A Major Reason Coastal And Shallow Water Coastal Reefs Are Being Destroyed

 Coastal coral reefs and shallow coral reefs are being destroyed. They are simply too accessible to people. Instead of protecting the reefs, they are too often tourist draws and thus money wins out over conservation. Cruise ships that bring people to places once inaccessible adds to the damage. Protecting costal coral reefs and shallow water coral reefs from the damage caused by people is not given consideration. Cruise ships companies take no responsibility for the consequence of bringing untold numbers of people to these coral reef locations, and the impact these people have on the reefs.

It is a hard battle to protect coastal coral reefs and shallow coral reefs from the damage caused by people stepping on them and from misuse. Local authorities are resistant to choose protection over tourist dollars. These easily accessible reefs continue to be destroyed, even though there are few left. Marking the coral locations will not help. People deliberately go to where the coral is located because that is what they want to see. There is rarely anyone telling them to stay off the coral and to not swim, dive, stand on or snorkel on top of the shallow corals. It is even rarer for restrictions to be enforced.

If a person, conservation or marine organization with deep pockets has the will, they can make it economically beneficial to choose conservation over tourism. This means making these coral reefs restricted access places, and ensuring the locations are properly patrolled by employing local people. Will anyone or any organization step up to the plate, or will these coral reefs continue to be lost forever?