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There are two major causes of coral reef destruction; economic and environmental. The economic issues entail the tourism industry and the pet industry. The environmental issues focus mainly on global warming.
The tourism industry is very destructive to the coral reefs. Some direct damage to the reefs are boating, snorkling, and diving. Wlile the damage from snorkling is not in abundance, snorklers can break off peices of coral causing lesions to the reef.
Indirectly, however, the tourism industry is very harmful to the whole coral reef. The nutrient rich sewage rufoff causes certain types of alage to thrive, hurting the coral. Also, many construction sites and tourism operations. Sedimentation can, "reduce light, put stress on corals , and lower coral growth rates." (Coral reefs and Climate Change) Another large problem is that many industries physically destroy the reefs for goods. Especially in the Philippines divers catch fish to sell to fancy restraunts and aquariums in Asia and the United States. This would be permitable, however many divers exploit the reefs by taking to many fish and not being cautious around the coral. One example of how divers exploit the reefs is the method they use of blowing up the reef and capturing all of the stunned fish. According to Glbal Issues, "This completely destroys the reefs, killing the coral polyps that make it as well as many of the plants and animals that call it home. And the creatures that do survive are left homeless."
Enviormental Issues
myMagazine/January, 2013
Right Tourism campaign, Care for the