Reef fish are vital to the ecology and socio-economics of coral reef areas

Our team at Mott MacDonald provides services to establish the presence of resources in particular areas; and how they interact. This knowledge is vital to assess impacts to ecosystems, assist in site selection for development projects, and to provide input to project design and operation among other uses.

In the very simplest terms, ‘biodiversity’ means the diversity of life on our planet, which includes genetic, species and habitat diversity. Biodiversity has a unique role in the preservation and restoration mission of resources and is by nature interdisciplinary - based on the ‘big picture’, in which the smallest microbes and the largest human settlements need to be considered together. In order to preserve one species, we have to look at the whole ecosystem, including outside impacts from natural or anthropogenic sources.

One of the main purposes of biodiversity studies is to assist the legal process towards the conservation and preservation of habitats and species. Regulatory authorities use this information to form policy and legislation promoting sustainable use of resources and protecting our natural heritage. An industry uses it to regulate their activities in accordance with existing legislation. Many species are currently unprotected simply because we do not know enough about their distribution or presence. Biodiversity is accountable for the intricate working of any ecosystem, and some of the most crucial organisms are invisible to the naked eye.

The rewards of legal protection for many species and habitats are summarised as follows:

• Provision of essential services to human populations from both species and ecosystems
• Ethics and aesthetics
• Economic benefits from more sustainable stocks