ABSTRACT
Coral reefs are areas of exceptional biodiversity, social value and are among the most economically valuable ecosystems on the planet. They provide numerous benefits to people including producing fish for food and markets, protecting coasts from storms, providing recreational benefits and they are a critical source of incomes from the tourism industry with 23 countries deriving more than 15 per cent of GDP from reef-related tourism (Burke et al. 2011; Rinkevich 2015). Over 275 million people live in the immediate vicinity of coral reefs and are highly dependent on the services they provide but coral reefs are not just important to coastal communities and small island states. Inland communities depend on the fish produced or the sand generated from coral reefs for the production of concrete or as the beach of a holiday destination. Despite our dependence on coral reefs, they are under threat with 75 per cent rated as threatened globally (Burke et al. 2011).
