Dear Congressperson [NAME], 

As a citizen of [YOUR STATE] and one of your constituents, I urge you to support the passing of [BILL NUMBER & NAME].

Our coral reefs are dying at unprecedented rates, and it’s not only bad for our oceans, but it is also leading to severe harm on land, too. Coral reefs act as natural barriers for things like storm surges, protecting coastal homes and businesses from flooding. Likewise, they’re home to a vast number of marine species, which means the disappearance of these reefs is particularly harmful to the global food chain.

Overfishing, warming waters, and ocean acidification due to pollution are all preventable. We have the ability and the know-how to implement change; it’s time to step up and do it. Our oceans will not be able to withstand much more.

I strongly support this piece of legislation that prioritizes the health of our coral reef systems, our oceans, our communities, and our planet. I ask that you do the same and use your influence to advance this bill to a vote in the [HOUSE / SENATE].

Please let me know what action you intend to take on this bill. I appreciate your consideration and look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely, 

[YOUR NAME]  

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I am a constituent of [CONGRESSPERSON’S NAME]. I am calling in support of [BILL NUMBER & NAME] and would like to leave a comment.

Legislative Staff Person will offer to transfer you to an answering machine or take down your message. Use the following to leave your message:  

Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I live in [YOUR CITY, STATE]. I am calling in support of [BILL NUMBER & NAME] and to communicate the importance of protecting and restoring coral reef habitats. Our coral reefs are dying at unprecedented rates, and it’s not only bad for our oceans, but also leading to severe harm on land, too. Coral reefs act as natural barriers for things like storm surges, protecting coastal homes and businesses from flooding. Likewise, they’re home to a vast number of marine species, which means the disappearance of these reefs is particularly harmful to the global food chain.

Overfishing, warming waters, and ocean acidification due to pollution are all preventable. We have the ability and the know-how to implement change; it’s time to step up and do it. Our oceans will not be able to withstand much more.

As my representative in the [HOUSE / SENATE], I hope I can count on you to support [BILL NUMBER] and the protection and restoration of coral reefs. It’s essential if we want a healthy future for the next generation of Americans.

Legislative Staff Person will ask if you want a response. You can politely decline, or say:

Yes. Please have a response sent to my email at [YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS] or by phone at [YOUR PHONE NUMBER]. Thank you for your assistance. Goodbye.  

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: we must reduce fossil fuel-based pollution if we want to protect our coral reefs both now and into the future. Increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are leading to warming waters and rising pH levels in our oceans, which in turn leads to ocean acidification, coral bleaching, and ecosystem destruction.

The solutions are many to address our pollution, but we also must remember that—to be truly effective for our coral reefs—it must also be paired with research support. Not only do we need to lower (if not reduce completely) our carbon outputs, but we must also invest in learning more about how we can support these imperative oceanic ecosystems.

Just like the name suggests, coral nurseries are places created for the growth and development of new corals, whether from sexual reproduction or fragmentation. These coral fragments can then be placed onto an existing reef to latch on and promote new growth—a process known as “outplanting.” Coral Restoration Foundation (CFR) has been achieving positive coral growth through the use of custom “Coral Tree” frames, made from monofilament fishing line, that are tethered to the ocean floor.¹“Coral Tree Nurseries,” Coral Restoration Foundation ≫

According to CRF: “After [the coral fragments] have reached a substantial size, they are tagged and taken to a carefully selected reef restoration site where they are attached directly to the reef using a two-part marine epoxy.”²“Hands to Yourself:
Keep Wildlife Safe and Healthy,” National Marine Sanctuaries ≫

A marine protected area (MPA for short) is a nationally and/or internationally recognized geographical area of protected waters for the purpose of conservation. Today, MPAs account for 8.19% of global ocean coverage.³“A guide to identifying an MPA’s protection level,” Protected Planet ≫

The purpose of an MPA is to place limits on human activity within that area—whether that’s fishing, boating, or even swimming—to reduce the harm done to essential marine ecosystems. National and State Parks as well as marine sanctuaries are examples of MPA programs. And while having protected marine waters is certainly important, it can only be successful when these MPAs are properly managed and have consistent oversight and rule enforcement; something that many MPAs are missing today.

Since the Industrial Revolution began around 1750, carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in our atmosphere have risen considerably. Like heat, our ocean absorbs a large amount of this CO₂ , increasing the pH levels of surface-level seawater (a.k.a. ocean acidification). While generally harmful to all marine life, this acidification is particularly damaging for shellfish and corals as it interferes with their ability to build their shells and skeletons.

So, what’s causing these warming waters in the first place? Like with so many other questions about the current state of our planet, the answer is climate change. Since 1880 (when we first started global temperature recordkeeping), the average temperature on Earth’s surface has risen by 1° C (or approximately 1.8° F). This may not seem like a lot, but weather patterns, global temperatures, and ecosystem behavior have all been affected dramatically.⁸“Global Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet,” NASA ≫

The average surface temperature of the Earth in 2023 was the warmest ever recorded. In fact, the past 10 years have been the warmest years in the historical record. The ocean absorbs most of the excess heat provided by trapped greenhouse gases, leading to warming ocean waters. As a result, mass coral bleaching events, which you may have already read about, are happening four times faster than they were just forty years ago, and rising water levels are leading to the loss of breeding grounds for marine animals; a direct threat to human food security.⁹“Show Your Stripes,” University of Reading ≫

Healthy corals live cooperatively with algae, supporting algae growth, which—when the algae photosynthesize—give the coral energy and color. Coral bleaching occurs when stressful conditions created by warming waters cause the expulsion of the algae, leading to the eventual death of the coral. Coral bleaching events are happening four times more frequently than they did in the 1980s. This is likely a result of climate change as the average temperature of the Earth has risen 1° C since the late 19th century.¹²“Everything You Need to Know about Coral Bleaching—And How We Can Stop It,” World Wildlife Fund ≫; “Spatial and temporal patterns of mass bleaching of corals in the Anthropocene,” Science, Vol. 359, No. 6637 ≫

Multiple significant bleaching events have been recorded since 1980, coinciding with warmer temperature patterns in 1982-1983, 1997-1998, 2009-2010, and the most recent event in 2015-2016 which was particularly devastating for Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Filter feeders are a subgroup of animals that move through the water—or use moving water near them—to find their food. These animals filter the water, take the particles they want, and dispose of the particles they don’t. As a result, these animals help clean and purify the waters around them. Some of the most famous filter feeders are oysters, humpback whales, and whale sharks. Many types of corals and sponges (which frequently grow alongside reefs) are filter feeders.¹³“Seven ways you’re connected to coral reefs,” United Nations Environment Programme ≫

The 30×30 (pronounced “thirty by thirty”) target is a goal set by the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in 2022 to protect 30% of ecologically representative terrestrial lands and 30% of ecologically representative waters, both marine (sea) and fresh, by 2030 with the specific intent of protecting global biodiversity.