Published on Coral Reef Alliance (http://www.coral.org)
March 2011 E-Current

E-Current
March 2011		 In this Issue: Photo Contest Winner [1] • CSI on The Ocean Doctor [2] • Worldwide Reef Status Dire [3] • Local and Global Reef Threats Linked [4]
Coral Reef Alliance [5] Squirrelfish, Dominican Republic [6]
visit coral.org [7]| donate [8]

Feature Location: Honduras [9]
New Gear for Water Taxis
New Gear for Water Taxis [10] Water taxis in Roatan, Honduras, ferry thousands of tourists to and from the island's West End, home of the Roatan Marine Park. Some water taxis even take snorkelers out to the reefs. The marine park has been building a relationship with the local water taxi association for several years to encourage drivers to champion good environmental practices with their passengers and also act as additional eyes and ears for the park rangers, reporting any illegal activity within the reserve. A CORAL microgrant is boosting that relationship and reducing reef threats by providing the water taxi association with official uniforms, first aid kits, and boat ladders that will allow their passengers to board without using the reef as a platform.
Learn more about our projects in Honduras » [11]

 

> Help the Reefs Quick Tip [12]
The studies highlighted in this newsletter demonstrate just how dangerous rising levels of carbon dioxide are to coral reefs. We've found a number of carbon footprint calculators that can help you reduce your carbon emissions.
More on our site » [13]


Coral Reefs in the News [14]

Coral 'Whisperers' Diagnose Reef Pollution Woes [15]
Source: New Scientist

 

Coral 'Network' Can Protect Asia-Pac Fish Stocks [16]
Source: Insciences

 

Shaded Reefs Record Sea Level [17]
Source: Science Alert

 

Extinction Predictor 'Will Help Protect Coral Reefs' [18]
Source: U.S. News

 

Moonless Twilight May Cue Mass Spawning [19]
Source: Science News

More News... [20]

 

Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus sp.), Indonesia

 


It's Almost Spring! [21]
Spring is the time when most CORAL supporters generously renew their memberships, so keep a lookout for a special offer in the mail if you're up for renewal. Not yet a member? Join today [22] and take that extra step to help us protect our planet's coral reefs!


Photo Contest Winner Announced! [23] Photo Contest Winner Announced! [24]
Congratulations to Alex Varani from Imola, Italy, who is this month's winner of the E-Current Photo Contest. Alex's striking portrait of a sweetlips (Plectorhinchus sp.) was taken near the USS Liberty shipwreck off Tulamben on the island of Bali, Indonesia. Click below to download Alex's image as your desktop wallpaper and learn more about the photo contest. Download the photo » [25]
 
Ocean Conference Produces Broad Policy Recommendations [26] CSI Goes Deep on The Ocean Doctor Radio Show [27]
CORAL's Rick MacPherson goes on the airwaves for an in-depth discussion about the Coral Reef CSI program—newly housed at CORAL—and why it's needed to protect coral reefs. Check out his segment on The Ocean Doctor, an ocean-themed radio program hosted by marine scientist Dr. David E. Guggenheim. The whole show is great, but if you want to go straight to Rick's segment, forward to 19 min., 24 sec. Read more and listen to the show » [28]
 
Mangrove Rehabilitation Project Takes Shape in Belize [29] [30]Alarming Findings from Reefs at Risk Revisited [31]
The World Resources Institute recently released an update of its 1998 assessment of the status of the world's coral reefs, and NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco sums up the findings well: "Threats have gone from worrisome to dire." Unless we turn the tide, nearly all of the world's reefs will be at risk by 2050. The report underscores the urgency of CORAL's work—local human impacts like overfishing and pollution remain the most pressing threats facing reefs today. Read the story and find quotes from CORAL board member Dr. Nancy Knowlton » [32]
 
Tournament Reduces Lionfish Numbers and Increases Awareness [33] New Study Links Local and Global Reef Threats [34]
We know that climate change affects degraded coral reefs more than healthy ones, and a new study shows that ocean acidification acts the same way. The study is the first to quantify the relationship between local coral reef threats and those brought on by increasing carbon dioxide levels. The findings? Reefs that are already overfished and affected by land runoff are likely to be more vulnerable to the impacts of both climate change and ocean acidification. Local management is key! [35]Read the story » [36]
 
**D.C Lecture by CORAL's Rick MacPherson**
If you'll be in the D.C. area on March 12, don't miss this great program at the Smithsonian Institution about how communities can make a difference for coral reefs. More information » [37]

 

* Photo Credits and Notes:
Banner Photo: Squirrelfish, Dominican Republic
Photographer: Douglas Richardson
Large Center Photo: Sweetlips (Plectorhichus sp.), Indonesia
Photographer: Alex Varani
Left Side Photo: Leo Anderson, Vice President of the Water Taxi Association, receives new equipment from Grazzia Matamoros, Director of the Roatan Marine Park.
Photographer: Ian Drysdale
Thumbnails: 1) Alex Varani; 2) The Ocean Doctor; 3) World Resources Institute (www.wri.org [38]); 4) Paddy Ryan
© 2012 The Coral Reef Alliance 351 California Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104, USA, 1-888-CORAL-REEF info@coral.org
Source URL (retrieved on 05/25/2013 - 20:24): http://www.coral.org/node/5230

Links:
[1] http://www.coral.org/node/5230#story1
[2] http://www.coral.org/node/5230#story2
[3] http://www.coral.org/node/5230#story3
[4] http://www.coral.org/node/5230#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/honduras
[10] http://www.coral.org/where_we_work/caribbean/honduras
[11] http://www.coral.org/where_we_work/caribbean/honduras
[12] http://www.coral.org/resources/more_online_resources%2523sustainable
[13] http://www.coral.org/resources/more_online_resources%2523sustainable
[14] http://www.coral.org/news/headlines
[15] http://www.coral.org/node/5227
[16] http://www.coral.org/node/5224
[17] http://www.coral.org/node/5223
[18] http://www.coral.org/node/5220
[19] http://www.coral.org/node/5217
[20] http://www.coral.org/news/from_the_media
[21] http://www.coral.org/members
[22] http://www.coral.org/members
[23] http://www.coral.org/wallpaper
[24] http://www.coral.org/wallpaper
[25] http://www.coral.org/wallpaper
[26] http://oceandoctor.org/csi-goes-deep/
[27] http://oceandoctor.org/csi-goes-deep/
[28] http://oceandoctor.org/csi-goes-deep/
[29] http://www.coral.org/node/5225
[30] http://www.coral.org/node/5225
[31] http://www.coral.org/node/5225
[32] http://www.coral.org/node/5225
[33] http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=22677
[34] http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=22677
[35] http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=22677
[36] http://www.uq.edu.au/news/?article=22677
[37] http://www.coral.org/node/5180
[38] http://www.wri.org