Ocean reefs

In March of this year, it was announced that the World Bank had inaugurated the Year of the Reef. It is a partnership among governments, scientists and other associations. I think it fitting that this post discusses reefs and their current status... THREATENED!!!

I have no thrilling photos of ocean reefs to post with this essay. But I am adding some pictures taken of the Atlantic during my last trip to Scotland.



The health of all oceans is a major concern to the human race. Much of our food comes from them. Some economies are exclusively dependent on the sea. Ocean plants, mostly plankton generate a large part of the oxygen we breathe. To use an overused phrase, reefs are to oceans like the proverbial canary in a coal mine. The way they grow, or do not grow, is a major indicator of the state of water world wide.

At this time, it is estimated that a quarter of those reefs have been destroyed. The reef provides shelter and food for something in the neighborhood of a million different species. To put that number in perspective, it about a quarter of all forms of life in the sea. Many of these are important foods and much of the reef life provides income in the billions of dollars. Additionally, like the rain forest, there are species there which may provide us with life saving medicines. This is just now being investigated.

The major threats to reef life are careless fishing, fishing with explosives, over fishing, pollution, introduced exotic species, acidification of ocean waters and climate change. We humans can do something now to ameliorate the first four of these factors. Most of the acidification is caused by carbon dioxide uptake of sea water. It is theorized that the reduction of CO2 emissions can eliminate this threat. Climate change may or may not be a problem within the ability of the human race to solve. But seeing that corral has survived almost as long as any other life form, it may be the one we do not have to solve.



Corral reefs cover about 200,000 square miles of ocean floor. These amazing structures are built about a millimeter (about an eight of an inch) at a time by tiny animals called polyps. They reproduce a couple of times each year in the same manner as many clams and oysters. That is, the polyps release sperm and eggs into the sea water and some of them combine to form new polyps. These look like tiny jellyfish. They settle on the reef and begin the process of building their "houses" of calcium carbonate.





These photos are of a real jellyfish in an Atlantic harbor and of barnacles that cling to some of the tidal stones on the Scottish isle of Staffa.

It is mostly the developing nations in the Pacific and Caribbean which are the primary causes of bad fishing. Some of the rich nation's fishers use corral damaging drag nets and add to the damage. The sad thing about the developing nations is that the fishermen who kill the reef are destroying their only means of subsistence. We're talking about perhaps one hundred million people who are at risk due to their own ignorance. A few of these nations have begun to use their reefs as tourist attractions. While that helps, over viewing the reef can be as damaging to its environment as can overfishing.

It is essential that we begin speaking to our lawmakers and policy makers and diplomats about the severity of this problem. Polluting nations need to be educated, and in many cases, assisted in reducing the pollution they add to the sea. These nations are not only developing, but some of the richest, including the United States. While China pours raw sewage into their ocean, we dump tons of fertilizer and other agricultural chemicals into ours. Our friends in Europe and Latin America have the same problems.

Reducing pollution is costly. But the saving and reclamation of many of the materials that are dumped can be financially rewarding. What is needed is the political will to put out the initial cost. That can only be done if those in power are convinced they can do something about the problem without causing financial ruin to their countries.