Home » ENVIRONMENT » UNIQUE ECOSYSTEMS- DEGRADATION AND MANAGEMENT » Coral Ecosystem » Benefits of coral reef ecosystems
- Coral reefs protect coastlines from storms and erosion, provide jobs for local communities, and offer opportunities for recreation.
- They are also are a source of food and new medicines.
- Over half a billion people depend on reefs for food, income, and protection.
- Fishing, diving, and snorkeling on and near reefs add hundreds of millions of dollars to local businesses.
- The net economic value of the world’s coral reefs is estimated to be nearly tens of billions of U.S. dollars per year.
- These ecosystems are culturally important to indigenous people around the world.
