3-day Int'l Conference on coral reefs kicks off in Lakshadweep

Kolkata: The three-day International Conference on Status and Protection of Coral Reefs titled "Stapcor 2018" organised by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) in co-ordination with the local administration began in Lakshadweep on Monday.

"The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) has declared the year 2018 as the International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2018). It provides an excellent opportunity and platform for the member countries to interact and share their scientific knowledge for the conservation of coral reefs, as best described in its theme: 'Identify and Implement Effective Management Strategies for Conservation, Increased Resiliency and Sustainable Use of Coral Reefs'," said Kailash Chandra, director of ZSI, Kolkata.

IYOR 2018 is designed to raise awareness about the threats to coral reefs and the associated ecosystem.

It further draws plans to promote partnerships between governments, the private sector, academia and civil society, and share information on best practices for the sustainable coral reef management.

According to the scientists at ZSI, coral reefs are treasure troves of the world seas.

No other ecosystem on Earth is as valued for their aesthetics and biodiversity as coral reefs, which are currently facing severe threat of depletion of great consequences for their immensely rich biodiversity. Status of world reefs indicates that it has lost more than half of their coral cover over the last two decades due to direct or indirect anthropogenic pressures associated with climate-change mediated bleaching that is reaching alarming dimensions to become "one of the great tragedies of the modern world." "Protection of coral reefs in our marine environment is possible only through a "collective will" to curtailing the rate of progression of global warming. It also requires field-level implementations of science-based policies with a view to conserve the biodiversity and ecosystem benefits," a senior ZSI scientist said.