Aliso Viejo, CA, 7/26/2009 - The issue of marine conservation is a pressing one in the world of precious jewelry. More and more, jewelry companies are being scrutinized for their recklessness in removing precious stones and creatures from nature to use in jewelry.

Many precious, natural resources and creatures are now on the path to extinction. But, as a result, many organizations and groups are coming together to combat the destruction of nature for the sole purpose to turn a profit.

Corals are one of the most significant creatures that have been harmed in large part by the jewelry business. Contrary to popular belief, corals are not plants nor rocks but live animals. Due to climate change, over-fishing, nutrient pollution, vessel impacts, invasive species, and disease, scientists say they have diminished somewhere between 50% and 80% in the past decade.

But this loss is not going unnoticed. In fact, 44 conservation organizations such as The Coral Reef Alliance, Greenpeace USA, SeaWeb, Sierra Club, and the World Wildlife Fund, along with 100 marine scientists, sent letters to the United States Congress and the White House in July 2009 urging lawmakers to once again authorize the U.S. Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000.

This Act was used to fund research and management of coral reefs. Brian Huse, executive director of the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), said “The major threats to coral reefs are well known and the Coral Reef Conservation Act is an opportunity to address them. Through this important legislation, Congress has a fantastic opportunity to advance the protection of these important and irreplaceable marine ecosystems.”

The CORAL initiative works alongside the mission of Too Precious To Wear, a campaign by SeaWeb that works with consumers and vendors of the jewelry industry to inform them of coral conservation and discourage the use of coral in jewelry. Tiffany and Co. supported the cause by displaying sea-themed, informative displays in their windows about coral and marine conservation.

Another force combating the preservation of marine ecosystems and corals is Conservation International’s World Ocean Conference and Coral Triangle Summit that took place in Manado, Indonesia this past year from May 11-15. The idea behind the conference and summit was to tackle the growing issue of marine conservation, and how to prevent threats to the health of marine ecosystems throughout the world.

Sebastian Troeng, Conservation International’s senior director for regional marine strategies, elaborated that governments and local communities oftentimes have good intentions when it comes to marine preservation but do not know how or cannot execute their ideas. This is where Conservation International comes in. Troeng says, “In many ways, CI’s role is bridging the gap between global priorities and local realities.”

The Coral Triangle Initiative was the main focus of the Coral Triangle Summit. The initiative is a government partnership encouraging and helping people to manage their marine resources by creating and enhancing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), improving fisheries, recovering endangered species, and adapting to climate change. The initiative primarily targets the Coral Triangle, an area that is particularly laden with various species of coral, fish, and people. It is an area most vital to the health of the planet as a whole. The Coral Triangle encompasses nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Phillipenes, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste.

Conservation International joins The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and other nations in government involvement and promotion of marine preservation. Troeng says, “The exciting part of it was to see the level of enthusiasm. Suddenly, here was an external entity that had come to Lubang because their coral reefs were so important—regionally and globally. What they have locally is important to the world.”

Overview of initiatives and involved organizations:

Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL)

- Greenpeace USA,

- Too Precious to Wear (SeaWeb)

- Sierra Club, and

- World Wildlife Fund

World Ocean Conference and Coral Triangle Summit

- Conservation International

- World Ocean Conference/Coral Triangle Summit:

Tackles the growing issue of marine conservation, and how to prevent threats to the health of marine ecosystems throughout the world.

- Nature Conservancy,

- World Wildlife Fund

Other references:

- The Coral Triangle

- Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

- Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000

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