CORALcurrent SUMMER 2019

CORAL REEF ALLIANCE YEARS OF SAVING CORAL REEFS Q&A WITH DR. JOHN ANNER AND DR. MICHAEL WEBSTER

Q & A

Recently the Coral Reef Alliance’s (CORAL) Chair of the Board of Directors, Dr. John Anner, and Executive Director, Dr. Michael Webster, shared their reflections on the organization’s 25th anniversary. We asked them a series of questions about how the organization has evolved since its inception in 1994 and where they see the organization going over the next 25 years.

How did CORAL get its start? sustainability in the tourism sector. Based on the scientific work we’re direction is both revolutionary and “As we move forward, we Michael Webster: CORAL was We’re still seeing the benefits of this doing now, we realize that it’s evolutionary. It’s revolutionary in founded by divers for conservation, early work around the world. For the global collection of Adaptive the sense that it represents a fairly recognize that to save coral which is why our original logo was example, we worked in Bonaire to Reefscapes that are our best dramatic change for CORAL in where we’re putting the emphasis. in the shape of a diver down flag. help make sure that their marine chance of getting coral reefs reefs, we will need to organize the It’s a shift in emphasis from being Our founders were scuba divers park user fee system, which helps through the bottleneck of climate global community of scientists, very focused on implementation who were seeing dive sites in pay for ongoing reef management, change. By rallying the conservation to understanding the greater conservationists, governments and decline and asking: what can the was operating successfully. And we community around our solution responsibility and guiding the communities around solutions that dive community do about this? They even helped spread this model for to the coral reef crisis, we can thinking about how to save coral organized underwater clean-ups, sustainable management to places build alliances to achieve lasting reefs. And now we need to scale. By rallying the conservation had trainings at scuba shops and like Honduras and Fiji. outcomes for coral reefs across share that with the rest of the community, we can build alliances worked with governments and the globe. conservation community. When I joined as Executive Director management agencies to help What do the next 25 years look like to achieve lasting outcomes for in 2011, the first question that I What are some of the biggest ensure that reefs were protected. for CORAL? asked of all of CORAL’s staff was, impacts you’ve seen CORAL coral reefs across the globe.” have, and how do you see them Michael Webster: Local, John Anner: While I wasn’t on the “What are the biggest threats to carrying us forward? community-based, conservation is Board of Directors at its founding, I reefs and what are we doing to the core of the future of coral reefs, John Anner: CORAL’s had a lot – Michael Webster have great respect for the alliance address them?” In that process, of things to celebrate, small and and will therefore be the focus of that was formed by this group of we realized that we needed to large. Our work engaging local CORAL’s work. But by itself, local dedicated volunteers. Their drive expand our efforts to reduce the communities to help them preserve conservation is not enough, so helped CORAL get “off the ground,” full set of local threats to reefs. For their coral reefs had really big CORAL will also be doing more in and allowed for the organization example, we began focusing on benefits in the form of increased fish the fields of science, education, and marketing, while expanding to demonstrate its value to the water pollution as a key threat to populations and coastal protection. our partnerships with a whole host conservation community. coral reefs. During this time, we’ve We also gave an annual award, the of different organization from the witnessed a major shift in the coral CORAL Prize, to celebrate local How has CORAL changed since heroes and helped them provide the biggest NGOs in the world on down conservation community toward its founding 25 years ago? tools their community needed so to the smallest and everywhere in identifying and addressing water between. We see opportunities Michael Webster: CORAL has they could take care of their reef. pollution on coral reefs. to work with the global coral grown and changed over the Virtually every reef in the world is reef community to get to years. After getting its start as a As we move forward, we recognize connected to people. The ability better solutions. conservation organization of the that to save coral reefs, we will need to work with all the individuals and scuba diving community, we began John Anner: It’s the same to organize the global community communities that are connected to focus more and more on helping organization with the same basic of scientists, conservationists, to a coral reef is and remains an local communities manage their mission. We have this amazing governments and reef-dependent important part of the work that coral reefs. We sought to leverage ecosystem, and we’re still a group communities around solutions we continue to do. the power of tourism to promote that scale. We know that we can’t of people who care about it deeply effective local conservation, and achieve our mission alone—and, Can you describe how CORAL’s for a lot of really good reasons. We we developed programs like the indeed, it would be foolish to try work is meeting the current have taken this on as a stake of Coral Reef Sustainable Destination given the countless efforts underway challenges facing coral reefs? responsibility to figure out the best (CRSD) model, which promoted globally to save coral reefs. John Anner: I think CORAL’s way to advance our mission to save the world’s coral reefs, swiftly.

