereas
the more remote areas and outer reef slopes remain healthy.
Over-fishing is becoming a major problem in most countries as populations grow or
concentrate around urban areas and traditional fishing practices and laws are replaced and
eroded. There is an increasing shift towards cash economies based on exploiting reef
resources to buy boats, motors and fuel. Traditional fishing in village areas is now
expanding to more remote reefs, and destructive fishing with poisons and dynamite has
been reported in Tonga, Kiribati and Wallis and Futuna.
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