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<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Dear Fellow Coral Reef Scientists,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>For the past 10 to 15 years, I have noticed a
tremendous increase in tourism development near, adjacent or right on top of
various coral reef ecosystems throughout the entire world. Reefs of my
"home town" island of Guam changed before my eyes in a matter of a few
short years. Reefs that originally supported clear water species changed
to those species that can tolerate silt and eventually predominated. The
"change" of course was the death of the Acroporas and other associated
species found more so in clear waters. No doubt, a coral reef certainly does try
to stay alive and adapt to man's changes but there are, of course, limitations
before the reef ecosystem succumbs.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Movies, TV, scientist celebrities, and tourist
marketing have been helping to bring the human masses to the reefs of the world
to wonder and ogle at the strange and fascinating marine life. But this has been
at a tremendous cost!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Many if not most tourism developments and
operations on / near coral reef ecosystems have had serious negative
consequences as a result of inadequate human waste & related/associated
packaging waste treatment and elimination -[from plastic bags to the horrific
cookie & potato chip mini-bags]. Tourists visiting a coral reef shallows in
Sabah alone, leave behind a certain amount of glittering mini chip bags dotting
the reef - dumped off the boats many times by the boat operators themselves and
not so much the tourists.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Rumors have it that large tracts of shallow
coral reef flats in Belau, Micronesia have been all but destroyed by
unregulated, uncontrolled, ignorant, and often times, outright thoughtless
negligence of tourists. But where were their local guides?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>Are some tourist nationalities more conscious than others of
the coral reefs' physical fragile nature? Can education be instituted at a level
of almost licensing tour guides and making them legally liable for any damages
caused by their tourist groups? Should the "Barb Wire Fence"
syndrome be rigidly applied to coral reef ecosystems - Stay Out? How can
tourists still see the coral reef wonders but yet not seriously affect the
ecosystem mechanisms?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>I would like to get feedback from the Coral List
community about this subject, papers, article refs. anything, whereas, this
coming Oct, I will be speaking at the World EcoTourism Conference being held in
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia - Oct 17th to the 23rd. The subject of my
brief talk will be about "How Tourists Can See the Reef and Not Kill
It." I will be covering tourist development waste affection and
elimination, methods of guidance, tourist supported research & restoration,
and alternative ways of coral reef sight seeing.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>If you want something said on this subject..now is the time
for me to quote you this coming October.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Regards to All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Don Baker</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>The Director</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>THE REEF PROJECT</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>G16 Wisma Sabah</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>88000 Kota Kinabalu</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 size=2>Sabah, Malaysia</FONT></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>