2 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 3 “For the last 25 years, CORAL has been delivering high-quality conservation programs that have made a difference in the world. We’re now prepared to take the next step in our progression as an organization: leveraging our knowledge and reputation as a highly-trusted partner to rally the conservation community to save coral reefs at a global scale.” – Dr. Michael Webster

1994 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Organization founded Established the Bonaire CORAL awarded Scuba Established new marine Launched Dive In to CORAL’s work in Fiji Hired Executive Director Awarded $600k CORAL plays an Launched first domestic Published the first-ever Budget exceeds $2 Installed nearly 40 CORAL helps establish Coordinated volunteer Hired Dr. Michael Reefs for Tomorrow Launched organizational Wastewater treatment Launched Modeling Expanded to three new Publication of “Who Developed a new Celebrated CORAL’s by Stephen Colwell to Dive Festival to raise Diving Magazine Award protected areas program Earth Day to encourage begins with a focus on Brian Huse by USAID to foster instrumental role in conservation program Voluntary Standards million mooring buoys in Belize the Kahekili Herbivore activities for the Webster as Executive Initiative launches rebrand with a shift from plant up and running Adaptation Potential sites in Fiji: Oneata in Should Pick the Winners” strategic plan to 25th anniversary of engage the dive awareness of marine for Diver Involvement in the public to participate the Namena Marine sustainable tourism creating a volunteer dive on Maui to improve for Marine Recreation and other infrastructure Fisheries Management Ka’anapali Makai Watch Director dive flag to butterflyfish in Roatán (MAP) project for Lau Province, Waivunia paper in Trends in accomplish the goal our founding community in protecting beauty Conservation Became a founding in Earth Day activities Reserve Conducted the first-ever industry along the tag program for Namena management of Honolua to enhance protection Implemented the improvements around Area in West Maui program, which engaged Movement into logo Adaptive Reefscapes in Cakaudrove Province Ecology & Evolution of saving coral reefs coral reefs, whose member of the focused on marine survey of marine park Mesoamerican Barrier Marine Reserve Bay and Molokini Marine of the Mesoamerican Coral Reef Sustainable Roatán in Honduras community members in Collaborated with wastewater with West Awarded the first CORAL and Ra Province around the globe Launched new Mission, significant declines Provided leadership to International Coral themes; approximately managers, detailing the Reef, involving the Life Protection Districts Barrier Reef Destination (CRSD) the enforcement of reef the Hol Chan Marine Maui injection well First measurable Conservation Prize to Roatán Marine Park Roatán Marine Park Vision and Values to due to human activities the first International Year Reef Network (ICRAN), 1,650 divers and more key opportunities and nations of Mexico, program in 7 communities Established Raja Ampat, management Reserve and the San campaign increase in fish catch Nyoman Sugiarate, (RMP) achieves becomes self-sustaining Regional Honduras guide our strategic plan were beginning to be of the Reef (IYOR) public a coalition formed than 3,000 other marine challenges facing Belize, Guatemala Completed design CORAL begins working in Mexico, Belize, Fiji, Indonesia, as a full- Pedro Tour Guide in the Namena Marine a Balinese fisherman financial independence in Roatán program in place, with to save the world’s documented awareness campaign to implement the enthusiasts throughout coral reef marine and Honduras of new approach for on sustainable marine Hawaii, Papua New fledged CRSD site; the Expanded our marine Association to host Reserve committed to protecting in managing MPAs sites in Roatán, Guanaja, coral reefs International Coral Reef the world participated protected areas reef conservation, the recreation in Hawai‘i Guinea, and Indonesia user fee that CORAL conservation work to the the first-ever lionfish coral reefs along the western Half Moon Bay in Utila, Tela and Trujillo Awarded the first Filmed and featured in a Initiative Framework in activities such as Total budget of $1.1m Coral Reef Sustainable established earned more community of Amed in tournament in San CORAL begins working end of Roatán Honduras meets EPA Hawai‘i State legislature microgrant to Bonaire PBS documentary titled for Action underwater and beach IMAX Coral Reef with 10 staff members Destination (CRSD) CORAL begins working than $100,000 in its first North Bali Pedro, Belize in North Bali by building safe swimming standards CORAL launches an approves funding to Marine Park The Visionaries, that cleanups, fish and coral Adventure screened model in Indonesia, with an year local capacity to manage CORAL works for the first time Adaptive Reefscape plan and design a Puakō