1. Introduction
Globally coral reefs are under significant ecological decline with
estimates suggesting that 20% of the world’s reefs have been destroyed
and a further 25% at risk of collapse (Hughes et al., 2003;
Wilkinson, 2004). Such ecologically driven-decline is being forced
by a number of factors which include: global environmental
changes (increasing sea surface temperatures, ocean water chemistry
and sea level change) and anthropogenic factors (over fishing