Thank you, gracias, mahalo. From all of us at CORAL, we want you to know that we are so grateful for your generous support in 2022.

Your gift to save coral reefs helps support countless coastal communities and protect marine species that rely on these vital ecosystems. Thanks to you, we’ve kept ocean waters free of pollution, minimized overfishing, monitored coral bleaching, promoted sustainable tourism, expanded our partnerships, and so much more. 

Thank you for your optimism, passion, and generous donations in 2022. You’ve been an important part of our mission and we are so grateful to have you in our alliance. 

The post Thank You for Standing Up for Coral Reefs in 2022 appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

Our financial support, along with assistance from Tela’s environmental committee, brought together a group of 12 local women in the community of Los Cerritos in Tela, Honduras. These women raise chickens and sell their eggs to members of the community, which ultimately relieves fishing pressure and provides additional resources to their families and the community.

Overfishing is impacting the health of coral reefs and it’s ultimately changing the quality and quantity of the fish caught. By giving local women the resources to provide new sources of food and income to the community, we ensure conservation efforts, such as Tela’s closed fishing season, are more successful and that families don’t struggle in the process. We’re proud to work directly with this motivated group of women, their chickens, and the partners who have supported this effort, in order to keep Tela’s coral reefs healthy and repopulate its fish populations.  

To learn more about our programs to save coral reefs in Tela and other key locations, sign up for our newsletter. Each month we share the latest CORAL stories and updates!

The post Local Project Led by Women Combats Overfishing in Honduras appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

Here at CORAL, we are dedicated to saving the world’s coral reefs and regularly receive questions about what they are and why they’re so important. To clear up your doubts, Dr. Helen Fox, CORAL’s Conservation Science Director, is answering your most frequently asked questions about coral reefs. 

Fox is a trained coral reef ecologist and has more than 20 years of experience working in science and conservation. She is passionate about sharing her extensive knowledge and, like all of us at CORAL, she is fully committed to saving these valuable underwater ecosystems.

Have another question? Need more information? Write to us at info@coral.org or shoot us a DM on Instagram and we’ll be in touch.

The post Your FAQs About Coral Reefs, Answered appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

SCTLD moves quickly and has proven to be lethal to some species of coral. The disease exposes the white skeleton of corals and increases the risk of being covered in macroalgae. It first started off the shores of Florida, and later spread to Mexico and then to Honduras. 

But since its early days, we’ve been preparing for the arrival of SCTLD. By monitoring reefs and supporting our partners who have advocated for funds to fight SCTLD, we’ve made a lot of progress. Now, scientists are applying a topical antibiotic around the diseased patches of coral, while also identifying the species that are less affected by SCTLD and focusing on ways to ensure these corals can reproduce. 

Your ongoing support has given our partners the resources and ability to prepare and react to this deadly coral disease. Thank you for fighting SCTLD, and for keeping corals healthy and more resilient. 

Keep reading to learn more about SCTLD and the work of local scientists and partner organizations on the ground. 

(Credit: Roatan Marine Park, Antonio Busiello)

The post Thank You For Fighting Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease  appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

Coxen Hole is a community on the island of Roatan, which is located just off the country’s northern coastline. Coxen Hole depends on its coral reefs, but currently, untreated wastewater is flowing directly into the nearshore environment, posing a threat to people, animals, and coral reefs. That’s why we’re helping the community operationalize a wastewater treatment plant, similar to what we previously implemented in the community of West End. 

Sussy Ochoa, local resident and an independent civil engineer, is leading her community in the Coxen Hole initiative because she understands the importance of keeping ocean waters clean. She has been fighting to save coral reefs since 2015. 

Thank you for supporting community leaders like Sussy! Your donation gives her the resources necessary to improve water quality in Coxen Hole—and ultimately save coral reefs in the Mesoamerican region. 

Discover more about our work in Roatan here. 

The post Thank You for Investing in Water and Sanitation appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

In recent educational videos, Dr. Antonella Rivera, CORAL’s Principle Investigator in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, shares her knowledge about community-based practices that utilize a bottom-up, collaborative approach to conservation. 

Below she shares her knowledge about fishery co-management solutions that address overfishing and protect local food sources. These actions have made a positive impact in Tela Bay, Honduras, and can be repeated in other communities in the Caribbean and around the world. 

To learn more about local actions taken in Tela Bay, Honduras, check out our latest blog post, featuring Tela’s successful closed fishing season in 2021.

The post New Educational Videos That Focus on Protecting Coral Reefs appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

By using “best management practices,” which are effective measures used to reduce marine pollution, we are able to minimize sediment pollution on coral reefs. Our volunteers grow and plant native vegetation at key locations near coastal streams, which act as natural barriers and trap sediment runoff before it reaches the ocean and coral reefs.

One of our most supportive volunteers is Blake, an island local born and raised in Makawao, Maui. He has been working with CORAL for the last two years, participating as a lead volunteer in planting events and assisting with data collection. Saving coral reefs is important to Blake because of the food they provide for the people of Hawai’i and their cultural value. He believes that the ocean takes care of the land and it’s our duty to care for corals in return. 

Thanks to your generous donation in 2021, volunteers like Blake can continue to protect the coral reefs in Hawai’i.  

Learn more about our conservation program in West Maui here. 

The post Thank You for Supporting CORAL’s Volunteers in Maui appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

This committee, made up of local NGOs, governmental organizations, and community members, helps protect the area’s natural resources and safeguard protected areas. More specifically, part of the committee focuses on preserving the country’s coastal marine ecosystems and resources.

Below, hear from committee members as they discuss local efforts to protect marine ecosystems and what’s at stake for their nearby coral reefs.

The post Local Honduran Committee Takes Action to Protect Coastal Marine Ecosystems appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

Your donation means everything to us. 

It keeps ocean waters free of pollution, addresses overfishing, and helps us fight coral bleaching. With your help, coastal communities and local partners remain resilient and our leading scientists continue their cutting-edge research and innovation.

From near and far, our global team of passionate environmentalists would like to say thank you. Thank you for your generosity, shared passion for coral reef conservation, and ongoing support in 2021. We are optimistic that together, we will continue to keep coral reefs healthy—allowing them to adapt to climate change and thrive for future generations. 

The post Thank You for Supporting CORAL in 2021  appeared first on Coral Reef Alliance.

In West Maui, Hawai‘i, CORAL’s Senior Program Manager Jennifer Vander Veur shares how our actions on land can impact what happens under the sea.

Run-off sediment is threatening nearby coral reefs and making it harder for them to survive. To address this problem, Vander Veur leads our efforts to protect coral reefs by using native plants to trap sediment before it reaches coral reefs. 

Learn how you can participate in our volunteer program in West Maui, by filling out our interest form. 

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