         |
||||
|
Reef Check was established in 1997 to reverse the global decline in the health of coral reefs and is the only program that defines and measures reef health using a standard method on a global scale. The Reef Check mission is to:
Reef Check Strategy and ActivitiesOn a global scale, the Reef Check strategy is to support a National Coordinator in all 120 coral reef countries and territories. Coordinators interact through regular regional training sessions, meetings, and joint survey activities. Within each country, the Coordinator’s role is to seek funding to bring together teams of volunteer marine scientists, government technical staff and community members, and to provide them with the training so that they can monitor changes in coral reef health. Reef Check provides coral reef management training to empower the teams to work with government agencies, environmental groups and the private sector to design and implement solutions to coral reef problems detected by their monitoring. The results of the monitoring are analyzed at local, regional and global scales to produce an annual report on the state of the world’s coral reefs and for publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals. A web-based expert advisory system is under development to make the results and management advice more widely available. A Press Conference is held in each country and at Headquarters to disseminate each year’s results. In 2002, a five-year report will be produced. Reef Check AchievementsReef Check carried out the first global survey of coral reefs in 1997. The results provided the first scientific evidence of the global extent of the coral reef crisis and highlighted the critical role of overfishing in damaging reefs. Reef Check was instrumental in raising public awareness about the coral reef crisis through scientific papers, the book "Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2000, and reports for national and international news media including BBC, CNN and USA Today, thus building public support for reef conservation. In 1998, Reef Check was selected by the United Nations (UNEP, UNDP and UNESCO) to serve as their community-based reef program. Reef Check is the first step in sustainable community management of coral reefs as exemplified by successful marine management in St. Lucia and Cebu, Philippines. Awards include the Global Environmental Prize from CMAS, the World Underwater Federation in January 2000, the Chevron Conservation Award in August 2001, and the NOAA Environmental Award in December 2001. Reef Check relies on volunteer divers and marine scientists to gather information from which the health of the world's coral reefs can be determined. We will be contributing to Reef Check's work by carrying out coral reef surveys throughout the expedition and liasing with Reef Check co-ordinators in Kuwait, Oman, Iran and India. In addition, the dive sites and diving centres that we visit will be documented on this website, creating a database for other divers. Web design by helen@oceannomad.com |
||||
