Coral reef experts shared information on how human users affect Tumon Bay's reef and how residents can help protect corals, at the Science Sunday program.

The Guam Community Coral Reef Monitoring Program and National Park Service held the program open to the public on July 16 at the T. Stell Newman Visitor Center in Santa Rita.

National Coral Reef Management Fellow Whitney Hoot presented on factors that affect Guam’s reefs to residents and tourists.

Different factors contribute to the detriment of the island’s coral reefs, including climate change, littering and human activity, according to Hoot.

After conducting research on Tumon Bay with her colleagues, Hoot found there was more physical damage to corals closer to the shore. They also tracked human activity along the bay and found most beachgoers stayed mostly by the shore. People stepping on corals or touching them causes damage, Hoot said.

Protecting Guam’s corals helps sustain the tourism industry as well, as thousands visit the island’s beaches and come to snorkel and see the ocean life every year. There were 1,535,410 total visitors on Guam in 2016, according to numbers from the Guam Visitors Bureau in Hoot’s presentation.

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Residents and tourists can do the following to help protect the reef:

Don’t touch, step on or kick corals. They are fragile and can break easily, and take a long time to grow back. Disease can spread between coral colonies by humans touching them.

Don’t go kayaking or paddle boarding at low tide, as you’re more likely to hit the corals.

Don’t feed the fish.

Don’t litter.

Use reef-safe sunblock. Most sunblock contains chemicals that can damage corals.

“Guam’s corals are facing a lot of threats — everything from pollution to climate change, so recreational use is something we can actually do something about,” Hoot said. “So we’re hoping that Guam can come together and reduce these impacts, and we hope that you will attend one of our training sessions for Eyes of the Reef Marianas.”

Eyes of the Reef training shows the public how to identify and report coral bleaching and disease, so experts can respond as quickly as possible. Training is free and open to all ages.

For more information on how you can help protect Guam’s reefs, visit the Eyes of the Reef Marianas website, call 646-1905 or email eormarianas@gmail.com.

Reporter Chloe Babauta keeps readers up to date on Guam’s latest trends, food spots, festivals and more. Follow her on Twitter@chloebabauta and Instagram@mestisachamorrita.Follow Pacific Daily News onFacebook/GuamPDN andInstagram @guampdn.

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