February 27, 2018

Celebrate Reefs! 2018 is the Third International Year of the Reef (IYOR)

The International Coral Reef Initiative has declared 2018 as the third International Year of the Reef (IYOR). The initial IYOR was designated in 1997 in response to the increasing threats on coral reefs and associated ecosystems. The hope was to increase awareness of the value of and threats to coral reefs, and to promote conservation, research and management efforts on a global scale. Over 225 organizations in 50 countries and territories participated, publishing over 700 articles in papers and magazines and undertaking hundreds of scientific surveys. This effort was repeated 11 years later, when 2007 was designated as the second IYOR.

The goals of the 2018 IYOR are to:

• strengthen awareness globally about the value of, and threats to, coral reefs and associated ecosystems;

• promote management partnerships among all shareholders: government, the private sector, academia, and the local community;

• identify and implement effective management strategies for conservation, increased resiliency, and sustainable use of these ecosystems; and,

• share information on best practices in relation to sustainable coral reef management.

Click here for a listing of some of the events and activities Reef Check teams and partners around the world have scheduled to celebrate IYOR.