Experts call for more efforts to save coral reefs

HONOLULU (AP) - As the largest international gathering of coral reef experts comes to a close, scientists and policy makers are moving ahead with plans for action to save the world's imperiled reefs.

Heads of state from Palau, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands attended the conference and provided a plan of action to address their ailing coral reefs, which are major contributors to their local economies and the daily sustenance of their people.

The call to action, signed by the three presidents, asked for better collaboration between the scientific community and local governments, saying there needs to be more funding and a strengthened commitment to protecting the reefs.

James Cook University Professor Terry Hughes, who is also the president of the Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Australia, said the scientific community is not ready to write the obituary on the world's reefs.