Report on Baseline Surveys for monitoring the fringing reef of Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Abstract

On a global basis it is generally recognised that coral reef systems are exhibiting signs of increasing stress and that there is a general lack of understanding of the causes of this stress. In the face of global climate change and potential sea level rise, impacts caused by events such as coral bleaching and tropical storms, coupled with increasing human usage, there is a need for reliable information on the status of coral reefs. There are inadequate baseline data to provide rigorous scientific assessment of the nature and the extent of the problem. Such information is essential for the informed management and sustainable use of this vital resource.