Humans may damage the reef in a number of ways, often without realizing it. Standing on the reef to rest while snorkeling crushes the coral polyps. Pollution, sedimentation from agriculture and development, coral harvesting, and reef trampling are a few ways we are destroying coral reefs. Polluted runoff can kill reefs with poisons and heavy metals, but it can also kill coral by causing algae blooms. Sewage contains nitrates and phosphates - fertilizer for plants like algae.
Algae blooms can smother reefs and kill the coral.
Sedimentation cuts off sunlight so the zooxanthellae can not photosynthesize. Human impacts may take a long time to have an affect on the reef, but they do not go away unless we do something to remove them. When visiting coral reefs make an effort not to stand on or touch the coral since this can crush its tiny polyps. Clean up any trash that you find on the beach, keeping it out of the water. State Law prohibits the taking of any live stony corals from the waters of Hawaii.