{"id":1065,"date":"2021-08-09T06:52:19","date_gmt":"2021-08-09T13:52:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coral.org\/?page_id=1065"},"modified":"2026-06-11T15:06:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:06:15","slug":"direct-threats","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/direct-threats\/","title":{"rendered":"Direct Threats"},"content":{"rendered":"<section class=\"hero-section alignfull wp-block-coral-hero\" role=\"banner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10.jpg\" class=\"hero-background\" alt=\"\" loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10-796x448.jpg 796w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2025\/03\/10-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\n\t<div class=\"hero-section__inner-container\">\n\t\t\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center hero-subtitle\">Coral Reefs 101<\/p>\n\n<h1 class=\"has-text-align-center hero-title wp-block-post-title\">Direct Threats<\/h1>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns coral-reefs-101-container is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-14cf5ab5 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\"><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:320px\"><nav style=\"font-size:15px;font-style:normal;font-weight:600;\" class=\"wp-block-coral-classic-menu-1 has-active-indicator has-submenu-indent coral-101-menu wp-block-coral-classic-menu\" aria-label=\"Coral Reefs 101 Sidebar\">\n\t<ul id=\"menu-coral-reefs-101-sidebar\" class=\"menu\"><li id=\"menu-item-1513\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-1513\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/\">Coral Reef Ecology<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1514\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1514\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/coral-polyps\/\">Coral Polyps<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1518\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1518\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/hard-corals\/\">Hard Corals<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1522\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1522\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/soft-corals\/\">Soft Corals<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1521\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1521\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/how-reefs-are-made\/\">How Reefs Are Made<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2193\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2193\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/what-do-corals-reefs-need-to-survive\/\">What Do Corals Reefs Need to Survive?<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2194\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2194\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/geography\/\">Where Are Coral Reefs Located?<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1519\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1519\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/how-coral-reefs-grow\/\">How Coral Reefs Grow<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1520\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1520\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/how-corals-reproduce\/\">How Corals Reproduce<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2195\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2195\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/types-of-coral-reef-formations\/\">Types of Coral Reef Formations<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-2205\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-2205\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/reef-threats\/\">Reef Threats<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1517\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1517\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/global-threats\/\">Global<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-1516\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-1516\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/direct-threats\/\">Direct<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-2203\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-has-children menu-item-2203\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/\">Why Care About Reefs?<\/a>\n<ul class=\"sub-menu\">\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2201\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2201\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/biodiversity\/\">Biodiversity<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2200\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2200\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/coastal-protection\/\">Coastal Protection<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2199\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2199\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/food\/\">Food<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2198\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2198\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/medicine\/\">Medicine<\/a><\/li>\n\t<li id=\"menu-item-2197\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2197\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/coral-reefs-101\/why-care-about-reefs\/tourism\/\">Tourism<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li id=\"menu-item-2361\" class=\"menu-item menu-item-type-post_type menu-item-object-page menu-item-2361\"><a href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/how-can-you-help\/\">How Can You Help?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/nav>\n<\/div><div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unsustainable Fishing<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">55% of the world\u2019s coral reefs are affected by overfishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">When fish populations decline, particularly those that feed on algae, algae can grow unchecked, eventually smothering corals. Other unsustainable fishing practices can physically destroy entire sections of coral reefs\u2014for example, blast fishing destroys 64 square feet (5.9 square meters) of reef with a single blast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button wp-block-button-2\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-blue-background-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/what-we-do\/local-engagement\/healthy-fisheries\/\">Protecting Fisheries<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Land-Based Pollution<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">25% of coral reefs around the world are affected by agricultural runoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Wastewater on coral reefs takes on many forms\u2014sewage, agricultural runoff, industrial waste discharge, etc. When wastewater enters the marine environment, it brings with it chemicals and bacteria that are harmful to coral reefs and humans. It also brings nutrients, which can spur the growth of algae. And if sediment travels into the ocean via runoff, it can block out the necessary sunlight that corals need to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button wp-block-button-3\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-blue-background-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/what-we-do\/local-engagement\/clean-water-for-reefs\/\">Ensuring Clean Water<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Habitat Destruction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">27% of the world&#8217;s coral reefs are in protected areas, but only 6% of those are well managed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\">Unsustainable tourism and coastal development can cause lasting damage on a coral reef. Behaviors such as touching or standing on a coral reef or constructing buildings and roads to close to the shoreline without taking proper precautions can instantly damage a reef that is thousands of years old. Unsustainable boating practices, like anchoring on a reef, can also cause destruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button wp-block-button-4\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-blue-background-color has-background\" href=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/what-we-do\/local-engagement\/habitat-protection\/\">Keeping Habitats Intact<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:100px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"664\" fetchpriority=\"low\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/coral.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-1024x664.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2215\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-1024x664.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-796x516.jpg 796w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-768x498.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-1536x996.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/static.coral.org\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Website_CoralThreats_Header_Direct-2048x1327.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Algae and sediment pollution on beach near reef Maui; photo by CORAL staff.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unsustainable Fishing 55% of the world\u2019s coral reefs are affected by overfishing. When fish populations decline, particularly those that feed on algae, algae can grow unchecked, eventually smothering corals. Other unsustainable fishing practices can physically destroy entire sections of coral reefs\u2014for example, blast fishing destroys 64 square feet (5.9 square meters) of reef with a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8382,"parent":93,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"coral_transparent_header":false,"coral_hide_siblings_nav":true,"coral_hide_flyout":false,"coral_hide_title":false,"coral_no_footer_gap":false,"coral_subtitle":"","coral_subheading":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1065","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1065"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1065\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8382"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/coral.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}