If there was ever a convention that brought the world closer to the study of coral reefs, it is the 2008 International Coral Reef Symposium.
"This is the largest meeting for coral reef scientists in the world," says Richard Dodge of the National Coral Reef Institute.
The week long conference at the Broward County Convention Center brings together the "who's who" in the coral reef industry. It's been dubbed the olympics of coral reefs. 2,500 hundred are expected to visit 50 exhibits, take field trip and learn more on this precious resource.
"There are so many people here and all of them are focused on the same goals: understanding our coral reefs, why are they declining, how can we protect them,
how can we manage them more effectively," says Joshua Voss of Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at FAU.
150 countries are represented from policy makers to conservationists. Florida Governor Charlie Christ stopped by to ink a new bill protecting reefs off Florida.
"Cleaning up and making sure we protect our reefs, making sure we don't have sewerage going into the Atlantic, that's exactly the right thing to do," says Crist.
Crist signed off on Senate Bill 1302 which will eliminate ocean outfall sewerage disposal in Southeast Florida coastal waters. Instead better treatment and re-use standards will now begin.
"It's historic, it's a key piece of legislation," says Ed Tichenor.
Tichenor, of Palm Beach County Reef Rescue, was among those on hand to watch Crist sign into law the Leah Shad Memorial Ocean Outfall Program . Tichenor joined thousands over the past several years study and fight the outfalls from Delray to Miami.
The bill now requires wastewater facilities to develop a detailed plan by 2013 to decrease the nutrients pollutants discharged through the pipes. It eliminates the use of all outfall pipes by 2025 and prohibits any new ones.
The study of coral reef got a boost at the symposium Monday morning when Congressman Ron Klein presented a federal check in the amount of $1,100,000 to go toward coral reef research. The research and findings have been crucial with especially in a recent NOAA report showing the state of coral reefs across the world.
"It's variable but in many areas there is some decline, fortunately in Southeast Florida it's stabilized," says Dodge.
From bleaching to disease, certain reefs are constantly in a state of crisis which is why constant monitoring is a must and all eyes are making sure of that right here in South Florida this week.
