Overfishing threatens coral reefs worldwide, yet there is no reliable estimate on the number of reef fishers globally. We address this data gap by quantifying the number of reef fishers on a global scale, using two approaches - the first estimates reef fishers as a proportion of the total number of marine fishers in a country, based on the ratio of reef-related to total marine fish landed value...

Living reef fishes are one of the most diverse vertebrate assemblages on Earth. Despite its prominence and ecological importance, the origins and assembly of the reef fish fauna is poorly described. A patchy fossil record suggests that the major colonization of reef habitats must have occurred in the Late Cretaceous and early Palaeogene, with the earliest known modern fossil coral reef fish ass...

Coral reef fishes are exploited without the knowledge of their sustainability and their possible effect in altering the community structure of a coral reef ecosystem. Alteration of the community structure could cause a decline in the health of coral reefs and its services. We documented the coral community structure, status of live corals and reef fish assemblages in Palk Bay at the reef fishin...

If the primary goal of artificial reef construction is the creation of additional reef habitat that is comparable to adjacent natural rocky-reef, then performance should be evaluated using simultaneous comparisons with adjacent natural habitats. Using baited remote underwater video (BRUV) fish assemblages on purpose-built estuarine artificial reefs and adjacent natural rocky-reef and sand-flat ...

We compared catches of settlement-stage reef fishes in light traps attached to underwater speakers playing reef sounds with those of silent traps during a summer recruitment season at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Of the total 40191 reef fishes we collected, significantly more (67%; Wilcoxon and Binomial tests: p< 0.001) appeared in the traps with broadcast reef noise. Traps dep...

The Persian Gulf is northern part of the ROPME Sea Area (RSA), and is semi-enclosed shallow sea which located in subtropical climate. Measuring is 1000km in length, varying in width 60-340km, and average depth is about 35m and maximum depth is 105m. This research was carried out during 2005-2010 for reviewing the corals status and determination of coral reef habitats distribution in the Persian...

The species composition, distribution, and abundance ofmedusae collected during aCday plankton survey in a reef system ofthe Mexican Caribbean were studied. Highest mean medusae abundance was observed over the fore-reef zone and in daytime samples. Lowest abundances occurred in the reef lagoon and at dusk. Seventeen species were identified, with Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma,Cubaia aph...

The Reef Water Quality Protection Plan (Reef Plan) defined a landmark for policy in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) region. It identifies actions, mechanisms and partnerships, and builds on existing Government policies, industry and community initiatives for the purpose of “halting and reversing the decline in water quality entering the Reef within 10 years” through, “reducing the load of pollutan...

A multi-disciplinary project lead by the U.S. Geological Survey is currently studying the fringing reef off southern Molokai, Hawaii, in an effort to characterize the biological structure and geologic variability of coral reef systems. Wave modeling and field observations were utilized to help understand the physical controls on reef morphology and the distribution of coral species. The morphol...