Patsy T. Mink: “I rise as one of the cosponsors of House Concurrent Resolution 8, which expresses the sense of Congress regarding the…”

“I rise as one of the cosponsors of House Concurrent Resolution 8, which expresses the sense of Congress regarding the importance of maintaining the health and stability of our coral reef ecosystems. This resolution is particularly appropriate as we celebrate the International Year of the Reef in 1997. Coral reefs, both in U.S. and international waters, face dire threats to basic functions needed to maintain them as natural and stable reef ecosystems. Pollution from chemicals and human waste disrupt normal behaviors of organisms making up coral communities in reefs. Overfishing disturbs the precarious balance in marine ecosystems of which coral reefs are an integral part. Overuse by industries using coral products in their processing and merchandise destroy and damage sections of the reef, as does indifference and careless handling of the reef during activities such as water recreation and fishing. Statistics about the destruction of the world's coral reefs cited by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA] should be of great concern. NOAA estimates that about two-thirds of coral reefs globally are dying, with 10 percent degraded beyond recovery, 30 percent in critical condition and predicted to die in the next 10 to 20 years, and another 30 percent forecasted to perish by 2050.”