documented CORAL’s surveys, mooring buoy at the Tech Museum Published The Practical initial focus on Raja CORAL helps the the LMMA network with a local partner in planning process for the sewer system and CORAL launches a work to promote coral installations, and artificial in San Jose Guide to Good Practice CORAL gives Roatán Ampat Sponsored educational Namena Marine Karangasem, Indonesia Main Hawaiian Islands transition the community Launched a traveling Launched the Dive CORAL establishes citizen science water reef conservation in Palau reef placement —a comprehensive Marine Park (RMP) a events in honor of the Trained over 700 of Reserve become Fiji’s to implement Photo- away from outdated underwater photography Operator Recognition Advised Cozumel manual for building $5,000 micro-grant 2008 International Year Mexico’s tourism first anchor-free MPA the Geotourism voices, a project that Reefs in West End quality monitoring Tela Bay is declared a cesspools exhibition, Coral Reef Program to reward Created the traveling Opened branch office Marine Park on how environmental and Selected by UNESCO to help build their co- of the Reef in Hawai‘i, operators in sustainable by installing moorings Council in Honduras helps locals identify Honduras ‘green’ for program in Puakō, Marine Wildlife Refuge, Masterpieces, which environmentally slide show, The Vanishing in Bonaire to cope with specific economic sustainability to facilitate stakeholder management capacity Belize, Fiji and Bonaire marine recreation throughout the reserve Budget broke $4 million to encourage private conservation priorities the first time in Healthy Hawai'i protecting 86,259 Pioneering study was viewed by nearly sustainable business Rainbow, which reached management issues for the marine recreation process in Kiribati for the for the first time tourism operators to by photographing Reefs Initiative analysis hectares of coastal “Management for 2 million people practices on coral reefs more than 100 dive such as invasive algae, industry formulation of a World CORAL supports Created the new CORAL helps create adopt more sustainable environmental issues ocean network diversity speeds clubs, schools and user fee administration Heritage Site in the partners and the Kubulau Environmental Walk- a voluntary dive fee CORAL and partners practices Launched the Clean CORAL motivates 17 evolutionary adaptation Conducted the first-ever Facilitated new user-fee CORAL is invited to communities and park protection central Pacific Ocean community in developing Through program system that funds encourage the Honduran Water for Reefs project shoreline property to climate change” training of sustainable system for the Namena sit on a Hawai‘i state the first ecosystem- to provide critical effective patrols around government to declare in Puakō to help the owners on Maui Island to launched by CORAL dive operations in Provided a five-day Marine Reserve in Working Group formed Launched the Designed a new user fee based management plan assessments for marine Misool Island (Raja Expanded our Reef Cordelia Banks, Roatán community address invest over $19 million in published in journal Bonaire training program to dive Fiji, which generated by Act 132 to develop International Coral Reef system in Pohnpei that for the Namena Marine recreation operators Ampat) Leadership Network to a Site of Wildlife wastewater pollution reef-friendly landscaping, Nature Climate Change operators and managers sufficient income to a plan to transition Information Network, generated funds for the Reserve Playa del Carmen on the Importance on the Puakō Reef resulting in 277 acres Started the CORAL from the Seaflower implement a public- away from cesspools a web-based portal for management of their CORAL improves Riviera Maya, Mexico of land with improved Parks Program, which Biosphere Reserve in awareness campaign, statewide coral reef educational marine protected area management of the and trained six Reef management filtering was designed to help Columbia a warden system and resources, science and network Namena Marine Leaders CORAL REEF over 35 million gallons of improve management of scholarships for 100 activities for use by Reserve by helping the ALLIANCE stormwater per year marine protected areas school children CORAL helps establish teachers and nonprofit Provided leadership as community to establish Planted nearly 100 the first coastal organizations Palau revised the the Kubulau Resource mangrove seedlings Initiated field projects management plan for Management Committee in three high-priority managed-access fishery with marine protected Rock Islands Marine (KRMC) locations along the coast in Honduras in Laguna areas and the marine Park, to improve en- of San Pedro, Belize de Los Micos, Tela Bay recreation industry in forcement of regulations, Palau, Fiji and Pohnpei conservation programs and the visitor experience milesteones4 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 7 CELEBRATING CORAL’S 25TH

