Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna has said that the findings on the Maldivian coral reefs have revealed the need for urgent steps to conserve them.
Speaking at the ceremony held to publish the results of an assessment conducted on coral reefs of the Maldives under the Red List Initiative, Minister Shauna said the results of the research on the reefs have revealed major concerns. She said the results from the 39 species of corals examined indicate that urgent measures are needed to conserve them. She also called on all the organisations to put efforts into protecting the coral reefs and urged the people to work together instead of giving up hope.
During the ceremony, Minister Shauna also presented certificates of completion to 13 participants of the Red List training on the identification of endangered species. The assessment conducted on 39 species of corals shows that 23 are critically endangered, six are endangered, seven are vulnerable and three are near threatened meaning 36 species are included among the threatened with extinction categories.
Coral reefs of the Maldives represent 3.14% of the world’s reef areas making it the seventh largest reef system in the world. The Maldives has 2,031 distinct coral reefs, having at least 258 stony coral species belonging to 57 genera. The issue of coral bleaching as a result of increasing temperatures of the sea due to climate change remains pertinent. Several conservation efforts are underway on a national scale to combat the damage to coral reefs.