9th International Coral Reef Symposium Check out the Post-Symposium page for news announcements following the Symposium. The Indonesian government, with the support from the Indonesian scientific community and the International Society for Reef Studies, is honored to host the 9 th International Coral Reef Symposium. We invite you to join us in Bali, 23-27 October 2000 for this prestigious international meeting. The International Coral Reef Symposium is held every four years. Growing from humble beginnings in India in 1969, the most recent, held in Panama City in June 1996, attracted around 1500 participants - especially scientists, students, managers, policy makers and conservationists.
Coral reefs are diverse and productive ecosystems of great beauty and value to humans.
At their best and healthiest, coral reefs provide highly effective coastal protection against the destructive actions of various natural forces, and they can generate sustenance and revenue through sustainable fishing and tourism. Coral reefs are an integral part of, and form a life support system for, some of the worlds greatest biological diversity. However, over the past decades, many coral reefs have been seriously degraded due to variety of causes, and in particular, human-induced stresses. Overfishing, destructive fishing practices, pollution, siltation and global climate change are all seen as threats to the beauty of coral reefs and to their services to this and future generations of humans. The symposium will be sponsored by the State Ministry for the Environment of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences and the Indonesian Association for Coral Reef Studies.