The negative human effects on the coral reefs.

*Because of feeding, bathing, industrialization and dense urban population, the c oasts along the Northern part of the Mediterranean Sea are swept nearly clean of fish.  Its diving areas are considered wastelands.

*Too many individual accidents, such as sewer outfall, polluted river, oil spill, a sunken chemical barge, can all be fatal to coral reefs.

*The effects of dynamiting on the reefs of Colombia and the Philippines, Taiwanese and Korean poaching Tridacna clams from Australia's Great Barrier Reef; a tropics-wide hunt for jewelry-quality black and red corals and Jamaican fishtraps unselectively capturing the reefs most colorful denizens are all major destructions against the coral reefs, that most people feel they have little or no control over.

What is being done to help preserve the coral reefs.

*The Great Barrier Reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Park act of 1975.

*Hawaii, because of excessive tourism, realizes pollution is a serious problem and threat to its coral reefs.  Hawaii is still trying to do and has done a great deal in preserving the coral reefs and improving the situation.

*Local and national marine preserves in the Philippines an new parks are designated in both North America and Australia.

*The U.S. enforces prohibitions on the import of products made from sea turtles and other endangered species.

*New fishing techniques have also been developed so that porpoises do not get caught and killed in the tuna nets.

*During the Regan administration the U.S. refused to sign the Law of the Sea Treaty, which entailed western nations to negotiate the ocean as a commons.  Exploration and development of fish and minerals will give proceeds to many small nations whose seacoasts are ruined.  This theory will lead to excessive exploitation and will lead to further depletion.

Solutions to help the coral reefs both personal and globally.

*Need to identify those who feel they are no threat to the coral reefs.  Surprisingly most people feel they have little or no link with the damage that is being done to the coral reefs.

*Do not collect black coral for jewelry or decorative purposes for your home.

*Do not spearfish or in any other way hurt the fish or marine-life inhabiting the coral reefs.

ex.The Egyptian Red  Sea became infested with sea urchins that damaged the coral due to the death of their predator, the porcupinefish.  The porcupinefish are gone due to hunting.

*Do not eat endangered fish dishes such as Grouper and Sea Urchin.

*Do not take home or purchase cowrie or Triton trumpet shells.

*A solution Carl Roessler (coral reef photographer and ecologist), proposes is to divide up the commons,(ocean is open to everyone/every nation), into separate areas in which each nation is responsible.  If a nation exhausts its resources then that nation will suffer the consequences without moving on to other parts of the ocean that are un-damaged.