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INVITATION and CALL FOR PAPERS

Dear colleagues and friends,

The Indo-West Pacific is a region of global significance. It houses >50% of the world’s marine species. Coral reefs constitute one of the most important marine ecosystems in this region and are mainly distributed in some of the most critical biodiversity hotspots.The areas where coral reefs are found support a human population of >500 millions. Many of these people are under- privileged and depend heavily on the coral reefs as a source of their livelihood. Excessive exploitation of the reef fisheries contributed to the degradation of these reef systems. In other areas, rapid economic development and the associated pollution problems also contributed to the destruction of the coral reefs.

There is an increasing recognition of these threats to coral reefs and of the urgent need to address them. However, there is a lack of an effective forum, especially for coral reef workers in the Asia Pacific region to share their experiences and to learn from each other. It is with this in mind that the First Asia Pacific Coral Reef Symposium is being organized with an aim to provide a forum for scientists, educators, managers, environmentalists and other local stakeholders in the Asia Pacific region or working in this region to share their knowledge and experiences on all aspects of coral reef biology, ecology, management, and conservation strategies with the hope of finding a common and unified voice in preserving this marine natural heritage.

This symposium will be held at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, from June 18 to 24, 2006. The theme of the meeting will be “Coral Reefs: Cooperation and Collaboration for Better Conservation”. As Chair of the Local Organizing Committee and the International Organizing Committee, it is my pleasure to invite you to participate in the unfolding of this exciting event. At least eight keynote speakers have been invited to speak on their major fields of research with a focus in the Asia Pacific region. About 16 mini-symposia are being organized, each representing an important field of research in the region. There will be contributed paper and poster sessions where the latest findings in coral reef researches could be presented. We strongly encourage young scientists, reef workers and students to attend and to present their findings in this meeting. There will be competition for best student papers as well as for best poster.

This symposium will also serve as the founding congress of the Asian Coral Reef Society. It is expected that a greater cooperation and more concrete programs for collaboration among all the stakeholders in this region will be formulated as a result of this Symposium. I sincerely hope that you could be a partner in the making of this history and be with us as we march into a new era of challenges and opportunities.

Yours truthfully,