Biodiversity
- Home to over 25% of all known marine fish
-Species: 4,000 reef-living fish, 800 reef-building coral
- Many scientists think it is only a fraction - many may not have beendiscovered
Shoreline protection:
-'Buffer' coasts from wave erosions & the impact of storms - cheaper than man-made defences
- Growing in importance as sea-levels rise!
Food
- Local people eat from coral reef: fish, conch, lobsters, sea urchins & cucumbers
- 20% of animal protein consumed comes from marine - Reefs providing 25% of the fish catch
- Promotes commercial fishing
- High tech commercial fishing increasing pressure on reefs
Medicine
- Algae & Sponges yield bioactive compaous
- Reef species support new treatments for: bacterial infections, bone grafts, some cancers
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