Coral Reef Destruction Because of Careless Tourism

Date of Submission: March 8, 2017

Submitted by: Kimberly Dennisse T. Calimlim

Submitted to: Engr. Arjay A. Arpia

 I. Introduction

Corals, sponges and seaweeds cover most of the surface of many coral reefs. Photo
Credit: Wolcott Henry

Coral reefs have survived tens of thousands of years of natural change, but many of them
may not be able to survive the havoc brought by humankind. (Coral Reefs: Threats, 2017)

Coral reefs are housing tens to thousands of marine species, making it one of the most
diverse ecosystems in the world. (Coral Reef) Because of its diverse ecosystem, coral reefs are
often called the rainforests of the sea. (The Ocean Portal Team, 2016) About one-third of all
marine fish species live part of their lives, for food and shelter, on coral reefs. (Coral Reef) The
development of these structures is aided by algae that are symbiotic with reef-building corals,
known as zooxanthellae. Coralline algae, sponges, and other organisms, combined with a number
of cementation processes also contribute to reef growth. (htt) Reefs cover just less than one
percent of the earths surface and a portion of less than two percent of the ocean bottom. (The
Ocean Portal Team, 2016)

Scientists have found that coral reefs are almost exclusively in tropical and subtropical
waters around the world. Recently, researchers have found coral reefs in temperate waters such
as off the Atlantic coast of Norway. (Nelson, 2017)

Coral reefs are often described as a stunning beauty deep beneath the ocean, but besides
attractiveness, they are a vital component of the marine life. In recent decades, many coral reefs
have suffered because of global warming, polluted waters and mostly because of human harm,
such as through unethical overfishing.

This research will focus on another cause of threats in these diverse habitats which is careless
tourism. The ICMTS definition of coastal and marine tourism is "Coastal and marine tourism
includes those recreational activities which involve travel away from one's place of residence
which have as their host or focus the marine environment and/or the coastal zone." (ICMTS,
n.d.) The problem is that tourism may have caused economic growth and promotion for different
countries but it also affects other beings negatively. Massive influxes of tourists add to the
pollution, waste, and water needs of the local population, putting local infrastructure and habitats
under enormous pressure. For example, 85% of the 1.8 million people who visit Australia's Great
Barrier Reef are concentrated in two small areas, Cairns and the Whitsunday Islands, which
together have a human population of just 130,000 or so.

The researcher considers the effect of the said activity and what might be the best approach
to the problem that will sustain the environment and also the tourism activity. Through intensive
study, the student investigates the possible keys in which tourism will continue its growth
without compromising anymore the lives of billions of corals.

II. Definition of coral reefs

Corals are small animals that belong to the phylum Cnidaria together with anemones,
jellyfish and hydroids. All Cnidarians have stinging organs called cnidocysts.

Corals are related to sea anemones, and they all share the same simple structure, the polyp.
The polyp is like a tin can open at just one end: the open end has a mouth surrounded by a ring of
tentacles. The tentacles have stinging cells, called nematocysts, that allow the coral polyp to
capture small organisms that swim too close. Inside the body of the polyp are digestive and
reproductive tissues. Corals differ from sea anemones in their production of a mineral skeleton.
(The Ocean Portal Team, 2016)

Corals are generally divided up into hard (scleratinian) corals and soft corals. Its the hard
corals that build the framework of the coral reefs. In the Indo-Pacific waters, approximately 500
species of hard corals are known. Soft corals, also called octocorralina, lack the hard calcium
carbonate structure that hard corals build. Most have a fleshy structure with small silica spicules,
like internal spines, that give them extra support. The majority of the corals are colonial with
several thousand small individuals. (Nelson, 2017)

III. Importance of Coral Reefs

Besides being one of the most diverse ecosystem, coral reefs are more than just an attraction
to peoples eyes.

