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

Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2002
Man and the Biosphere sites of UNESCO showing sites with coral reefs that have been set aside for
major efforts in research for the benefit of the world.
Man in the Biosphere Reserves Proportion of Coral Reef Socio-Economic Page
Coral Reefs Monitoring Monitoring
Kenya Kiunga 50% Effective Effective 77
Malindi-Watamu 30% Effective Effective 74
Madagascar Mananara Nord 20% Effective Effective 99
Sahamalaza-Iles Radama 20% Unknown Unknown 100
India Gulf of Mannar 50% Effective Unknown 121
Indonesia Komodo 40% Effective Effective 145
Siberut 30% Occasional Occasional 150
Philippines Palawan 30% Effective Effective 151
Puerto Galera 40% Effective Unknown 152
USA Everglades & Dry Tortugas 30% Substantial Substantial 275
Virgin Islands 60% Substantial Effective 276
Mexico Sian Ka’an 30% Effective Effective 322
Cuba Buenavista 30% Unknown Unknown 301
Ciénaga de Zapata 20% Unknown Unknown 301
Península de Guanahacabibes 40% Unknown Unknown 301
France Archipel de la Guadeloupe 20% Effective Unknown 342
Atoll de Taiaro 80% Occasional Not planned 215
Columbia Seaflower 60% Effective Effective 359
Panama La Amistad 20% Effective Unknown 360
major new efforts in monitoring with the constitution of the CORDIO project and the
establishment of the Southwest Indian Ocean Node with significant funding from Sweden
and GEF, respectively. Both of these projects have expanded the number of sites being
monitored and future reports will carry even more data. Similarly there has been an
increase in monitoring in Micronesia and the southwestern Pacific with funding from USA
and Canada respectively. All USA associated areas with coral reefs have seen major
expansions in coral reef assessment and monitoring, especially the remote areas of the
Northern Pacific through both remote sensing imaging and direct field studies.
Monitoring in Australia continues as the benchmark for broad-scale monitoring while
Florida has the most intensively monitored reefs in the world.
The GCRMN continues as a network consisting of some people specifically funded to
monitor coral reefs, however the majority conduct coral reef monitoring as part of other
activities or totally voluntarily. To these people we owe gratitude, but we should also be
seeking funds for regional coordination of monitoring training and field operations as well
as encouraging donors and national governments to support more monitoring. Without
the resulting data, sound management decisions on conserving coral reef resources will
be based on anecdotal opinions –‘decisions within a data vacuum’. The GCRMN welcomes
input from any organisation monitoring coral reefs and the current structure recognises
this. Direction of the network comes from the coordinators of ReefBase, Reef Check and
the GCRMN and an 8 member Management Group.
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