International Year of the Reef 2008


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  • Jean-Michel Cousteau, President of Ocean Futures Society, Ocean Explorer and Environmentalist applauded the designation of 2008 as the IYOR. [Read] PDF File
  • During its biannual meeting, the U. S. Coral Reef Task Force endorsed an action plan for the International Year of the Reef 2008 that will involve government and nongovernmental partners in coral reef conservation. [Read] PDF File
  • Reef Week 2007 (held the week of June 5, 2007) was organized by a consortium of government and non-government organizations involved in marine conservation in Belize. At this occasion, the "Healthy Reefs for Healthy People Guide" was release and several activities were organized. In the closing speech of the opening ceremony, attended by over 40 government officers of the Belize Fisheries Department, Coast Guard and Port Authority, along with marine scientists and conservationists representing the Smithsonian Institution, ICRAN MAR, TNC, WRI, WWF, WCS, Wildlife Trust, Belize Audubon Society the MBRS Project, and the Peace Corps, the International Year of the reef was mentioned.[Read] PDF File
  • At the Eighth Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL), convened for the first time in its 26 year history in Washington in May 2007, his Excellency President Tommy E. Remengesau, Jr. of the Republic of Palau mentioned the international Year of the Reef 2008 in its remarks. [Read] PDF File
  • The Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) highlighted the IYOR 08 in its E-updates (Vol. 8. Issue NO. 1). [Read]
  • The International Year of the Reef 2008 (IYOR 08) is looking for a logo and is calling on the creative - coral reef - community to come up with our new design. Put your originality to the test and send us a logo design.
  • An U.S. IYoR Mini-Summit was held in Washington, DC on February 28, 2007 to inform and engage the wider U.S.-based marine conservation community about the International Year of the Reef 2008 (IYOR). [Read] PDF File
  • 1st IYOR Briefing Session in Japan - The Ministry of the Environment (MoE) held a briefing meeting for the International Year of the Reef 2008 (IYOR) on 26th January 2007 in Tokyo. 53 participants from private company, news media, diving industry, aquarium, NGO, scientist, and local authority have joined in the session.
    The objective of the session was to: (1) brief about the IYOR including background; (2) provide opportunities to meet with potential partners; (3) discuss about potential activities in Japan during 2008; and (4) discuss about potential IYOR scheme in Japan including preparation phase.
    There was a brief presentation about the background by Keisuke Takahashi, MoE, followed by group discussion on potential activities in 2008 and mechanisms to carry those activities. There was an active discussion and many useful ideas came about for the basis of next meeting.
    The group proposed to: (1) organize next meeting in few months time (March-April), (2) launch a mailing list for on-line communication and a website, and (3) develop an action plan.
  • At the Fourth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP) to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) in the Wider Caribbean Region, held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, 28 November 2006, the following decision regarding the IYOR was adopted:
    The Contracting Parties:
    Decide to:
    12. Take note of the designation of 2008 as the Year of the Reef, and invite the secretariat and governments to actively work at both the national and regional levels on the preparatory and follow-up activities for this campaign.