News Archive

Reef Talk 2

June

Reef Talk, the quarterly newsletter of the 2008 Pacific Year of the Reef campaign has just been released. You will find stories and updates from most parts of the Pacific. It is available on the PYOR page of the SPREP website.

11th the International Coral Reef Symposium (ICRS)

July 7, 2008

A celebration of the International Year of the Reef 2008 will be held at the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium on Monday the 7th of July 2008.

Awareness meetings in coastal villages in the Gulf of Mannar

Suganthi Devadason Marine Research Institute

A series of awareness meetings to raise awareness about the importance of coral reefs toward fishermen is being held in the gulf of Mannar. To date, two meetings have been held and more to come.

Reef Fest

Rockin' for the reefs!

Reef Fest is a series of music concerts happening in South Florida and beyond to raise money and awareness for coral reef conservation!

IYOR Creative

www.iyorcreative.com

NOAA's Coral Reef Conservation Program and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation have worked together to develop a U.S. IYOR Messaging Campaign. 5 Action Messages have been developed into freely downloadable print advertisements. These ads and other similarly branded products are available to all groups planning their IYOR campaigns - the more coral conservation groups who use these ads, the more impact we can expect to have.
In the same time, an IYOR U.S. Public Service Announcement with "Every Act Counts" for theme was developed (by NOAA, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, UrbanArts Institute at Mass College of Art). Several PSAs are now freely available and for some of them broadcast daily on discovery Channel.

OSPAR-IYOR Side Event on "Cold-Water Coral Reefs"

June 25th, 2008 at 6:00 PM

IYOR is not only about tropical coral reefs. An OSPAR-IYOR Side Event on "Cold-Water Coral Reefs" will be held at the Oceanopolis (Brest, France) on June 25th, 2008 at 6:00 PM. This event is sponsored by the French government and the French Marine Protected Areas Agency.
Learn more about the Coral Ecosystems of cold, deep waters.

Bonaire's International Year of the Reef Week

June 21-28, 2008

Sand Dollar Condominium Resort Resort's IYOR week will focus on Bonaire's role as a world leader in marine conservation. The week will feature dives and seminars with Jan and Alexandra Cousteau of EarthEcho International; REEF fish count dives and snorkels with Bonaire's own naturalist Jerry Ligon; interactive workshops with Bryan Dias from the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL); and a parade and food festival in the center of town at Wilhelmina Park.

World Ocean Day

June 8th, 2008

This year's theme was "helping our climate / helping our ocean" with a special focus on coral reefs. Several activities were organized in order to promote the International Year of the Reef.
For more information, about the World Ocean Day, visit: the Ocean Project or World Ocean Network.

2008 Olympics artist Wyland painted Whaling Wall Mural in celebration of the International Year of the Reef 2008

June 6-14, 2008

Marine life artist and conservation advocate Wyland has slated the city of North Lauderdale for the penultimate mural in his internationally renowned Whaling Wall art project, in celebration of the International Year of the Reef 2008
Earlier this year, on February 27 in Washington, DC, Wyland unveiled a 7-foot by 4-foot canvas made in celebration of the International Year of the Reef 2008.The artist considers it one of his best works to date. Learn More

International launches

Worldwide

Since the beginning of the year, several national launches and proclamations have happened around the world.
The International Year of the Reef (IYOR 2008) was officially launched on the evening of January 24th, 2008 in Washington DC at a celebration event hosted by The World Bank

Crown-of-Thorn collection day in Zanzibar

June 1, 2008

As part of the activities for the International Year of the Reef in Zanzibar, a one day Crown-Of-Thorns Starfish (COTS) collection day was arranged on three reefs close to Stonetown, Zanzibar. The main purpose of the day was to create media attention in order to increase awareness of the COTS problem and the value of healthy coral reefs.

IYOR at the Ninth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP 9)

May 26, 2008

The ICRI secretariat, with support from the Convention on Biological Diversity secretariat, held an ICRI-CBD side event on "Marine Biodiversity and the International Year of the Reef".

Professional surfer James Pribram

Professional surfer James Pribram, joins the International Year of the Reef campaign as spokesperson to help the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) to raise awareness about coral reefs with a focus on the following theme: "Every Act Counts."
Learn More

IYOR Phone cards

Mexico

To celebrate IYOR, three phone cards will be released by Telmex / Ladatel. Telmex is the largest telecommunication Company in Latin America. These cards will be distributed nation wide during the months of May and June.
Learn More

Web seminars

Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies

To celebrate the IYOR 2008 the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies is pleased to announce an online seminar series on the future of the world's coral reefs. Leading international researchers cover the latest science which supports the sustainable management of coral reefs.
Learn More

IYOR U.S. Public Service Announcement - Every Act Counts

NOAAand the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

NOAA, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, UrbanArts Institute at Mass College of Art and other Marine and Ocean Conservation NGOs are supporting the production and distribution of a series of 30 second TV PSAs to educate the US public concerning ocean-coral reef and coastal environmental education.
Learn More

Exhibit on Coral Reef

France

Temporary exhibition on Coral Reefs at Oceanopolis (Brest, France) - Across an original production, copiously illustrated by magnificent underwater photographs from the biologist-diver Laurent Ballesta, admire the beauty and diversity of coral reefs. You will learn it a little more about the coral polyp, major actor of the building of reef.
Learn More

New "Japanese IYOR 2008 Mascots"

Japan

From the beginning of December 2007 to the end of January 2008, a contest for a name for the Japanese mascot and for the design of "secondary" mascots was held. 1524 suggestions were received for the name and 694 for the design of other mascots.
Learn More

The World Ocean Observatory presents Coral Reefs!

A comprehensive on-line compendium of reef information including organizations, research, internet resources, publications, curricula, kids' activities, and media.
Learn More

Jean-Michel Cousteau and IYOR

Ocean Futures Society

Jean-Michel Cousteau, President of Ocean Futures Society, Ocean Explorer and Environmentalist applauded the designation of 2008 as the IYOR.
Learn More (PDF)

U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Meeting

U.S.A.

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.
Learn More (PDF)

Reef Week

Belize, June 2007

strong>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.

Eighth Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders (PICL)

Washington, DC

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.
Learn More (PDF)

U.S. IYoR Mini-Summit

Washington, DC

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).
Learn More (PDF)

Fourth Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP) to the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW)

Wider Caribbean Region

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, a decision regarding the IYOR was adopted.