The production of this book had a gestation period of more than three years. At the International Coral Reef Initiative meeting in Dumaguete, Philippines in May-June 1995, a call was made to form the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) and one of its tasks was to produce a report on the ecological condition of coral reefs for international forums. This is the first of those reports. In June1996, Bernard Salvat (EPHE University of Perpignan, France) and I organised a session at the 8th International Coral Reef Symposium in Panama at which many of these papers summarising the status of coral reefs were presented and most were published in the proceedings.

The authors who contributed then, and have since assisted in editing and updating the essays, are specially thanked — without them there would be no volume. Some of the essays required considerable reworking to fit into the style of this book, and this has consumed much of the authors time — thank you.

The GCRMN has four co-sponsors. Particular thanks go to Patricio Bernal, the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and George Grice, who have been major supporters of the GCRMN and have assisted in many administrative and policy matters. The United Nations Environment Programme and Agneta Nilsson have provided strong advice and financial support, and help has been obtained from some regional offices of the World Conservation Union (IUCN in Nairobi and Colombo). Recently the World Bank joined as a co-sponsor, and Ismail Serageldin, Marea Hatziolos and Andy Hooten gave strong moral support and advice prior to this.

The major financial support to keep the GCRMN going has come principally through the help of Peter Thomas, of the Department of State, and Arthur Paterson, of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration of the US Government. These agencies have provided most of the financial support for the Network, along with a considerable contribution from my home institution, the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

The donors of funds for the production of this volume listed on the front and back covers are specially thanked, as their generosity has enabled us to distribute this book at no charge. Particular thanks go to those people who acted as their agents: Bernard Salvat on behalf of EPHE and Naturalia et Biologia; Ismail Serageldin, Marea Hatziolos and Andy Hooten for the World Bank; Lynne Hale of CRC, University of Rhode Island and USAID; Steve Colwell on behalf of CORAL — The Coral Reef Alliance; George Grice on behalf of IOC/UNESCO; and Olof Linden on behalf of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (SAREC).

The Director (Russell Reichelt) and staff of the Australian Institute of Marine Science are thanked for providing considerable advice on coral reefs and monitoring, and for the production of this book, especially Terry Done, Hugh Sweatman and Will Oxley. The Director General of ICLARM (Meryl Williams) and John McManus and the team in ReefBase have given great support and provided data for many of these essays.

Most importantly, I wish to thank those wonderfully helpful and patient people in AIMS Science Communications: Sandra Child, Steve Clarke, Wendy Ellery, and Tim Simmonds. Sandra was particularly helpful as an editor, correcting many little flaws of scientific jargon under high pressure of deadlines. Janelle Lane made an excellent job of the maps.

Last, but not least, special thanks go to Bernard Salvat and George Grice who are the two main advisors for the GCRMN, and who both provide almost day-to-day assistance, and to Madeleine Nowak who kept me sane when I was putting this together.

Clive Wilkinson
Australian Institute of Marine Science