Coralling reef funding

Abstract

With key federal funding for coral reef protection in jeopardy in the fiscal year 2000 U.S. federal budget, an official with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) told Congress on October 21 that the threats to reefs require urgent attention.Sally Yozell, NOAA deputy assistant secretary for oceans and atmosphere, told the House of Representatives′ Subcommittee on Fisheries, Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans that a congressional conference report on the appropriations bill that only includes $2 million of $12 million requested for NOAAs coral reef program would not be sufficient to adequately map, restore, and protect coral reefs.