Most of the money would be spent on mapping and monitoring endangered reefs. About 10 percent of the world's coral reefs have already vanished Driven largely by such human activities as pollution, overfishing and dredging, the coral reef crisis places a multitude of human, natural and economic needs in jeopardy. An estimated 10 percent of the world s coral reefs have already been destroyed, and another 60 percent are threatened with destruction in the next 50 years. Water pollution, overfishing, collecting, habitat destruction and global warming have all contributed to their decline. The United States has developed an impressive vision of how we can protect coral reefs, and it s high time we carry it out.
Diseases are among the threats facing corals.
In the U.S. alone, coral reef ecosystems support millions of jobs. In developing countries, coral reefs contribute about one quarter of the annual total fish catch, providing food to about one billion people in Asia alone. Further threatened by the current global reef crisis is the promise of life saving and other critical pharmaceuticals. Coral reefs are considered to be one of the primary sources of new medicines and biochemicals. Examples include many pharmaceuticals now being developed as possible cures for cancer, arthritis, viruses and other diseases.