How important are coral reefs to commercial and sport fishing?
Coral reefs are home to more than one quarter of all the known marine fish species. When reefs are properly managed it is estimated that they can produce 15 tons of fish and other seafood per square kilometer per year!! From this data, one can immediately inductively draw conclusions as to the importance of reefs in sport fishing. Many marine game fish species, such as tarpon, groupers, snook, barracuda, dolphin to name a few utilize reef habitats for at least part of their life cycles. Thus, the survival of recreational and commercial fishing is extremely dependent upon the health of coral reefs. -Bryant, D., Burke, L., McManus, J., and M. Spalding. 1998. “Reefs at Risk: A Map Based Indicator of Threats to the Worlds Coral Reefs.” World Resources Institure. Washington D.C.
