Vanuatu Coral reef monitoring network (VCRMN) project progress report

Abstract

Coral reef is a rich but fragile ecosystem. It is very important to the marine biodiversity as well as to the global economy. Coral reefs rival that of the great communities such as the tropical rain forest in terms of richness, beauty, complexity and diversity. It provides habitats, feeding and breeding grounds of many marine lives including some important commercial species. Coral reefs contribute to the rural and national economy, nutrition, shoreline protection and more importantly the self- reliance of the people, particularly the coastal communities. Coral reefs are some of the main tourist attractions and contribute a lot to the tourism industry. They also contribute to scientific research studies particularly in the medical field for the search of new drugs for fatal diseases.