In healthy conditions, the fish that live in these waters will eat this algae, preventing any damage to the coral reefs, but due to overfishing, there are less and less fish being left to eat it18. Fisherman who desire to catch large quantities of fish at the same time blow up the coral reefs, catching all of the fish who are left in shock. In addition, they will poison the waters with cyanide. Cyanide stuns the fish, making them easy to capture, and it kills the coral. 90% of fish are killed from this cyanide poison when it is released16. Overall, these processes severely decrease biodiversity.
Approximately thirty and forty million people each year are fed by coral reefs. Less people are being fed as coral reefs are being destroyed (approximately thirty and forty million people each year are fed by coral reefs). Half a billion people worldwide depend on the fish that grow and live on coral reefs as a food source19. In developing countries, many people depend on this food source for their livelihood and survival. As these coral reefs become destroyed, the more people are becoming susceptible to hunger and starvation20. However, it is not only in developing countries where coral reefs are depended upon for food. It is estimated that half of all federally managed fisheries in the United States depend on coral reefs at many different times. According to NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, the commercial value of U.S. fisheries from coral reefs estimated to be over $100 million.