What is being done to save the reefs?
At home, the United States federal government has prohibited the removal or destruction of corals from all areas of the continental shelf within a three-mile limit. In waters off Florida, collection of dead coral is regulated by the Florida Marine Fisheries Commission. Hawaii, Guam, and Puerto Rico have banned the collection of all hard corals, both living and dead. Around the world, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) regulates international trade of certain corals. The creation of marine sanctuaries like the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, established in 1975 may help.
