Coral reefs are part of wide ecosystems.
(Mirror Daily, United States) All coral reefs in the world are exposed to a high threat, brought by climate change. Coral bleaching is a phenomenon which sickens, and eventually, kills corals. Warming waters threaten most of the coral reefs in the world, including ninety percent of the Australian Great Barrier Reef.
The Hawaiian authorities and environmentalists are aware of the situation of the marine ecosystems. This is why they intend to come up with useful strategies to help corals fight against the bleaching phenomenon. The Hawaiian authorities won’t be alone in this process, as officials from the fishermen’s association declared they were willing to help them.
Eric Conklin is the leader of the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii. He says that the new plans for saving the coral reefs need approval from higher ranked authorities. Unfortunately, this is a process which can take a long time, and they could have used that time to take proper actions to benefit the coral reefs.
Fishing gear such as lay gill nets affects animal species because it traps and kills not only the species that the fishermen aim for. Overfishing also affects coral reefs to a significant extent.
Specialists know how important coral reefs are for the well-organized animal life at the bottom of the seas and oceans. Corals provide fish with a home. In other words, they stand as the natural habitat for many species, which includes more than fish. There is also a strong dependency between fish and corals, as fish provide them with food.
Corals reefs are unique structures. They are not plants, but animals (invertebrates). They are the home of various types of algae, which make them look so colorful. Climate change affects this relation because of the warming waters. The higher temperature in seas and oceans make corals react violently and reject their algae. If the plants are gone, the fish won’t inhabit the corals anymore. The consequence is that the coral is left without its food source and its bright colors. This is how the phenomenon of coral bleaching works.
Phil Fernandez is the leader of the Hawaii Fishermen’s Alliance for Conservation and Tradition. He declared on behalf of the association that they would cooperate with the authorities to prevent the bleaching of the corals. He is aware of the importance of the reefs and ecosystems for the health and well-being of the fish they are interested in.
Image courtesy of: Wikipedia