U.S. Reef Continue Decline, Nationwide Report Finds
Florida's reefs are in the worst shape of any U.S. reefs, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report.
Shutterstock.com/ Joni Hanebutt
U.S. coral reefs continue to decline, according to the first-ever nationwide assessment of the nation’s coral reefs.
"Our work in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans shows a dire outlook for coral reef ecosystem health, from warming ocean waters, fishing, disease, and pollution from the land," says Heath Kelsey, director of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, in a press release.
Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Maryland studied reefs in U.S. waters in the Atlantic and Pacific, from Florida and the U.S. Virgin Islands to Hawaii and Guam.
To rate reef health, scientists analyzed coral and algae abundance, fish populations, climate influence, and human connection to reefs. The report categorized regions based on these factors on a scale ranging from “very good to “critical,” using data collected between 2012 and 2018. No reefs are in critical condition based on this scale, but “impaired” reefs, or those in the worst shape, were identified off the coast of Florida. Scientists say it is possible only 2 percent of reefs remain in the region.
Most regions were classified as “fair,” including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The healthiest U.S. reefs—rated “good”—were found in the remote Pacific waters around American Samoa.
Reefs closest to heavily populated shores were in the worst shape thanks to fertilizers, sewage, and other pollutants, but climate change is identified as the most prominent threat.
"Climate change is the single biggest threat to shallow-water coral reefs in the U.S. and worldwide," Kelsey says.
Coral environments provide many valuable benefits to humans, including acting as natural storm surge barriers, creating tourism opportunities, and supporting seafood species.
"The economic impacts of coral reefs in the United States are around $3.4 billion annually. So this is really of great importance to our nation," says Tim Gallaudet, an assistant secretary at NOAA, in the report.
The report’s authors are hoping it serves as a call to action for lawmakers to further protect reefs.
“To conserve and restore coral reefs, we need to understand the overall condition of these ecosystems,” Jennifer Koss, director of NOAA’s Coral Reef Conservation Program, says in the release. “This report represents a snapshot of reef condition and is a great resource for communities and decision-makers throughout the nation. We hope the report starts a dialogue about the various factors and potential solutions to the threats affecting coral reefs.”
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