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