Diversity is an important factor of a stable and healthier ecosystem. Reducing biodiversity

through the extinction of species inevitably leads to the breakdown in ecosystem health and
function. Biodiversity ensures that some life will continue to survive, even after major
catastrophic events that wipe out many species. Biodiverse ecosystems also provide services, for
example nursery habitat to edible fish species, which would be difficult and expensive to
reproduce artificially. (Carilli, 2013)

Some estimates say that over 1 billion people depend on food from coral reefs, and reefs as a
whole might be worth around $172 billion for every year they continue to provide essential
services to humans, like food. (Carilli, 2013) Coral reefs support more species per unit area than
any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals
and hundreds of other species that is the reason why the fishing industry depends on coral reefs.
Scientists estimate that there may be another 1 to 8 million undiscovered species of organisms
living in and around reefs. (nooa ocean service education, 2008)

Coral reefs dissipate wave energy from storms and tsunamis by slowing down the flow of
water, reducing damages and casualties on land. Reefs in places such as the Florida Keys help
prevent beach erosion. Without coral reefs, many of the worlds most fragile, coastal ecosystems
would be unable to thrive. (Why Coral Reefs are Important, 2014) Atoll islands continue to exist
above the ocean's surface long after the volcanic island upon which they first grew has cooled
and sunk below the waves, due exclusively to the growth of corals and other reef-associated
organisms like large foraminifera. (Carilli, 2013) Globally, half a billion people are estimated to
live within 100 kilometers of a coral reef and benefit from its production and protection. (nooa
ocean service education, 2008)

Due to their tremendous diversity, it is most likely that coral reefs are a place to find and
supply natural medicines. Their biodiversity is considered key to finding new medicines in the
21st century. Many drugs are now being developed from coral reef animals and plants as possible
cures for cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, viruses, and other diseases. (nooa ocean
service education, 2008)

Coral reefs act as a natures water infiltration system. Many individual corals and sponges
consume particles found in the ocean. In turn, this enhances the clarity and quality of the oceans
waters. (Why Coral Reefs are Important, 2014)
 They also assist in carbon and nitrogen fixing, controlling how much carbon dioxide is in the
water. Corals limestone shell is formed by the oceans processing of carbon dioxide. (Why Coral
Reefs are Important, 2014)

IV. Importance of Coral Reefs to Tourism

Countries that are blessed with coral reefs know that these fish houses are really an attraction
for many. Coral reefs help tourism in a great deal by contributing to the economy. Moreover, it
provides millions of jobs and contributed billions of dollars all over the world from diving tours,
fishing trips, hotels, restaurants, and other businesses based on coral reefs. In the 1990s, over
four million tourists visited the Florida Keys each year, contributing $1.2 billion annually to
tourism-related services. In fact, the Florida Keys are the number one dive destination in the
world. In Hawaii, a state with many coral reefs, one popular reef alone is visited by over three
million tourists each year. In the U.S. territories of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, over
90 percent of new economic development is dependent on coastal tourism, including reef
tourism. (Importance of Corals, 2006) The Great Barrier Reef generates more than1.5 billion
dollars every year for the Australian economy, from fishing and tourism. (Importance of Coral
Reefs, n.d.)

V. Threats due to Tourism

Ships that become grounded on coral reefs may cause immediate and long-term damage to reefs. A
grounded ship may smash hundreds of years worth of coral growth in an instant. Over time, fuel, oil,
paints and other chemicals may leak from the ship, continuing to damage the fragile corals as the ship's
hull rusts in the harsh marine environment.
 Coral reefs are being endangered all over the world by different aspects. Ecosystems can
adjust to changes given enough time. The problem today though, is that changes are happening
so fast that animals merely have time to keep up and reefs are no exception. People then must
have a desire to help these creatures to adapt quicker and yet, one of the reasons that rapidly
increases the tendency of coral destruction is also human activities. Roughly one-quarter of coral
reefs worldwide are already considered damaged beyond repair, with another two-thirds under
serious threat. (Coral Reefs: Threats, 2017)

Many coral reefs are close to land. This

makes them easy to access and also
easily affected by everything that goes
on land. Road construction, coastal
clearing, agriculture, and more result in
a lot of sediment and pollutants that get
washed out to sea with the monsoon
rains that fall in tropical areas. Simple
sedimentation in the water may be
enough to kill the reefs both by directly
covering the corals but also by
decreasing light penetration of the
water so much that the symbiotic zooxanthellae algae are unable to photosynthesize. (Nelson,
2017)

Careless boating, diving, snorkeling, and fishing happens from tourist destination all over
the world, with tourists touching reefs, stirring up sediment, collecting coral, and ships dropping
anchors directly on reefs. Some tourist resorts and infrastructure have been built directly on top
of reefs, and some resorts empty their sewage or other wastes directly into water surrounding
coral reefs. Coral mining is also a threat in coral reefs. Some exporters and places sold corals as a
souvenir.

