Rachel Jones - Senior Aquarist

What is the importance of coral reef systems?

Reefs are one of the most diverse and complex habitats in the ocean. A coral reef represents thousands of years of growth, as coral grows and develops very slowly. Individual coral polyps build stone skeletons which house a coral colony; the colony could theoretically live forever.
They also mean the difference between life and death for many, many people. Some of the poorest people in the world make their livings from the reef. One example of this is fishing, as the coral reef provides nutrition and shelter for all sorts of aquatic life, from fish to the zooxanthellae algae that the coral hosts.
Reefs also protect coastal areas, as the reef will take the full impact of approaching storms.

What is happening to coral reefs?

Coral is under attack from all directions. Pollution going into the ocean leads to a massive increase in coral diseases, as can even minor changes in water temperature. Warmer temperatures and sewage often lead to a rise in bacteria levels which harm the coral. Over fishing, in particular dynamite fishing, is another threat to the reefs. Explosives are used to kill fish easily, but of course they also kill everything else in the area. Over fishing also disrupts the finely balanced ecosystem of the reef; removing the large predatory fish causes an explosive rise in the number of smaller fish which eat the coral.
People will take coral from the reef to sell on through pet shops. Both coral collecting and fishing can be done responsibly and sustainably, but it takes care and planning.

What is the relationship between the aquarium and UK customs?

Most of the coral that you see here at ZSL London Zoo is illegally imported coral which has been confiscated. Customs officers, for example at Heathrow Airport, carry out checks on the importing of coral. When coral is found to be illegally imported, they will contact ZSL, and we will take on the housing and care of the coral here at London Zoo. When coral is transported into the UK, it is very often in bad shape, and frequently dead or dying. We need to get it into suitable conditions as quickly as possible to save as much as possible.

What does your field work involve? How do you go about assessing the health of a reef?

What we do is to set up a series of video transepts along a section of reef. We then swim along the same route, at a consistent level above the reef, and film the reef. This gives us a visual section of about half a metre by 20 metres. Later, I can analyse images from the video, looking for signs of disease in the coral, and building up a database of the reef’s health. Of course, a low level of disease is to be expected, as with any animal population, but if a large area is showing signs of disease, then something is terribly wrong.