| Human Contact |
Touching Reefs, even slightly, can harm them. Boats and dropped
anchors can cause severe damage to these fragile ecosystems. Frequent human
contact kills the reefs over time. |
| Runoff Water |
Silt from eroded soil in runoff water can block sunlight. Without
sunlight, photosynthesis does not occur and reefs gradually die. |
| Sewage |
Untreated or improperly treated sewage promotes the growth of algae,
which harms coral reefs. |
| Cyanide Fishing |
Some fishermen stun fish by squirting cyanide, a very toxic poison,
into reef areas where fish seek refuge. The poison does not kill, but disorients
the fish in the coral where they hide.
The fisherman then rip apart the reefs with crowbars to capture the
fish. In addition, cyanide kills coral polyps and the symbiotic algae and
other small organisms necessary for healthy reefs. Cyanide fishing is common
in the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. |
| Fertilizers & Pollution |
Fertilizer runoff, pesticides and other chemicals can poison reefs. |
| Blast Fishing |
Shock waves from blast fishing can destroy coral reefs. |
