Coral Reefs Doomed?

Marine paleontologists say that a thousand years of overfishing have killed coral reefs to the point where they could disappear altogether in a matter of decades without drastic multi-government intervention to expand no-take zones. In some spots like Jamaica, the amount of the coral still alive is down to 5% of the reef.

Besides threatening the food supply of much of the world, reef loss could imperil natural harbors that are sheltered by coral formation and could undermine tourism based on the appeal of vibrant coral life. Failure to prevent continued coral reef deterioration could turn countries such as Australia -- which are dependent on tourism at attractions such as the Great Barrier Reef -- into "Third World countries," Pandolfi said.

Some anti-environmentalists might scoff, saying that humanity will continue to muddle through whatever happens to the coral reefs, Pandolfi acknowledged. He added: "If you want to live in a world where the ocean is mostly jellyfish and bacteria, there's nothing I can do about it."