Dependence on Corals

As we draw to the end of this blog series, I will look at just how important corals reefs can be, as we start to get used to the reality that they may no longer be around as we move into the future. The environmental and economic implications of the loss of coral reefs would be catastrophic.

Now, the complete loss of coral from the earth is far from certain and may not ever happen, but what is certain is their importance to so many people. It is estimated that 6 million people worldwide are dependant on coral reef fisheries. This may seem like a small number seeing as the worlds population now stands at over 7 Billion. But these people tend to live in very poor countries, and so the coral reefs and the fish that inhabit them are the only way to survive. The problem with all these people being so dependant on the fisheries is that overfishing has begun to be a problem. The lack of fish is making a poor area even worse off than before. There have been attempts to diversify where these areas get there income from, to reduce dependence on the coral reefs. This however has not been successful, and has in fact had adverse effects on communities.

Fishery

It seems as though it must be accepted that these 6 million people must rely on coral reefs, and least in some capacity. The corals don't just provide income for people oh no no no. They help to provide people with an identity, and add to people's lifestyle. This lifestyle is one that they may not have been able to chose, but at least these coastal areas have something in common, as they don't have much. The corals are something that a community can be built around, some,thing that is hard to quantify.

Although we don't directly rely on coral reefs directly in this country, their impact is till felt. Here in the UK, we buy fish from all over the world. The loss of corals would mean less fish. This would result in a massive increase in price. This is just an example of how interconnected the world really is.

We have seen that some areas of the earth are more dependant than others, but it is certain that no one wants corals to die out, as the impacts would be catastrophic and would be felt on a global scale.

Source

1.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877343513001875