Moreover, with many tourists in a small area leads to more pollution. When some pollutants
enter the water, nutrient levels can increase, promoting the rapid growth of algae and other
organisms that can smother corals. (Jones & Endean, 1973)
 Another tourism strategy that adversely affects coral reefs and other marine environment are
the increased popularity of cruise ships. Carrying up to 4,000 passengers and crew, these
enormous floating towns are a major source of marine pollution through the dumping of garbage
and untreated sewage at sea, and the release of other shipping-related pollutants. (Coastal
Development Problems: Tourism, 2017)

Coral reefs may recover from periodic traumas caused by weather or other natural
occurrences. If, however, corals are subjected to numerous and sustained stresses including those
imposed by people, the strain may be too much for them to endure, and they will perish. (nooa
ocean service education, 2008)

VI. Protect Coral Reefs

There is much more that can be done to protect the coral reefs, by making sure that there is a
healthy fish community and clean water in the surroundings. With these, corals will have more
capacity to recover from natural disasters such as typhoon and hurricanes. Fishes play an
important role on coral reefs, as well as the beneficiaries if the coral reefs will be protected,
particularly the fish that eat seaweeds and keep them from smothering corals, which grow more
slowly than the seaweeds. Fish also eat the predators of corals, such as crown of thorns starfish.

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are an important tool for keeping reefs healthy. Large MPAs
protect the Great Barrier Reef and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, for example, and in June
2012, Australia created the largest marine reserve network in the world. Smaller ones, managed
by local communities, have been very successful in developing countries. (The Ocean Portal
Team, 2016)

Clean water is also important. Erosion on land causes rivers to dump mud on reefs,
smothering and killing corals. Seawater with too many nutrients speeds up the growth of
seaweeds and increases the food for predators of corals when they are developing as larvae in the
plankton. Clean water depends on careful use of the land, avoiding too many fertilizers and
erosion caused by deforestation and certain construction practices. In the long run, however, the
future of coral reefs will depend on reducing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is
increasing rapidly due to burning of fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide is both warming the ocean,
resulting in coral bleaching, and changing the chemistry of the ocean, causing ocean
acidification. Both making it harder for corals to build their skeletons. (The Ocean Portal Team,
2016)

With these being said, the real question is how tourism will help in ensuring the safety of
coral reefs instead of being a danger to it. How much a tourist can do to warrant growth and
protection to the diverse ecosystem.

VII. Tourism: A Way to Save Coral Reefs

It might be imaginative and ambitious but if one will think about it carefully, it is possible
that the one who causes destruction may also be the solution. With better planning and practices,
tourism could not only safeguard the natural assets that often draw visitors in the first place, but
also help to lift local people out of poverty. However, this is something that needs tremendous
works and unity in order to be accomplished.

Ecotourism is one reason to save coral reefs that do survive bleaching. Visit a coral reef, and
learn as much as you can about it. Talk to the locals, and tell them how important a healthy reef
is to your visit. It may reduce stressors on the reef if the government will raise public awareness
and to create marine parks. Marine parks incorporate diverse multi-user zones, including a
significant representative area protected in some way from activities such as fishing and boating.
People need to appreciate that these areas are something special. (Importance of Coral Reefs,
n.d.)

In Australia, The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority advises the Australian
Government on the care and development of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. The Authority
provides for the long-term protection, ecologically sustainable use, understanding and enjoyment
of the Great Barrier Reef for all Australian communities through the care and development of the
Marine Park. (The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority)

Other organizations have seen already the benefits of tourism in protecting the environment.
WWF or Worldwide Wide Fund for nature focused on reducing the footprint of the tourism
sector on marine and coastal habitats, and biodiversity. They are promoting the adequate use of
marine and coastal resources and increased marine protected areas, while creating economic
benefits for local communities. They are engaging the industry as partners and advocates in the
advocacy efforts to protect marine habitats and biodiversity and improving environmental
practice and supporting regulatory frameworks. (Reducing Impacts of Tourism, 2017)

One way to help is to provide the skills for people to rely on tourism activities that are not
destructive. In Wakatobi National Park, off the Indonesian Island of Sulawesi, WWF-Indonesia
gives locals a chance to make sustainable marine tourism a source of livelihood. This is due to
the fact that the locals are losing out to outsiders and the situation has the potential to backfire on
the protected areas biodiversity. With locals using these national park, they are more capable of
sustaining its biodiversity because they will know that the effects will affect them greatly. WWF-
Indonesia ran a capacity-building session for local facilitators in Kaledupa Islands, with the
participation of several community-based fora. On the menu introducing the core concepts of
sustainable tourism development, imparting business skills and sharing strategy development
aptitudes. For WWF-Indonesia, the aim is that these new skills will be shared by facilitators with
local communities so that they are in a better position to compete with the tour operators who
control the market. (making tourism works for locals in wakatobi national park, 2015)

