National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy

Coral reef ecosystems are valued for their beauty, protection of coastal communities from storms, and contributions to the economy (tourism, food, jobs, and pharmaceuticals). However, coral reef ecosystems are under threat from stressors, including but not limited to land-based sources of pollution, fishing impacts, disturbances such as disease and invasive species, and climate change. Global and national-scale studies have shown that coral reefs have been declining for 50 years. 2023 marked the beginning of the fourth global bleaching event where coral reef ecosystems started experiencing the most severe and pervasive global bleaching event to date, leading to widespread accounts of coral degradation and death throughout the world’s oceans. There is an urgent need to do all we can to protect, manage, and restore coral reef ecosystems in the face of these threats.

Along with federal, state, and territorial partners and academic and nongovernmental organizations, the Coral Reef Conservation Program developed a National Coral Reef Resilience Strategy. In accordance with the reauthorized Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000, the strategic plan articulates the vision, purpose, and goals that will drive the work of the U.S. coral reef conservation community now and into the future.

Vision

Coral reef ecosystems are thriving, diverse, resilient, and able to sustain valuable ecosystem services for current and future generations.

Purpose

• To conserve and restore the condition of U.S. coral reef ecosystems challenged by natural and human threats, such as pollution, environmental emergencies and disasters, increasing ocean temperatures, changing ocean chemistry, coral bleaching, and fishing impacts
• To promote evidence-based management and sustainable use of coral reef ecosystems that benefits local communities and the Nation.
• To develop sound scientific information on the condition of and continuing and emerging threats to coral reef ecosystems, and support innovative tools, technologies, and strategies to mitigate stressors and restore coral reef ecosystems
• To support rapid, effective, and evidence-based assessment and response to emergencies and disasters that pose immediate and long-term threats to coral reefs ecosystems
• To serve as a model for advancing similar international efforts to monitor, conserve, and restore coral reef ecosystems