A 2021 annex of the flagship Status of Coral Reefs of the World: 2020 report by the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is now available. Entitled Status of coral reef monitoring: an assessment of methods and data at the national level, it focuses on monitoring in 30 pilot countries.
The Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) is an operational network of the International Coral Reef Initiative that aims to provide the best available scientific information on the status and trends of coral reef ecosystems for their conservation and management.
This new 2021 annex provides the first global and quantitative assessment of the state of coral reef monitoring for 30 pilot countries which, collectively, account for almost 90% of the world’s coral reefs. It also analyses the status of the implementation of the ICRI CBD Post-2020 GBF recommended indicators “Live Coral Cover”, “Fleshy Algae Cover and Cover of Key Benthic Groups” and “Fish Abundance and Biomass” and the progress of the pilot countries towards meeting these targets.
The report found that the key indicator “Live Coral Cover” is available at the country level in 21 out of the 30 countries and, with an increase in spatial monitoring, the availability of the indicator should increase in all countries. In contrast, the availability of the “Fleshy Algae Cover” and “Cover of Key benthic Groups” was much more limited.
A templated assessment of each country is provided, highlighting the spatial dispersal of the ICRI recommended indicators and concludes with recommendations for the achievement and implementation of ICRI targets and recommended indicators at the national level.
