Full Guide to the Coral Bleaching Reporting Campaign — The Ocean Conservation Administration Invites You to Help Protect Our Reefs!

Campaign Purpose

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced in April of this year that the world has entered its fourth mass coral bleaching event in thirty years. From 2023 through the first half of 2024, abnormally elevated water temperatures have been recorded in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Large-scale coral bleaching events have also been documented in the Caribbean, the Red Sea, Fiji, and Australia's Great Barrier Reef, demonstrating that coral reefs around the world must contend with increasingly frequent and severe climate crises that pose a serious threat to their survival.

Coral reefs are a critically important component of the marine ecosystem — not only do they provide habitat and food sources for countless marine organisms, they also play a vital role in maintaining ocean ecological balance and regulating climate.

Through this reporting system, the Ocean Conservation Administration (OCA) hopes to collect large volumes of coral bleaching data, enabling analysis of bleaching patterns, frequency, and the scope of impact.

The Ocean Conservation Administration Establishes the "Coral Special Dive Alliance" in 2024

As part of the 2024 initiative to support local partners in coral habitat conservation, the Ocean Conservation Administration has invited alliance partner dive shops to join the coral bleaching reporting group. Alliance shops will serve as physical hubs for outreach and demonstration, inviting divers to join the coral bleaching reporting effort, assist in documenting coral conditions in waters around Taiwan, and encouraging divers to keep a close eye on the health of coral reefs in the seas surrounding Taiwan.

The Ocean Conservation Administration Launches the Coral Club LINE Official Account

The OCA has officially launched the Coral Club LINE Official Account, so you can stay connected with us anytime, anywhere. We will provide rich knowledge on ocean and coral conservation, as well as exciting coral-friendly eco-tour activities coming soon!

step.1 Register your email address and upload photos of bleached coral

step.2 Is this the first time you have observed this particular bleached coral?

step.3 How many times have you recorded this particular bleached coral?

step.4 Has this bleached coral shown any signs of recovery?

step.5 Fill in the basic coral reporting information

step.6 Submit the form

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OCA Campaign Reward System

• Reward 1: Upload coral bleaching data during the announced campaign period. The first 100 correctly submitted reports (verified by expert scholars) will each receive an additional NT$300 dive trip discount voucher. This voucher may be used at any alliance shop participating in this project, but is valid only for dive trip discounts and does not apply to merchandise sold by the shops. The voucher is valid until December 25, 2024.
• Reward 2: The team will hold a lucky draw. Divers who submit reports via the online form from now until October 31, 2024, and who submit repeat reports of bleaching data for the same coral at least 2 times — verified as accurate by expert scholars — will be eligible to enter the draw. The draw will be held on November 8, 2024. Eligibility is calculated based on the number of coral specimens reported under that account. For example, if Diver A completes repeat reporting records for 2 coral specimens, they receive 2 draw entries. Prizes include a dive computer, a waterproof phone case, a scuba diving Torch set, and scuba fins.

Our marine ecosystem is protected by each and every one of us. The OCA invites you to help document coral bleaching — every photo you submit will become invaluable data for scientists. We encourage you to keep participating in the "Coral Bleaching Reporting" initiative, helping scientists better understand the frequency, geographic distribution, and duration of bleaching events. This data will also help us better predict future bleaching events and develop corresponding protective measures. Let's work together to complete coral bleaching reports!

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