WWF also embarks on a research project to examine how to achieve sustainable growth of
Belizes coastal marine tourism while maintaining healthy resilient coastal marine ecosystems. In
Belize, coral reefs, mangroves and beaches are the cornerstone of the tourism industry and
coastal communities rely on mangrove and reef-based fisheries for food security and income.
Growth of the tourism industry is key to economic development in Belize but is often
accompanied by habitat degradation that directly threatens the resources upon which the industry
depends. The challenge faced by decision-makers is how best to move forward with tourism
development whilst maintaining healthy, functional ecosystems that support the tourism industry,
sustain livelihoods and provide resilience to climate change. The said research aims to identify
coastal tourism areas in Belize vulnerable to climate change that should be prioritized for
adaptation actions, to identify areas of existing policies in Belize that can support or inhibit
climate-compatible tourism development, and to identify and prioritize adaptation strategies for
integration into policy. If the research in Belize will be a success, then it is possible to apply it
globally.

VIII. Benefits
 There will be endless benefits for both the tourism industry and marine ecosystem if the two
will interact and coexist in a decent manner.

Sound and efficient environmental management of tourism facilities and especially hotels
(e.g. water and energy saving measures, waste minimization, use of environmentally friendly
material) can decrease the environmental impact of tourism. Planning helps to make choices
between the conflicting interests of industry and tourism, in order to find ways to make them
compatible. By planning sustainable tourism development strategy at an early stage, prevents
damages and expensive mistakes, thereby avoiding the gradual deterioration of the quality of
environmental goods and services significant to tourism.

The benefits of a sustainable tourism dont end in providing foods and shelters and jobs for
many people. Even in the means of socio- culture, the benefits are still countless. As tourism has
an educational element it can foster understanding between people and cultures and provide
cultural exchange between guests and hosts. This increases the chances for people to develop
mutual sympathy, tolerance and understanding and to reduce prejudices and promote the sense of
global brotherhood. It may also help strengthening communities. For example, the Wakatobi
National Park, with the help of WWF, pursues the locals to handle tourism instead of other
countries. If this continues even in some parts of the globe, then it will reduce emigration from
rural areas. Natives will improve their job and earnings prospects through tourism-related
professional training and development of business and organizational skills. In some situations,
tourism also helps to raise local awareness concerning the financial value of preserving coral
reefs. It can stimulate a feeling of pride in local and national heritage and interest in its
conservation. More broadly, the involvement of local communities in sustainable tourism
development and operation seems to be an important condition for the sustainable use and
conservation of the biodiversity. With the coral reefs healthy and vibrant as ever, tourists can
enjoy unspoiled nature and landscapes and environmental quality of goods or services (clean air
and water)

IX. Conclusion

Even from the start, creatures are made to coexist with one another. Mutually benefitting and
supplying the needs of one to another. Recent activities have shown that people, who was
supposed to be a steward of the environment, are one of the reasons why there is irregularity in
the system and making climate change and other natural phenomena worse. Nevertheless, its
still not too late to save what can be saved in the earth. Although few for now, there will come a
time when all will act and show concern.

Every being has a vital role in the maintenance and sustainability of the world. The loss of
one affects greatly the balance of life and soon it may have a domino effect where the loss of one
will also be the loss of some.

Progress and innovation are not a bad thing to begin with. The government and organizations
and the industries must just need to take in considerations the welfare of all the involved species
to ensure that sustainability is in place.

The researcher therefore conclude that coral reefs are an important part to sustain the life of
many including man. Destruction of it caused by humans takes a great toll on them however,
man can also be the key in preserving and protecting them.

Tourism saves economically. It provides employment and growth for a country. Many
nations, especially the third-world countries, depends solely on their tourism industries and other
natural resources. Consequently, it takes pressure on the coral reefs making their adaptability
slower and due to lack of discipline of some, it also takes a great deal of pollution making their
conditions, e.g. coral bleaching, much severe. But with discipline, planning and concern, tourism
can also save environment.
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