Sustainable Reefs: A Global Initiative

Our greatest gift to the next generation will be healthy reefs. Photo credit: Dr. Richard Murphy,
Ocean Futures Society

Ocean Futures Society understands the vital connection between the health of coral reefs and the quality of peoples’ lives, based on experiences gained from our various Cousteau expeditions. These experiences have shown us that increased awareness and education are the necessary first steps in achieving sustainable management of coral reefs and their associated fisheries.

Sustainable Reefs is a global coral reef education and awareness building initiative for coastal and island nations with coral reefs in peril. Our goals are:

To show people the value of coral reefs, how they are threatened by human activity and what can be done to protect them.
To show why various factors like pollution, destructive fishing practices, and global warming are harmful to reefs.

Sustainable Reefs consists of culturally appropriate, multi-media educational resources including a video, introduced and concluded by a well-known and respected local hero or spokesperson, and a cartoon book, Treasure on the Reef, both translated in the native island language, with accompanying teacher's guidebooks. A full color poster in the local language and a cassette tape of a local radio 'talk back' program on reefs will also be included.

For seventeen Pacific Island countries including: Fiji, Vanuatu, The Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga, Samoa, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, and French Polynesia, Sustainable Reefs resources will be provided in the local languages and will be distributed free of charge. Recipients include secondary schools, general public through local TV and radio networks, Ministries of Education, Fisheries and Environment, Non-Governmental Organizations with an ocean focus, dive associations and dive operators.

It is our intention that these educational and entertaining materials will engage young people in thinking about the value of reefs and that, with an understanding of basic ecological principles, they will become better stewards of their coral reef resources.

We are collaborating with the United Nations Small Islands Developing States program, the University of the South Pacific, USP Satellite Campuses, and regional partners. Resources will be ready for distribution in October 2003.

Ocean Futures Society is actively seeking support to adapt Sustainable Reefs for countries in the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific region.