Coral Reef Degradation in the Indian Ocean Status Report 2005

The coastal ecosystem of the Indian Ocean includes environments such as mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs. These habitats are some of the most productive and diverse environments on the planet. They form an essential link in the food webs that leads to fish and other seafood providing food security to the local human population. In addition coral reefs and mangrove forests protect the coastal areas against erosion. Unfortunately, due to a number of human activities, these valuable environments are now being degraded at an alarming rate.

The use of destructive fishing techniques on reefs, coral mining and pollution are examples of some of these stresses from local sources on the coral reefs. Climate change is another stress factor which is causing additional destruction of the reefs.