Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008

This Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2008 report is the 5th global report since the GCRMN (Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network), was formed in 1996 as an operational network of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI). The catalyst for GCRMN was the inability of international agencies to report objectively on the health or otherwise of the world’s coral reefs. The US government then provided initial funding to set up a global network of coral reef workers to facilitate reporting on reef status; and has continued to be the major supporter of GCRMN and ICRI since the first strategies and action plans were developed in 1995. Each report (1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004) has aimed to present the current status of the world’s coral reefs, the threats to the reefs, and the initiatives being undertaken under the umbrella of ICRI to arrest the decline in the world’s coral reefs. These reports have been produced using the data and information from many coral reef experts around the world. For example 372 experts from 96 countries have contributed to this Status report. Many regional, national and local organisations, governmental, academic, NGO and volunteers have supported the functions of GCRMN. The united goal is to inform the global community on the status of coral reefs, the threats to them and, importantly, to list recommendations to improve coral reef conservation. There is widespread recognition that action is needed urgently, not only to conserve the enormous biodiversity on coral reefs, but also to assist local user communities to improve their livelihoods by ensuring the sustainable use of the reefs.

Full Report (20 MB)
Chapter 1- Global Climate Change and Coral Reefs
Chapter 2 - New Coral Reef Initiatives
Chapter 3 - Cold Water Coral Communities of the World: A Brief Update
Chapter 4 - Status of Coral Reefs in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Region
Chapter 5 - Status of Coral Reefs in the ROPME Sea Area (the Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Arabian Sea)
Chapter 6 - Status of Coral Reefs in East Africa: Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique and South Africa
Chapter 7- Status of the Coral Reefs of the South-West Indian Ocean Island States: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion, Seychelles
Chapter 8 - Status of Coral Reefs in South Asia: Bangladesh, Chagos, India, Maldives and Sri Lanka
Chapter 9 - Status of Coral Reefs in South-East Asia
Chapter 10 - Status of Coral Reefs in East and North Asia (China, Hong Kong , Taiwan, South Korea and Japan)
Chapter 11- Status of the Coral Reefs in Australia and Papua New Guinea
Chapter 12 - Status of the Coral Reefs in the South West Pacific: Fiji, New Caledonia, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu
Chapter 13 - Status of Coral Reefs in Polynesia Mana Node Countries: Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Niue, Kiribati, Tonga, Tokelau and Wallis and Futuna
Chapter 14 - Status of Coral Reef Resources in Micronesia and American Samoa
Chapter 15 - Status of Coral Reefs in Hawaii and United States Pacific Remote Island Areas (Baker, Howland, Palmyra, Kingman, Jarvis, Johnston, Wake)
Chapter 16 - Status of the Coral Reef Ecosystems in the U.S. Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico: Florida, Flower Garden Banks, Us Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Navassa
Chapter 17 - Status of Coral Reefs in the Northern Caribbean and Western Atlantic GCRMN Node
Chapter 18 - Status of Coral Reefs in the Mesoamerican Region
Chapter 19 - Status of Coral Reefs of the Lesser Antilles: the French West Indies, the Netherlands Antilles, Anguilla, Antigua, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago
Chapter 20 - Status of Coral Reefs and Associated Ecosystems in Southern Tropical America: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panamá and Venezuela