The year 2008 has been designated as the International Year of the Reef.
Coral reefs and associated ecosystems (e.g. mangroves and the coralligenous assemblages of the Mediterranean), are equivalent to tropical rainforests in terms of biodiversity.
Covering only 0.2% of the world’s oceans, these important habitats harbour 30% of marine species described to date. Coral reefs play an important role in the economy of numerous tropical nations, underpinning the success of the tourism and fishing industries. They are also a vital component of coastal protection in many parts of the world, protecting shorelines from erosion. Coral skeletons are also useful in medicine as materials in the construction of bioimplants in for human bone surgery.
Despite their importance, coral reefs, the largest animal- built structures on the planet (the Australian Great Barrier Reef is 2000km long), are threatened on a global scale. It is estimated that 20% of corals reefs are degraded and a further 20% face destruction by local stressors (e.g. destructive fishing practises) and the global problems of climate change and ocean acidification.
To tackle the issues facing French coral reefs, the Prime Minister created the French Coral Reef Initiative (IFRECOR) in 1998 to help protect coral reefs in the French overseas territories. The most recent meeting of IFRECOR was held in Guadeloupe between the 21st and 25th April 2008.
The director of CSM, Professor Denis Allemand, was invited to talk at the meeting to update the group on the most recent coral reef research. .
