Here is a simple guide on how you can help save the coral reefs
Check active ingredients in sunscreen.
The harmful chemicals in your sunscreen can affect marine life and especially corals. There is a high chance that the sunscreen you apply may not stay on your skin especially when jumping into the ocean right after applying your sunscreen. The sunscreen will wash off in the ocean and the chemicals in the sunscreen induce coral bleaching, damage their DNA, deform the young corals and even kill them. The sunscreen chemicals also impairs growth and photosynthesis of the green algae. Did you know that the chemicals can even decrease the fish fertility and reproduction.
So how can you protect the corals and protect yourself from the sun?
Always choose to use sunscreen without chemicals that harm marine life and use Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) sunwear.
Make sustainable seafood choices.
When reefs are overfished, this leads the reef system to collapse and the fishes that depend on the reefs in turn collapse. Mainly due to fish traps set too close to reefs such as lost nets, and lines can damage the coral reefs severely and it takes years to recover. Sustainable fishing practices ensures that the coral reefs, marine life along with us humans can all thrive together.
When diving don’t touch the corals or step on them.
The most significant rule of diving around a coral reef is to look but never touch! Even a single touch can cause the death of an entire coral reef colony. In addition to this, walking or standing on corals can kill the living coral polyps in the corals that are the builders of the reef structure. So always keep this in mind.
Don’t send chemicals into the ocean or our waterways.
Nutrients from using excess fertilisers increases algae growth that blocks sunlight from the corals that is needed for the corals to survive.
Be a marine debris crusader!
Even though you make sure to pick up your own trash, do carry away the trash that others have left behind. It’s important to recycle and dispose of trash properly. Never throw or leave any cigarette butts in the sand. In addition to this, you can volunteer and join beach clean ups to pick up trash in your community and give the coral reefs a chance to flourish.
Last but not least, spread the word!
Take initiative to learn more about coral reefs and educate your community so that your future generations have the chance to witness the beautiful marine life and the ocean that our Maldivian culture and legacy strongly revolves around.
If you want to do your part and do more, you can always donate to the Maldives Coral Institute Fund and help keep our coral reefs alive.
Maldives Coral Institute Fund is a science-led body that aims to help coral reefs to survive and adapt to the changing climate. Their mission is to research, develop and implement the means to build coral resilience, mitigate adverse human impact and save our corals and reefs from irreversible loss and degradation.
