Reefs at Risk

[John McManus]

1 July 1998

Dear Coral-listers:

I just returned for a few days amid a series of trips.  I'm pleased to see
there has been some healthy debate over the "Reefs at Risk" report.  It was
obviously our first shot at the global situation analysis.  We are already
hard at work arranging for follow-up versions over the next few years.  We
hope that we can count on all of you to help produce an increasingly
accurate picture of the state of the reefs and the changes that are
occurring.

Three important aspects of the analysis were the model, the consultations
and the data.  We will strive to improve the first by figuring out various
options for weighting and incorporating the most meaningful variables.  We
are hoping to dig up support for future consultations to involve more
regional experts, perhaps via regional meetings.  Finally, we really need
more data with which to adjust the model.

We encourage inputs in all three aspects.  The model is reasonably 
well-explained in the report.  Please feel free to send in suggestions to 
any of the authors for improving the model.  If we find support for regional 
meetings, we will call on a larger consultative body to help out.  However, 
in the area of data availability we need help from a wide range of 
coral-listers and your contacts.  The world still holds tens of thousands of 
reef reports (environmental impact studies, technical reports, etc.) which 
we do not have in ReefBase.  We are moving increasingly into consolidating 
and disseminating large sets of raw survey data.  More surveys need doing. 
 We also need more reports of stresses affecting reefs, such as appear in 
Coral-list.  Careful follow-up and formal publication will raise the 
confidence levels and utility of the reports.  We need both "forward 
observers" (sport divers) and "heavy artillery" (scientists, managers, etc.) 
in this effort.

For more information on how to help with ReefBase and related activities, 
please write to <reefbase at cgnet.com>.

Sincerely,

Dr John W McManus
ReefBase Project Leader
Aquatic Environments Program
International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM)
MCPO Box 2631, Makati City, Philippines 0718
<j.mcmanus at cgnet.com>
http://www.reefbase.org