Land & Water Stories

8 Easy Ways You Can Help Coral Reefs

Here are some simple, effective actions you can take to help save coral reefs and the fish, animals and plants that depend on them.

Scenic reef with diver examining corals and fish
Maluku Islands Reef Scenic with Diver, Hard Corals, Reef fishes. © Jeff Yonover

Coral reefs benefit almost 500 million people and provide habitat for 25% of all marine species, but they’re also the most threatened.

Want to help? Here are some simple, effective actions you can take to help save coral reefs and the fish, animals and plants that depend on them.

  • Divers step off the boat into the water.

    1. Dive responsibly when you visit coral reefs

    Avoid touching reefs or anchoring your boat on the reef. Contact with the reef will damage the delicate coral animals, and anchoring on the reef can kill corals. How tourism can be good for coral reefs.

  • A young woman runs along a beach at TNC's Jack and Isaac Bay Preserve on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

    2. Wear a reef-friendly sunscreen

    Several common sunscreen ingredients, including oxybenzone and octinoxate, have been shown to be toxic to coral reefs. Sunscreens that use non-nano zinc oxide as their active ingredients do not contribute to coral bleaching.

  •  feeding on algae in Samana Bay.  Samana Bay is situated in the northeastern corner of the Dominican Republic and is one of the largest estuaries in the Caribbean.

    3. Eat sustainable seafood

    Research where your seafood comes from and if it's caught sustainably. Parrotfish eat algae off coral reefs, cleaning the reefs and helping the corals stay healthy and thriving. Pass on parrotfish!

  • Matt Pelikan, restoration ecologist for The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, used Habitat Network principles to develop his yard as an oasis for wildlife on Martha’s Vineyard.

    4. Make your lawncare green

    You may live thousands of miles from a coral reef, but the products you put on your lawn will eventually flow into the water system. Use green alternatives for fertilizer and pesticides that won’t harm coral reefs and marine life.

  • A volunteer from the Sierra Club helps with a cleanup at Eastham Beach on Cape Cod.

    5. Volunteer!

    If you live near the coast, volunteer in local beach or reef cleanups. If you don’t live near the coast, get involved in protecting your local watershed. Find an opportunity near you.

  • Hauling seine nets on a commercial salmon fishing boat along the coast of Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska.

    6. Leave no trace

    Don't leave unwanted fishing lines or nets in the water or on the beach. Any kind of litter pollutes the water and can harm the reef and fish.

  • An employee waters the rooftop garden on the Tencent Binhai towers in Shenzhen, China. November 2017. Environmental features of the Tencent Binhai towers in Shenzhen, China include rooftop gardens on the three skybridges, permeable surfaces to slow rainwater on the two towers' topmost roof and many of the landings and ground level, solar panels and 'smart rooms' that adjust temperature based on how many people are in them. TNC's Build Healthy Cities Program.

    7. Conserve water

    Use only the water you need. The less water you use, especially outdoors, the less runoff and wastewater will pollute our oceans.

  • 8. Spread the word!

    Educate your family and friends about coral reefs and contact your local representatives to see what your state is doing to protect coral reefs. If you're a teacher, go on a virtual coral reef field trip with your class! Watch: The Secret Life of Corals