This is some very bad news for the health of our ocean. Twenty types of coral were listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act. This is ten times the number of coral species that were listed before.
Corals are a class of species of invertebrate animals that are essential to marine life. Coral has been the focus of conservation efforts in years past as increased ocean acidification and other factors led to decreased populations. This ruling to add 20 species at once to the Endangered Species Act makes this the largest-ever addition.
However, more species of coral could have been added to the list. Eileen Sobeck, an NOAA assistant administrator, said that 83 species of coral were proposed to be listed.
The ruling on coral, which was announced by the NOAA on August 26, did not place limitations on people taking coral from the ocean, like chipping off pieces of coral for use in jewelry. However, they might place restrictions on that later.
The species of coral have been listed as threatened, not endangered. That means that they are not likely to go extinct imminently, but are at risk of becoming endangered. If action is not taken, coral populations will continue to dwindle, having a drastic effect on life in the ocean.
"Most of these species, particularly in the Caribbean, have started to experience some impacts from bleaching and elevated temperatures and disease," said David Bernhart, a biologist who works with NOAA Fisheries Service.
Two coral species, the elkhorn and staghorn corals, were listed for federal protection in 2006, eight years ago. Those coral species both live in Caribbean waters. However, now there are far more coral species up for protection, and they are not just in the Caribbean but all over, ranging from Central American waters to the Virgin Islands. Coral species in the Caribbean are faring worse overall than those in other areas in North America.
This ruling means that agencies like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) who seek to do work in areas of the ocean that might have a negative impact on coral health should contact the NOAA first to see what they can do to minimize damage to the corals. The Endangered Species Act has not yet restricted fishing activity or other activity on land such as using fertilizer, which can negatively affect corals when it spills into the water. There is a separate review process for instituting these kinds of protections, Sobeck says.
