Image of the Day: The Year of the Coral

2008 has been assigned the "International Year of the Coral Reef," the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force announced earlier this month during its semi-annual meeting.

Coral reefs are important ecosystems that provide food and jobs for millions of people. They support many fisheries and tourism operations around the world. They also act as barriers and provide buffers against waves and storms.

Coral reefs are some of the oldest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. They provide resources and services worth many billions of dollars each year, a staggering amount for ecosystems that cover less than one percent of the Earth's surface. Millions of people and thousands of communities all over the world depend on coral reefs for food, protection and jobs.

However, coral reefs are very sensitive and can easily be disturbed by human activity such as over fishing, harvesting for souvenirs, and spills, or from bleaching that occurs when water surface temperatures rise.

At the meeting, the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force announced a new coral reef conservation initiative aiming for stronger enforcement of aquarium reef fish trade harvesting regulations.

At the meeting, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA,  announced the listing of elkhorn coral and staghorn coral as threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.

"This listing is highly significant for coral reef conservation, as these are the first coral species to be listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act," said Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "It is extremely important that we protect corals as they are a major source of ocean life."

--Sara Goudarzi

·          Amazing Images: Science & Nature Photos from Our Readers

Credit: NOAA