The new findings, published by UC San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, particularly underscore previous calls for coral reef preservation because the report revealed that despite threats posed by ocean warming, reefs surrounding remote islands were dramatically healthier than those in populated areas exposed to a variety of human impacts, including overfishing and coastal development.
In this full-length interview, study leader Jennifer Smith describes their landmark report on the impact of fishing on a group of fish known to protect the health of coral reef ecosystems.