“Hi, I’m Steve Colwell. And 25 years ago, along with my wife, Ann Shulman, and small group of friends, I started the Coral Reef Alliance. At that point very few people knew how important coral reefs were or how much danger they were in. Our initial focus was on getting scuba divers and the dive industry engaged in coral conservation, working in a few different communities around the world.

Over the last 25 years it’s been impressive to watch the growth of the organization, expansion of membership and inclusion of many many more communities around the world. CORAL’s work is more important than ever, and I want to thank the staff, the board members, volunteers and of course all the supporters that make CORAL’s work possible. Happy Happy birthday CORAL!” – Steve Colwell, CORAL’s Founder

“My name is Nancy Knowlton. I made my first dive on a coral reef in 1972, 45 years ago practically to the day on the north coast of Jamaica, and I’ve been studying coral reefs ever since. I served on the Board of the Coral Reef Alliance from 2010 to 2016 and it’s with great pleasure that I wish CORAL a happy birthday and the 25th anniversary of its founding. Birthday We know that coral reefs suffer from many problems, both due to local effects of overfishing and poor water quality, and of course globally from ocean warming and acidification. I think what’s really remarkable about what CORAL has achieved is its ability to shine a spotlight on good solutions for all of these problems, by focusing on connecting with communities where coral reefs are found and linking the problems that they face to really high-quality science.

The result has been an amazing array of success stories around the world, both in the Pacific and the Caribbean. CORAL has so much to be proud of for the past 25 years of its accomplishments, and I’m sure there’ll be many, many more to come. Happy 25th birthday Coral Reef Alliance- you have a lot to celebrate.”

– Dr. Nancy Knowlton, former CORAL Board member 8 CORALCORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 9 The Next 25 Years by Dr. Michael Webster

envision the next 25 years for CORAL being very exciting, very busy and filled with tremendous change. In conservation, change is the only constant. Scientific understanding is rapidly advancing, yet the I conditions of coral reefs are declining and the urgency in which we need to act is at an all-time high. So when we recently developed a new strategic plan for That’s because nearly all the reefs on earth will have CORAL, we wanted to ensure that we focused on the nearby sources of well-adapted corals as climate right things at the right scale. All of our work begins with stabilizes in the centuries ahead. our new mission: saving the world’s coral reefs. We chose this mission to highlight the urgency and scope CORAL has a bold plan to establish 45 Adaptive of our work every day. In addition, we developed a new Reefscapes around the world by 2045. But we can’t vision statement that imagines what we can accomplish do it alone. We will need to engage the whole coral if we work together, a world where coral reefs have conservation community and rally the field around a adapted to climate change because we acted swiftly. scalable, realistic, global approach to saving coral reefs.

