The region has all reef types from atolls to fringing reefs with many endemic species shared within the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), which suggests that the reefs are linked by currents to make this a discrete biogeographic region. This also means there is a need for regional collaboration among the ten WIO states to manage these reefs. Reef management is not well developed in the WIO, and is focused at the site rather than at national or regional levels. Poorly regulated fisheries and coastal development, together with increasing populations and tourism are major contributors to reef destruction. This is ironic, as both fisheries and coastal tourism are heavily dependent on healthy coral reefs, and make major contributions to the economies of most countries. Many of the reefs in the region are showing distinct signs of damage from human activities, and bleaching in 1998 has been particularly severe in the Seychelles and Kenya. The principal reef management activity is the establishment.....