Reef Check 98 Maldives Statement

[Reethi Rah Resort]

Reef Check 98 Maldives

False information about the Maldivian Reef Check on the Internet

It has come to our attention, that you have received information about =
the findings of the Reef Check 98 Maldives going on at this moment. The =
source implies that all the coral reefs in the Maldives are to 95% dead =
and that coral bleaching is responsible for this situation. Also it =
implies, that this statement was issued by the project management =
responsible for the Reef Check 98 Maldives.=20

To this we state: The information you have received, is false and not =
authorized by the Reef Check 98 Maldives project management.=20

As there are still teams working in the Maldives, the scientific data =
collected has not yet been evaluated. Therefore there is no basis for =
speculations about the status of the reefs of the Maldives. Since the =
studies took or are taking place only in the North Male and the Ari =
Atoll there is also no basis for a general statement on the status of =
the Maldivian coral reefs.

The idea of the Reef Check Project as we perceive it is to collect as =
much data as possible to generate an overview of the status of coral =
reefs worldwide. The method allows a general overview but is not aimed =
at describing or explaining short-term dynamic processes.

The project management of the Maldivian Reef Check is aware of these =
facts and therefore cannot accept false and unauthorized statements of =
this kind. We advise you therefore, to ignore any information on the =
findings of the Reef Check 98 Maldives not issued by the project =
management.