We posed two key questions to guide our Our strategic plan provides a roadmap to help save strategic plan: coral reefs at a global scale. We found that we’ll need to continue to grow our organization’s scientific capacity 1) What will it take to save the world’s coral reefs? to solve the biggest roadblocks to saving coral reefs. In parallel, we’ll use these scientific findings to inform our 2) What do we need to do to make that happen? conservation programmatic work. As a leading voice within the conservation community, we’ll attract other OUR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CORAL’S INNOVATIVE Our research shows that to save the world’s coral reefs organizations to partner with us, and our alliances will and preserve their benefits for people and wildlife, reef- allow us to get results across the globe. ADAPTIVE REEFSCAPES APPROACH IS THE BEST WAY TO FACILITATE building corals must successfully adapt to a changing climate through the process of evolutionary rescue. EVOLUTIONARY RESCUE. AN ADAPTIVE REEFSCAPE PROMOTES CORAL For the last 25 years, CORAL has been delivering high-quality conservation programs that have made a Fortunately, new scientific information is emerging, difference in the world. Our work has even pioneered a ADAPTATION WITHIN DIVERSE, CONNECTED AND LARGE NETWORKS OF including a recent publication in Nature Climate Change new area of science related to helping corals to adapt by CORAL and our partners, that is helping provide at regional scales. All this has prepared CORAL to take HEALTHY REEFS. THE SCIENCE TELLS US THAT WHEN WE CONSERVE answers to what we can do to help corals adapt to the next step in its progression as an organization: climate change. We have also estimated how much leveraging our knowledge and reputation as a highly- A DIVERSE PORTFOLIO OF CORAL REEFS WITH DIFFERING SPECIES, effort it will take to save the world’s coral reefs. Our trusted partner to rally the conservation community to scientific research shows that CORAL’s innovative VARIABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS AND SIGNIFICANT save coral reefs at a global scale. This is an exciting and Adaptive Reefscapes approach is the best way to busy time for CORAL, with a present and future that will facilitate evolutionary rescue. CONNECTIVITY, WE ENABLE THE NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR be filled with tremendous challenges and opportunities. If we can establish a large, globally-distributed network We hope you will continue to partner with us as we rise NATURE’S SURVIVORS TO REVEAL THEMSELVES. IF WE CAN of Adaptive Reefscapes, we can save coral reefs. to meet them. ESTABLISH A LARGE, GLOBALLY-DISTRIBUTED NETWORK OF ADAPTIVE REEFSCAPES, WE CAN SAVE CORAL REEFS BECAUSE NEARLY ALL THE

REEFS ON EARTH WILL HAVE NEARBY SOURCES OF WELL-ADAPTED DR. MICHAEL WEBSTER, Executive Director CORALS AS CLIMATE STABILIZES IN THE CENTURIES AHEAD.

10 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 CORAL CURRENT | SUMMER 2019 11 CORAL’s Board, Staff and Council Programs Team Development Team CORAL International Council Paolo Guardiola, Program Coordinator, Lilija Rapa, Development Assistant Tony Birdsey Board of Directors Mesoamerican Region Natalie Scarlata, Associate Development Chrissie Bowen John Anner, Ph.D., Board Chair Jos Hill, Associate Program Director, Hawaiʻi Director Linda Cain William Kerr, Ph.D., Treasurer Sheyla Maldonado, Administration & Finance Jeff Wilde, Development Operations Joe Casale Elizabeth Wagner, Esq., Secretary Coordinator, Mesoamerican Region Coordinator Steve Cohen Michael Bennett Jennifer Myton, Associate Program Director, Daron Willison, Associate Development Sarah Freiermuth Jeffrey Chanin Mesoamerican Region Manager Cindy Glancy Vani Keil Pamela Ortega, Program Manager, John Hauswirth Aileen Lee Mesoamerican Region Marketing and Communications Team Alex Kreston Jim Lussier Erica Perez, Program Manager, Hawaiʻi Yasmeen Smalley-Norman, Communications Jill Kreston Robert Richmond, Ph.D. Javier Pizaña-Alonso, Program Manager, Manager Bradley Mart Kirby Ryan Mesoamerican Region Donna Miller Jim Tolonen Antonella Rivera, Ph.D., Principal Scientific Finance and Administration Team Julian Osinski Rob Watt Advisor, Mesoamerican Region Kristi Jones, Accountant Ruth Shapiro Julio San Martín Chicas, Program Tom Schroeder CORAL STAFF Coordinator, Mesoamerican Region CORAL Interns Senior Leadership Diana Sokolove, Deputy Program Director Natalie Musick Michael Webster, Ph.D., Executive Director Alicia Srinivas, Associate Program Manager Leslie Yin Madhavi Colton, Ph.D., Program Director Larissa Treese, Program Coordinator, Hawaiʻi Dory Gannes, Development Director Becky Twohey, Ph.D., Associate Program Rusty Kelly, Marketing Director Director, Science Danielle Knight, Finance and Administration Jennifer Vander Veur, Program Manager, Director Hawaiʻi

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