Coral bleaching is a natural phenomenon that occurs when water becomes too warm. This makes the coral expel the algae (zooxanthellae) causing the coral to become white or bleached. Bleaching can mean that a coral is dying, but there are ways they can survive.
In the Marshall Island, a country that is mostly water, we are experiencing coral bleaching. Coral bleaching can be a problem for us in the Marshalls because the coral protects our shorelines from waves, storms, and floods. The Pacific Research Organization is trying to help the Marshalls, and other islands in the Pacific, realize how coral bleaching is a problem in our waters; therefore, we created the 1000 ft Project is an on going research project we started this year and will be following up on annually.