Hyderabad: World Reef Awareness Day on June 1 serves as a call to action for consumers, businesses and organisations to reflect on the delicate ecosystem of ocean's coral reefs.
The day brings together the general public, influencers and opinion leaders to create active change through education and engagement. Reefs are amazing, beautiful ecosystems that lie just under the surface of the ocean.
These incredible areas of life have been explored by many divers and offer access to incredible views of fish and other underwater wildlife. In fact, the coral that many of these reefs are made of are not plants but are actual animals. And, sadly, at least 25 different species of coral are listed as threatened or endangered. World Reef Awareness Day brings attention to these fascinating and important parts of nature.
History of World Reef Awareness Day
World Reef Awareness Day was founded in 2019, thanks to the promotion of Raw Elements USA, with the purpose of drawing attention to the critical state the reefs are in. Raw Elements is a company located in California that sells natural and safe zinc oxide sunscreen. Since the day was established, other sustainably minded companies have gotten on board with the support of World Reef Awareness Day, including the REEF apparel company.
Importance of Reefs
- They protect coastlines from the damaging effects of wave action and tropical storms
- They provide habitats and shelter for many marine organisms
- They are the source of nitrogen and other essential nutrients for marine food chains
- They assist in carbon and nitrogen-fixing
- They help with nutrient recycling
- The study of coral reefs is essential for scientifically testable records of climatic events over the past million years
- The fishing industry depends also on coral reefs. Many fish spawn there, and juvenile fish spend time there before making their way to the open sea
- The Great Barrier Reef generates more than 1.5 billion dollars annually for the Australian economy from fishing and tourism
- Coral reefs are also key indicators of global ecosystem health. They serve as an early warning sign of what may happen to other less sensitive systems, such as river deltas if climate change is not urgently addressed
Benefits of a Healthy Reef
The benefits of a healthy reef ecosystem go far beyond the ocean. Coral reefs are:
- Essential to the plant and fish life
- Contribute to a lively fishing industry
- Protect beaches and coastlines from erosion
- Act as the oceans filter
- Provide life-saving medicines and possibly the one animal on the planet capable of consuming plastic.
Types of Coral Reefs
Coral Reefs are differentiated into three categories based on their shape, nature and mode of occurrence.
Fringing Reef: The coral reefs that are found very close to the land and forms a shallow lagoon known as Boat Channel are called Fringing Coral Reefs. The Fringing Reefs develop along the islands and the continental margins. They grow from the deep bottom of the sea and have their seaward side sloping steeply into the deep sea. Fringing Reefs are the most commonly found coral reefs among the three. For example Sakau Island in New Hebrides, South Florida Reef.
Barrier Reef: Barrier Reefs are considered as the largest, highest and widest reefs among the three coral reefs. They develop off the coast and parallel to the shore as a broken and irregular ring. Being the largest reef among the all, they run for 100kms and is several kilometres wide. One example of Barrier Reef is the Great Barrier Reef of Australia which is 1200 mile long.
Atolls: An atoll can be defined as a reef that is roughly circular and surrounds a large central lagoon. This lagoon is mostly deep having a depth of 80-150 metres. The atolls are situated away from the deep sea platforms and are found around an island or on a submarine platform in an elliptical form. For example Fiji Atolls, Suvadivo in Maldives and Funafoothis Atoll of Ellice.
Interesting Facts About World Reef Awareness Day
Reefs are actually living things and not plants: Many people believe that coral are plants but they’re actually animals. In the ocean exist both hard and soft varieties of coral which live together in large groups called colonies.
Half a billion people rely on coral reefs for food: Coral reefs provide food for a variety of fish which, of course, provide food for us. According to the Reef-World Foundation, around 500 million people in the world consume fish that live on coral reefs.
Coral reefs need sunlight just like us: Coral reefs thrive in clear, shallow water. They thrive in waters that are around 70 meters as the sunlight can still reach them.
Too much heat can be harmful: Coral and algae have a beautiful, symbiotic relationship. But if and when the ocean gets too warm, corals expel the algae which cause the coral to turn white. A process that is known as bleaching. In an attempt to combat and survive through the intense high temps, corals have been known to emit vibrant colors, which is a phenomenon known as Glowing.
Coral reefs act as water filters: Corals and their friends, the sponge, often feed on particles found in the ocean around them. This leaves the surrounding waters clear and gorgeous
They’re Old: Like really old. How old you might ask? Oh, about 240 million years old.
They Clean The Water: Coral and the sponges that live near them often feed on particles around them resulting in incredibly clear water.
They Are a Barrier During Storms: Coral reefs protect coastal cities during storms and water surges. They are able to slow water down and help slow coastal erosion.
Actions for World Reef Awareness Day
- Opt for Reef Friendly Sun Protection
- Plant an Ocean Friendly Garden
- Look Below Before You Throw
- Mind Your Waste & Sewage Pollution
- Make & Advocate for Climate Conscious Decisions.
Reefs in India
India is a nation with the abundant beauty of nature. It is filled with lush green terrains, mountains, rivers, waterfalls, lakes, beaches, wildlife, glaciers and many more.
- Lakshadweep Islands Coral Reef
- Andaman and Nicobar Islands
- Gulf of Kutch
- Netrani Island in Karnataka
- Gulf of Mannar
- Malvan, Maharashtra
