December 2010 E-Current

E-Current
December 2010

In this Issue: Raja Ampat Declared Shark Sanctuary [1] • MPA Symposium [2] • Citizens of the Sea [3] • 2010 Climate Conference [4]

[5]

Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti), Indonesia

[6]

visit coral.org [7]| donate [8]

Feature Location: Belize [9]
Mangrove Restoration Project
[10] Mangroves play an important role in sustaining the health of Belize's coral reefs, but they are being destroyed at an alarming rate. CORAL is helping to sponsor a mangrove restoration project in San Pedro that includes a capacity-building workshop on the Riley Encased Methodology^TM [11], an innovative technique that dramatically increases the success of mangrove plantings. The photo above shows mangroves planted using the methodology, which have successfully taken root. The workshop in San Pedro will train local leaders and MPA staff, and we will be setting up two pilot restoration sites using the methods learned in the workshop.
Learn more about our projects in Belize » [12]

Help the Reefs Quick Tip [13]
Shop "green" this holiday season. Purchase eco-friendly products, support environmentally sustainable businesses, and shop with retailers who give back to their communities-retailers like CORAL's partner LeisurePro.
More on our site » [14]

Coral Reefs in the News [15]

Why Scientists Are Searching for Cures Underwater [16]
Source: Newsweek

Coral Bleaching Goes from Bad to Worse [17]
Source: nature.com

70% of Belize's Reef Is In Trouble [18]
Source: The Reporter

Fish Build Mucus Cocoons to Fend off Parasites [19]
Source: MSNBC

Beyond Gloom: Solutions to the Global Coral Reef Decline [20]
Source: Mongbay.com

More News... [21]

Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), Cayman Islands

"If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." [22] - Loren Eiseley
Help CORAL keep the magic of the oceans alive by making a special year-end gift now! [23] Thank you!

[24]	Indonesia Declares Raja Ampat a Shark Sanctuary [25] Thanks in part to hard work by the Misool Eco Resort, CORAL's partner in Raja Ampat, the Indonesian government has declared the entire 17,760 square miles of Raja Ampat a shark sanctuary. The new Raja Ampat Shark Sanctuary will provide full protection for sharks, manta rays, mobulas, dugongs, and turtles, and will prohibit some destructive fishing practices. CORAL is now working to find ways of ensuring the effective implementation of this new edict. Read the story » [26]

[27]	New Perspectives on MPA Performance: Linking Knowledge to Action [28] The subject of WWF's 2010 Kathryn Fuller Science for Nature Symposium was right up our alley, and CORAL's Rick MacPherson attended the Washington, D.C., event this November along with colleagues from around the world. The symposium's take-home message? CORAL's approach is spot-on. Marine protected areas are working to improve ecosystem health, and community involvement is key to their long-term efficacy. Read the story » [29]

[30]	Citizens of the Sea: Wondrous Creatures from the Census of Marine Life [31] A celebration of the ocean's amazing diversity, this beautiful new book by renowned marine scientist and CORAL board member Dr. Nancy Knowlton is a highly-recommended addition to any ocean-lover's collection. Citizens of the Sea is packed with astonishing facts and gorgeous photographs that will spark your curiosity and deepen your admiration for marine life. Read the story » [32]

[33]	Working for Mangrove Protection at COP16 [34] The 16th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP16) is taking place right now in Cancun, Mexico. One of the big pushes for marine conservation this year is to get countries to recognize the important ecosystem services provided by mangroves, which are a coral reef-associated ecosystem. CORAL has signed a letter calling for mangrove protection, and our partner Conservation International is holding an event at the conference to highlight the role mangroves play in mitigating CO2 emissions. Learn more » [35]

* Photo Credits and Notes:
Banner Photo: Pygmy Seahorse (Hippocampus bargibanti), Indonesia
Photographer: Jeff Yonover
Large Center Photo: Christmas Tree Worm (Spirobranchus giganteus), Cayman Islands
Photographer: Mary Lou Frost
Left Side Photo: Red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle), Puerto Rico
Photographer: Shara M. Madera Martinez, courtesy of mangrove.org
Thumbnail photo credits: 1) Dennis Liberson; 2) Doug Richardson

Links:
[1] http://www.coral.org/node/5117#story1
[2] http://www.coral.org/node/5117#story2
[3] http://www.coral.org/node/5117#story3
[4] http://www.coral.org/node/5117#story4
[5] http://www.coral.org
[6] http://www.coral.org
[7] http://www.coral.org
[8] https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=22995
[9] http://www.coral.org/where_we_work/caribbean/belize
[10] http://www.coral.org/where_we_work/caribbean/belize
[11] http://mangrove.org
[12] http://www.coral.org/where_we_work/caribbean/belize
[13] http://www.coral.org/what_you_can_do%2523smartconsumer
[14] http://www.coral.org/what_you_can_do%2523smartconsumer
[15] http://www.coral.org/news/headlines
[16] http://www.coral.org/node/5087
[17] http://www.coral.org/node/5083
[18] http://www.coral.org/node/5082
[19] http://www.coral.org/node/5074
[20] http://www.coral.org/node/5060
[21] http://www.coral.org/news/from_the_media
[22] https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=42911
[23] https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=42911
[24] http://www.coral.org/node/5073
[25] http://www.coral.org/node/5073
[26] http://www.coral.org/node/5073
[27] http://www.coral.org/node/5091
[28] http://www.coral.org/node/5091
[29] http://www.coral.org/node/5091
[30] http://www.coral.org/citizens_of_the_sea
[31] http://www.coral.org/citizens_of_the_sea
[32] http://www.coral.org/citizens_of_the_sea
[33] http://www.climateshifts.org/?p=6140
[34] http://www.climateshifts.org/?p=6140
[35] http://www.climateshifts.org/?p=6140