What Is the Problem In the South Pacific Coral Reefs?
There are several factors that play into the destruction of the coral reef in the south pacific seas. One of these factors is fishing. While fishing with the areas of the coral reef can provide food for thousands of people, the techniques used can cause damage to the reefs. Two of the most destructive forms of fishing are blast fishing which essentially blows up part of the reef and chemical or cyanide fishing which basically drugs the fish so that they are easier to catch. Both of these techniques have damaging effects to the reef. Other causes of damage to the reef are destruction by way of tourism in the form of coral collecting for sale or diving and not be careful and respectful of the environment. Yet another major cause of destruction is pollution. There are several different way pollutants find their way into the ocean and the coral reef. They included disasters like oil spills and other chemical spills but also run off from chemicals used in the land surrounding the areas. These chemical can make their way into rivers and streams and eventually into the ocean.
Another problem affecting the coral reefs is the environment and global warming. This causes a phenomenonon called coral bleaching. This happens when the waters in the ocean warm then the coral spits out algea that would normally supply it's food and give it color. Basically the increase of carbon dioxide causes this to happen. When the coral bleaching occurs for longer then a couple of months the coral that has been affect will die off.
