Fashion and Design Industry Leaders Launch Coral Conservation Campaign
Red and pink corals (commonly known as precious corals) are more often seen adorning the necks of beautiful women than in their natural ocean habitat. Red corals have been fished for more than 5,000 years in the Pacific and the Mediterranean, but in just the past two decades they have shown serious signs of decline. The United States, as the world’s largest documented consumer, has placed significant pressure on these threatened animals, importing more than 26 million pieces from 2001 to 2006.
The American market is also responsible for 80 percent of the live coral taken from reefs (more than 400,000 pieces a year). Entire coral populations have been wiped out by destructive fishing gear such as trawls, which can mow down everything in their path. Recovery is not guaranteed and takes decades if it is able to occur.